How do I stop rice being sticky?

Rice grains are coated in loose starch from milling. In the pan that starch dissolves, thickens the water and glues the grains together. Rinsing removes it. The second cause is simple excess water — the grains absorb what they can and sit in the rest, breaking down at the edges.

What you'll need

• Sieve or fine colander
• Pan with a tight lid
• Measuring jug (optional)

Step by step

1. Measure the rice by volume rather than weight.Ratios are volume-based. A mug of rice to one and a half mugs of water is easier to get right than converting to grams.
2. Rinse in cold water until the water runs clear.Usually three or four changes. The cloudiness you are washing away is exactly what makes rice sticky.
3. Use 1.5 parts water to 1 part long-grain rice.Basmati wants slightly less, around 1.4. Brown rice needs roughly 2. Ignore the water levels printed on pans.
4. Bring to a boil, then drop to the lowest possible simmer and cover.A rolling boil agitates the grains and knocks starch off them. You want barely any movement.
5. Do not lift the lid or stir during cooking.Stirring rice is what you do to make risotto creamy. It does the same thing here, which is the opposite of what you want.
6. After 10-12 minutes, take it off the heat and leave it covered for another 10.The residual steam finishes the grains evenly. This resting step is the one most people skip and it matters more than it sounds.
7. Fluff with a fork, not a spoon.A fork separates the grains. A spoon presses them together and crushes them.

Tips

• If you have already made sticky rice, spreading it on a tray to cool and dry helps a little, and it makes excellent fried rice the next day.
• Some rice is meant to be sticky — sushi rice and short-grain pudding rice have high amylopectin and will never cook up separate.
• Old rice absorbs more water than fresh. If a familiar ratio suddenly gives dry rice, that is usually why.

Common mistakes

• Skipping the rinse — Surface starch is the single biggest cause of gluey rice, and rinsing takes ninety seconds.
• Stirring during cooking — It breaks the grains and releases starch, which is exactly the mechanism you are trying to avoid.
• Serving straight off the heat — Without the rest, the bottom is wet and the top is underdone.

Questions people ask