How to Wash and Cook Rice (Foolproof Ratio)

To cook fluffy rice, rinse it 2-3 times until the water runs mostly clear to wash off surface starch, then cook jasmine rice at roughly 1 part rice to 1.25-1.5 parts water. After cooking, let it rest 10 minutes off the heat with the lid on before fluffing. The rinse stops it turning gluey; the rest lets the grains finish steaming evenly.

Rice is the base of most meals here, so getting it reliably right means the rest of dinner just falls into place. The ratio is forgiving once you know it.

Step by step

1. Measure the rice. Use a cup or scale so you can match the water accurately.
2. Rinse 2-3 times. Swirl with cold water and drain until the water runs from cloudy to mostly clear.
3. Add water. For jasmine rice, use about 1.25-1.5 times the rice by volume. Older rice likes a touch more.
4. Cook covered. In a rice cooker, press start. In a pot, bring to a boil, then cover and drop to the lowest heat for about 12 minutes.
5. Rest 10 minutes. Leave the lid on, off the heat, so the moisture settles evenly.
6. Fluff and serve. Lift and separate the grains gently with a fork or paddle.

Common mistakes

• Skipping the rinse, so the rice clumps and turns sticky.
• Lifting the lid mid-cook and letting the steam escape.
• Using too much water out of habit (the 2:1 ratio suits other rices, not jasmine).
• Fluffing immediately, before the grains have rested and firmed up.

The finger / knuckle method

No measuring cup? Add rinsed rice to the pot, level it, then add water until it reaches the first knuckle of your index finger resting on top of the rice. It works because it scales with the amount of rice, and generations of home cooks swear by it.

▶ Watch: How to Cook Perfect Rice Every Time

With rice handled, tell OneToCook what’s in your fridge for something to go on top. See the technique glossary for more, and learn what simmering means and how to dice an onion next.