In 1989, I studied with a French chef named Marie, and one of the basic techniques she taught me was her way to cook rice. I remember being in the kitchen with her one day and mentioning that I didn’t enjoy waiting for rice to cook. She looked at me and said, “Non, non, you don’t wait for rice to cook — you just let it sit.” Then she showed me her simple, convenient way to cook rice, and it’s been a go-to for me ever since!
Your choice of white rice
I usually make basmati and jasmine rice, but this technique works for standard white rice as well. I’ve also cooked brown rice this way, but brown rice takes longer to cook, so I boiled it longer — about ten minutes — and let it sit longer, about 45 minutes. It turned out okay, but for brown rice, letting it simmer until cooked or using a rice cooker are better methods.
As for risotto rice, that’s a different technique altogether. If you like risotto, you can find an easy recipe here.
Risotto with lemon and basil
Marie taught me to put the rice and water (according to package directions — I use 1 part rice to 2 parts water for jasmine or basmati rice) in a pot, bring it to a boil for about 4 to 5 minutes, then turn off the heat, cover it, and let it sit on the burner. After about thirty minutes, you'll have perfectly plumped rice without having to wait in the kitchen for it to cook.
Once it's cooked, use it or store it in the fridge. The next day, it's ready to use.
I've been cooking rice in this manner — I mostly cook basmati and jasmine rice — and it's so helpful for planning ahead. For instance, I'll put on a pot of rice when I'm in the kitchen making dinner. It only takes a minute or two to set it up on the stove, and then I have rice ready for dinner tomorrow.
When my kids were younger, I would start a pot of rice while they had their after-school snack. Then I would let it sit while we went about our afternoon activities or an outing. When we got home, the rice was ready for dinner.
Sometimes I make a batch, even if I don't need it that day, to have on hand for later. Then it's ready to serve as a side dish with a simple main dish or as leftovers — for fried rice for an easy, quick dinner or school lunch!
Fried rice with leftovers
Rice with leftover chicken for school lunch
You can also freeze leftover rice — with or without other leftovers — and it's ready to warm and serve!
If you're wondering about rinsing rice before you cook it, I've thought about this too. Many cooks recommend rinsing rice to remove any dust and excess starch for a less sticky result. Others say not to rinse, as rinsing can wash away nutrients.
Marie didn't rinse the rice, and most of the time, I skip it too — and the rice always turns out great.
Somewhere along the way, I came up with the idea of adding a bit of butter to the pot when boiling rice — about a tablespoon for two cups of rice. Maybe it helps reduce stickiness. I'm not sure, but I think it adds a bit of flavor.
I hope today's tip on cooking rice saves you time in the kitchen and inspires you to prepare ingredients in advance so they are ready when it's time to make dinner. Prepping ingredients like rice doesn't take long, but it can save you so much time later!
You might also be interested to read about boiling potatoes ahead of time too.
I put this kitchen tip for cooking rice in a recipe format so you can save it to your Paprika app. Just copy the link, open your Parika app, and save! Don't forget to make a category for Kitchen Tips in your Paprika app. If you don't have Paprika yet, you can learn about it here.
