The secret to perfect rice

On the whole, the UK is a nation of rice lovers. Whether it’s served as a simple side to a curry or is centre of attention in a dish like risotto or Biryani, it plays a huge part in a lot of our favourite cuisines; most cook and eat it at least once a week. But based on our recent survey almost a quarter of people admit they struggle to cook rice that comes out fluffy and aromatic every single time – sometimes they’re left with soggy, overcooked grains that are waterlogged and stuck to each other instead.

The most important thing to acknowledge is that different types of rice cook at different times and temperatures, so unfortunately there isn’t one single rule for cooking all the grains grown around the world. That said, according to our survey results, Basmati is by far the most popular rice variety in Britain with seventy-seven per cent picking it as their favourite – so it’s definitely the one to focus on and ensure you know exactly what goes into it and what’s involved in cooking it to perfection every time.

Whilst there’s an ever increasing awareness of where our meat, fish and vegetables come from, people seem less knowledgeable about rice, paying little attention to the quality, consistency and care that’s gone into growing it.

The Food Standards Agency has conducted tests on bags of rice labelled Basmati, finding some of them contained a blend of both Basmati and long grains – effectively making them impure. Only pure Basmati rice has the unique aroma, taste and texture that elevates any dish.

However, the real culprits behind these pots of sticky, soggy rice are broken grains. When Basmati grains break or snap in half, there’s nothing to stop their starch leaking out into the boiling water and cook much quicker, which in turn causes rice to stick together and lose its delicate, fluffy texture. The solution? All rice should be as free from broken grains as possible, whether you’re choosing long slender Basmati grains or shorter grains like risotto or even pudding rice.