5 common mistakes people commit while cooking rice and how to correct them

When it comes to rice-based dishes, it is essential to cook the perfect and fluffiest rice. Unfortunately, many of us fail at cooking the perfect fluffy rice. And this happens mostly because we don't pay attention to the texture, water-to-rice ratio, flame, and more. Here are some common mistakes that people commit while cooking rice and easy solutions to make sure that your next pot of rice is absolutely perfect!

It often happens that the bottom of the pan gets burnt and because of it, one layer of rice sticks to the pot leaving behind a pungent smell.
Solution: This one calls for setting your gas stove flame right. When preparing rice in a pressure cooker, it is suggested to keep the burner at the lowest setting possible. Let the steam do the magic. And when cooking in a pot, keep the flame high till water boils and then bring it down at the lowest.

This problem happens when you don’t know the rice and water ratio.
Solution: According to cooking experts, one cup of small white rice requires about 1 ½ cup of water, while one cup of long white rice needs about 1 ¾ cup of water. And, one cup of brown rice requires two cups of water for proper cooking.

It often happens that the rice is cooked but turns out to be crunchy.
Solution: It happens when the lid of the cooking pot/cooker is not locked properly. Next time when you are cooking rice, make sure to lock it properly and you can use a clean kitchen towel between the pot and lid to avoid steam from getting out.

Clumpy rice is a result of too much starch and or to much water during cooking.
Solution: The easiest solution is to give it a quick rinse. Doing this will wash the starchy powder away and you will get fluffy cooked rice. Another easy way to handle clumpy rice is to add a touch of oil or butter to your pot to help prevent sticking even further. You should immediately spread the clumpy rice on a plate and put it under the fan. This will take care of the problem to a great extent.

This not only happens with rice but also with lentils and beans (chickpea and kidney beans) that after cooking you realise that the dish is not evenly cooked.
Solution: The best way to deal with this problem is to give rice or other similar ingredients a little rest. Once the cooking is done, let the cooking pot rest for some 15-20minutes, this allows the heat to redistribute in the pot, leading to a more evenly cooked dish.

All Images Courtesy: istock