Note: It is important to understand that the preparation of rich white rice is an art and not a science , and therefore can not be fully explained. The wide variety of types of rice in the market requires some experimentation to refine the results. The procedure will be affected by the type of rice, the type of pot and the exact amount of heat that your stove produces. With all those warnings, here’s my personal style of preparing rice.

Ingredients:

  • Oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup peas (optional )
  • 1/2 cup of corn kernels (optional)
  • 2 cups of rice
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 pinch of salt

Preparation:

Cover about half of the bottom of the pot with oil (about two tablespoons will do) , add the minced garlic and put on high heat to brown. Spread the garlic and move with a wooden spoon until golden, but not burned. If using peas and corn , this is the time to add them to the pot and stir for half a minute. Add water and add salt to taste (I just taste the water, but it will be about a teaspoon).

Add the rice and wait until it just begins to boil, immediately bring the heat down to the lowest possible. Cover and let stand for 20-30 minutes. When the rice is tender, it is ready. If you feel the top portion of the rice is dry, mix around a little bit, and cover for another five minutes.

Adding water is almost always a bad idea because the rice will become mushy and sticky, only do so if the pot is really dry and the rice is not ready, the next time you will need a little more water. If there is still some water in the pot , it is preferable to turn down the heat and wait.