Many Asians use a rice cooker to cook rice, but you may not have a rice cooker nor want another gadget on your kitchen counter. In this article, I will talk about how to cook Asian white rice in a ceramic pot.
There are a few things to bear in mind:
- Step 1: Wash your rice properly
- Step 2: Make sure your ratio of rice to water is correct
- Step 3: Ensure you steam the rice well
However, before we even begin to cook our rice, determine how much rice you want to cook and the container you will cook it in. I generally approximate 1 cup of rice for 2 people. As for what kind of pot to cook my rice in, I recommend a ceramic or stone pot, because they trap heat and steam very well!
I personally use either a Le Creuset 4.5 quart round cast iron casserole pot or a Korean ceramic stone bowl with lid and they work wonderfully. My only caveat is that you do need to keep an eye on the pot while it cooks the rice rather than depend on a “beep” from a rice cooker when your rice is done. When you select your pot, keep in mind that rice will expand to about 3-4 times its size when done, so you need a large enough pot. Also, you will be boiling and then steaming the rice in that pot, so it needs to have a lid that can keep most of the steam trapped in the pot.
Step 1: How to wash your rice properly
Regardless of which brand of short grain Asian rice you purchase, it is important to wash your rice before cooking (Note: if you need a suggestion on which rice to use see my post on Staples in a Chinese Kitchen). Washing the rice will remove a lot of the loose starches or impurities from the milling process. By washing the rice thoroughly, your rice will also taste sweeter, be fluffier, and have no powdery taste. To wash rice, it is very simple. I put the rice directly in the pot I will cook it with and I add water until it covers the top of the rice. I swirl the rice so that the water flows around all the grains of the rice. The water will turn a murky white, which means you are removing the surface starch. Drain all this white water from the rice by simply using your hand or a strainer to block the rice from falling out while you pour the water out from the pot while keeping the rice in. Repeat this washing process until the water is clearer (it likely won’t become perfectly clear though). I find that washing and draining the rice about 3 times is sufficient. On the third or last time, make sure you drain as much water from the rice as you can before you begin measuring for the right ratio of water to cook the rice with.
Step 2: Make sure your ratio of rice to water is correct
Most white rice brands tell you that the correct ratio of water to rice for cooking is around 1.5 cups of water to 1 cup of rice. You can verify this by reading the packaging of the rice. If no instructions are provided, use the 1.5 parts water to 1 part rice ratio depending on how much rice you want to cook. Chinese often don’t even use a measuring cup, so there are other methods to ensure you have the right ratio. One of these methods is adding water to your rice until the water level sits above the rice about the measurement from the tip of your finger to your finger’s first joint line. Another method is to add water until the water covers your entire hand’s fingers up to your palm when you place your entire hand flat on top of the bed of uncooked rice. Regardless of the method, as you get used to cooking rice, you will get a good feel for the “just right” rice ratio of water to rice.
Step 3: Ensure you steam the rice well
Now that you have the right ratio of water to rice, it is time to cook the rice. Place your pot of rice and water on the stove and turn the heat to high and put the lid on. Check between 5-10 minutes for the liquid to reach a rolling boil. Once the liquid has reached the rolling boil, turn the heat to simmer and put the lid back on properly. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes. IMPORTANT: Do not check the rice from this point on because you need to keep the steam trapped inside the pot to steam the rice! After 10 minutes, turn the heat off and just let the pot sit on the stove for another 20 minutes to allow the steam to cook the rice. No peeking – Just have faith that the rice is absorbing the water, steaming, and will be ready in 20 minutes! At the 20 minute mark, ta da – it is done! You can take off the lid and scoop out the rice with a rice paddle to serve.
Happy cooking!
