Zapappy

Name: Plain Basmati Rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 17 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 cup, aged white basmati rice; as needed, for rinsing and soaking; 1¼ cups, fresh water, for cooking; ¾ tsp, Diamond Crystal kosher salt; other brands may be denser

Cooking

Directions

Rinse and soak

Place the aged basmati rice in a {{tool:mixing-bowl}} and cover generously with cool water. Gently swish the grains with your fingers, then drain off the cloudy water. Repeat 4–6 times, until the water is only faintly cloudy. Handle the rice gently to avoid breaking the long grains.
Cover the rinsed rice with at least 2 inches (5 cm) of fresh cool water. Soak for 30 minutes; the grains should become slightly whiter and more brittle.
Tip the rice into a {{tool:fine-mesh-sieve}} and drain for 10 minutes. Do not shake or press it.

Cook by absorption

Combine the drained rice, 1¼ cups (300 ml) water, and kosher salt in a heavy 2-quart (2-liter) {{tool:heavy-saucepan}} with a tight-fitting {{tool:lid}}. Bring to a full boil over medium-high heat, uncovered, about 4–5 minutes. Stir once very gently as the water approaches the boil to prevent grains from settling on the bottom.
As soon as the entire surface is bubbling, cover the pan and reduce the heat to its lowest setting. Cook, without lifting the lid or stirring, for 12 minutes. The heat should be low enough that only a faint simmer is audible; visible steam should not pour from beneath the lid.

Rest and finish

Remove the covered pan from the heat. Let the rice rest, completely undisturbed, for 10 minutes. This resting period is essential: the remaining moisture redistributes while the grains firm and separate.
Lift the lid. The water should be fully absorbed, and a grain tasted from the center should be tender throughout without a hard core. Gently lift and separate the rice with a {{tool:fork}} or slender rice paddle, working from the edges toward the center without mashing the grains. Serve immediately.