4. You’re not washing the rice
This can be very confusing, some people argue that it’s better to wash your rice and others say this is completely unnecessary or even bad for its taste. In the past, washing rice was considered to be normal as the quality controls weren’t as tight and you could often find small pieces of rocks, sand or other dirt in the rice. Today this isn’t a problem anymore. The reason why you should still cook the rice is that cooking unwashed rice can lead to a lot of foaming which can be annoying as it requires you to clean up your stove and countertops. Not cooking the rice also tends to lead to a lot of clumping which is not ideal at all. The reason for these issues is starch. Rice contains a lot of it and excess starch tends to build-up on the outside of the rice, which is why washing the rice can help.
3. You have to let the rice steam
Not everyone has a steamer at home, but that isn’t necessary for cooking rice anyway. All you have to do is leave the rice in the pot and keep the lid on after you are done cooking. Obviously, you need to make sure there is no excess water in the pot anymore as it would have to be drained first before letting the rice steam. Once the rice has steamed for a few minutes you can use a fork and loosen it up a little. That way you will get nice grainy rice that is not soggy at all.
2. You stir the rice
Leave the rice alone while it’s still cooking! Just don’t touch it! What happens when you stir the rice during the cooking process is that you will activate the starch and that causes the rice to become soggy. Have you ever wondered why Risotto rice has to be stirred that much? It is to create the mentioned sogginess! But Risotto is the absolute exception and other types of rice definitely should not be stirred!
1. You’re not adding salt
Rice is a lot like Pasta in this regard, you will have to add a little salt while the rice is cooking. Just a tiny pinch of salt makes sure the rice isn’t overly bland. This is especially important if you eat your rice as part of European or American-style dishes as these are generally not as aromatic and taste-intensive as Asian dishes.