Steamed Rice Recipe: How to Make Perfect Steamed Rice

Steaming is a cooking method that involves exposing food to steam, the vapor that forms when water boils and evaporates. Steamed foods cook while suspended over water in a container with a tight-fitting lid that helps trap the steam. Steamed rice is made with a method that combines boiling and steaming—rice is first boiled, then removed from the heat and covered to steam until perfectly tender.

There's one exception to this steam-and-boil hybrid method: Thai sticky rice, which is steamed in a bamboo basket above a pot of water. Placing this starchy variety of glutinous rice directly in water would result in pure mush (which may be what you're looking for if you're making mochi or other Asian rice desserts).

Use these tips to make perfectly cooked rice on the stovetop.

1. 1. Read the package. Each type of rice requires a different amount of water. For example, brown rice typically requires more water than white rice. Long-grain rice (basmati rice, jasmine rice) needs more water than medium-grain rice (such as Calrose) and short-grain rice (Japanese and Korean rice, often labeled "sushi rice.")
2. 2. Rinse and repeat. Rinsing your rice might seem like an unnecessary step, but it helps to remove excess starch from the rice, preventing clumping.
3. 3. Fluff your rice. Use a rice paddle to fluff the rice, which redistributes the heat and prevents the grains from clumping together.
4. 4. Keep the lid closed. Resist the urge to open the lid while the rice cooks. Of course, you'll need to check once or twice to see when the water has absorbed, but each time you open the lid, you're losing precious steam and risking unevenly cooked rice.

Making steamed rice is an easy, three-step process.

1. 1. Rinse: Rinse a cup of rice in a large bowl of cold water, swishing the rice around with your hands. Use a fine-mesh strainer to drain the rice.
2. 2. Boil: In a small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, bring rice and the appropriate amount of water (and salt, if desired) to a boil over high heat. When the rice begins to boil, cover with a lid and reduce heat to low. Simmer until the water is absorbed.
3. 3. Steam: Remove the pan from the heat, keeping the lid on. Allow to sit, undisturbed for 10 minutes. Fluff and serve.