My team at Cavallo Point now and over the years know how much and long I can talk about steaming white rice. Here’s the secret to making perfect rice without a hint of brown on the rice bottom (I can;t even call it crust), and it does not stick, either.
Recipes always ask you to rinse till the water runs clear – the reason why is to remove any rice bits and flour leftover from the polishing. It’s like how super glue works – we need two clean surfaces to stick, otherwise the gunk in between the rice kernels would get mushy and you end up with clumps of rice.
The the eater measure – lay your four fingers on the top of the washed rice and add enough water so that the level covers your four fingers and not touch your palm — about 1/2 inches. This method works when you are cooking one cup or 40 cups.
Next, cover your pot lid with a tea towel. It absorbs the condensation so it does not fall back into the rice and make the top layer mushy.
The 20 minute plus 10 mins work with 1 cup or 40 cups.
So here is the recipe. And it works for white rice or semi-polished haiga rice.
2 cups Jasmine rice
About 3 cups water or about 3/4 inch over the rice
Wash the rice several times until the water runs fairly clear. Drain rice. Add measured water. As a general rule of thumb, the water should be about an inch over the rice.
Bring pot of rice to boil under high heat. When it boils, give it a quick stir, turn down the heat, cover with lid that is wrapped with a tea towel, and simmer on low for another 20 minutes. Then turn off heat, let rice stand for 10 minutes. During this 30 minutes, do not uncover the pot – not even once! Fluff.
Makes 4 cups.
