The Steamed Rice Basics My Dad's Made 100,000 Times

As a restaurant chef, my dad has made countless pots of rice. Whether the grains are served alongside our favorite entrees or used as an ingredient, it's hands-down one of the most important dishes to know in Chinese cuisine.

Cooking perfect rice may seem like simple task, but it's surprisingly easy to mess up. Using the wrong amount of time, using the incorrect water to rice ratio... there are many issues that can make rice mushy and sticky. My dad has perfected his technique and has five top tips for how to cook white rice so it's fluffy and fragrant every time.

1. Invest in a rice cooker

You don't need a state-of-the-art appliance to make good rice in a rice cooker. There are models out there that are quite affordable. It's my dad's preferred tool of choice because a rice cooker is reliable. It not only delivers consistently fluffy rice, but it's also easy and convenient to use since you don't need to constantly keep an eye on it.

2. Opt for Thai jasmine rice

Thai jasmine rice is the grain of choice in the Lau household. Its texture, aroma and versatility are unmatched, especially for Cantonese cuisine. According to my dad, it has a nice tender texture that works well with everything. You can find different brands at both American and Asian supermarkets — we recommend choosing a Thai brand if available:

• Three Ladies Jasmine Rice

3. Wash the rice

My dad washes rice to clean it and not because it makes a difference in the texture, as many believe it does.

4. Use a 1:1 rice-to-water ratio

After decades of cooking, my dad has found that a 1:1 ratio of rice-to-water creates the ideal balance of grain-to-liquid. It works specifically when cooking Thai jasmine rice in a rice cooker and may not be applicable to other varieties and cooking methods.

5. Fluff the rice

Always fluff your rice once it's done cooking. This releases excess steam and prevents the rice from getting too sticky and clumping up.

Chef's Tip: My dad prefers to use chopsticks, since the gap between the two gives you more control and makes it easier to fluff.

Ways to use rice

A perfect bowl of white rice is great with saucy main dishes such as Beef and Broccoli, Spare Ribs with Black Bean Sauce and Steamed Salmon. You also need cooked white rice for classic Chinese recipes, such as:

• Yangzhou Fried Rice
• Egg Fried Rice
• Ginger Fried Rice
• Claypot Rice

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