How to Make Fluffy Rice Without a Rice Cooker

Get the quality of rice that has been prepared in a rice cooker on your stovetop with these simple directions.

First, choose a long cooking rice. We prefer brown rice. This takes longer to cook than instant but has a much better flavor and is also fluffier and healthier.

Then, measure out your rice and water precisely as the directions state. This is extremely important, eye-balling it won't due. Pour water in a heavy pot that has a tight-fitting lid and bring to a boil. You can use broth in place of water for a better flavor, but straight water will yield a fluffier rice. You can add a pinch of salt to the water before placing the rice in, but this will make the water boil at a slightly higher temperature so cooking time may be reduced by a moment or two.

When the water comes to a rolling boil, pour in pre-measured rice, give one quick stir, then immediately place the lid on tight. Steam is what cooks rice, so replacing the lid will allow the proper absorption of water while allowing the steam to finish cooking the rice. Avoid taking the lid off to check the rice.

Next, as soon as you replace the lid and wait a moment to bring the rice back to boiling, turn the heat on your stovetop from high to medium.

Next, to avoid rice that is burned on the bottom, turn the heat on your burner from medium to low about half-way through cooking. For example, if the directions on your rice call for cooking rice for 40 minutes, about twenty minutes through you will turn your burner to low.

Then, remove the rice from the burner when the time is up (in this case, 40 minutes). If the time is approximate on the packaging use the lesser time. For example if it says, "cook for 35-40 minutes" remove the rice from the burner (without removing the lid) after 35 minutes. You don't want to leave the rice on the burner even if you have turned it off because the residual heat may overcook or burn your rice.

After removing your rice from the hot burner, allow it to sit a moment. To create a very fluffy rice, use this tip: lay a clean hand towel over the pot and place the lid back on. Allow the rice to sit for a moment or two before fluffing it gently with a fork.

You can then add flavors and spices and viola, perfect rice every time!