The Steamed Rice Basics My Dad's Made 100,000 Times
Why this recipe
Most steamed rice basics recipes online are tested only a handful of times. My dad used to make this dish multiple times a day, every day, for 60+ years and can make this in his sleep.
I know you'll love it as much as our community does! This recipe has over 111.6K views, 2.1K likes on YouTube.
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:
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:
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Ingredients
On the finger/knuckle method
A lot of home cooks swear by the finger/knuckle method when making rice, but it's not my dad's preferred technique. Everyone's fingers are different so it requires a bit of trial and error to figure out where exactly you need to fill the water up to.
On saving hard rice
Unfortunately, there's no way to rescue rice that's too soft, but if the grains are still too hard, my dad recommends pouring 1/2 cup of hot water along the side of the pot and cooking it one more time.
Instructions
Wash rice
Place the rice (3 cups) in a large bowl. Add enough water to fully submerge the grains.
Use your fingers to grab handfuls and lightly squeeze, then agitate. This will help get rid of any dust and debris that has accumulated during the production process. Pour out the water.
Repeat two more times.
Cook rice
Add the clean and drained rice to the inner pot of a rice cooker. Pour in the water (3.3 cups). My dad typically uses a 1:1 ratio of rice-to-water, but since we usually eat with babies and young kids, he adds an additional 1/4 cup to make the grains extra tender.
You can also follow the measurement marks on the inner pot of the rice cooker.
Use a dry towel to wipe down the bottom of the pot. Place the pot into the rice cooker with the measurement marks facing the front and close the lid. Select the jasmine rice setting.
Fluff rice
Once the rice is done, let it sit for 2 additional minutes to allow the steam to settle. Open the lid and using a rice paddle or chopsticks, fluff the rice for about 1 minute.
Chef's Tip: Scoop the rice from around the sides and from the bottom. The rice at the bottom of the pot is usually more tender than the grains on top. Avoid using metal utensils when scooping as that can damage the nonstick surface of the inner pot.
Made with love ❤️
We started Made With Lau to celebrate Cantonese culture and honor the legacy of our wonderful parents, Jenny and Chung Sun Lau.
Our hope is that these recipes and stories help you spread the joy, love, and nostalgia that I felt growing up.
