How to Cook Rice Correctly: Student Cooking Guide

Grasping the basics when it comes to cooking as a student can make uni life a whole lot easier, and there are few things you’ll eat more than rice during your time on campus. Learning how to cook rice so that it’s fluffy and soft every time is a skill that sounds easier than it is!

In this short guide we’ll teach you all the tips and tricks to ensuring your next curry, chilli, or stir fry are levelled up.

Why Learn How to Cook Rice?

It’s far more than just a side dish. Rice is the most consumed food on the planet for a reason. It’s easy to cook, makes huge portions, and is cheap to buy.

• It’s a cheap, simple, and foolproof ingredient once you get the hang of making it.
• As a base for so many meals, you can experiment as a group.
• Adding flavours from around the world can elevate your rice once more.
• It’s a filling option that is scientifically proven to fill you up faster.

Cooking rice correctly improves your meals, but messing it up can lead to mush or crunch, neither of which goes down well after a long day.

The Mug Method

There are plenty of ‘official’ measurements that you can use to produce the perfect rice; however, for students, the mug method is the most reliable.

The simple rule to remember is that one mug of water should equal two mugs of white rice. This is a great method to use during your early days of university as you may not have had time to pick up some kitchen essentials such as a measuring jug.

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For brown rice, increase the amount of water to 2.5 mugs  per cup of rice. This is because it takes longer to cook. Patience is important, but worth it if you want a meal packed with fibre.

Bonus Tip: Rinsing rice before cooking it is a good idea as it helps remove starch that could cause your rice to clump in the pot if not washed off.

How to Cook Rice on the Hob

You don’t need to invest in a fancy rice cooker, just follow these simple steps:

1. Decide on your portion size (remember the mug method).
2. Rinse the rice under cold water.
3. Add it to the saucepan along with your measured water.
4. Bring to the boil over a medium heat and stir once to break it up.
5. Set a timer: 10-12 minutes for white rice, and 25-30 minutes for brown rice.
6. Put on the lid and trust the process
7. Turn off the heat and leave to stand for 5 minutes.
8. Fluff with a fork and serve.

No more guesswork, just perfectly cooked rice.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Nailing it every time can take while, and even experienced chefs can mess up sometimes. Here’s a few common mistakes to try and avoid:

• Lifting the lid early. This releases steam too soon.
• Using too much water as this leads to mushy rice.
• Skipping the rest time. This is what gives the rice its fluffy texture.

If you do already own a rice cooker, then you’re in luck. It will handle all of the above for you!

Ready to Upgrade Your Rice Game?

Once you’ve grasped the basics, you might want to flip the script with some upgrades.

• Swapping water for stock can give an extra depth to your dish.
• Adding spices such a cardamom, bay leaves, and cinnamon.
• Mixing in chopped herbs, chilli flakes, or spring onions at the end of cooking.

There’s actually so much more you can do with rice than lots of people think!

Make Leftovers Work for You

Don’t ever waste cooked rice. It stores well and can save you time the following day. Rice has a fridge life of up to 2 days (cool quickly and store in an airtight container). Just make sure that you heat it fully and not more than once as this can cause food poisoning.

Try your leftovers in:

• Egg fried rice
• Burrito bowls
• Veggie stir fry
• Rice based salads or wraps

Discover More Student Cooking Tips

Cooking rice should really just be the beginning of your culinary adventure at university. From food markets to independent restaurants and beyond, there’s loads to enjoy in whichever city you’re studying in.

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Cooking Rice: Perfected

Now you know how to cook rice properly, you’ve got a foundation you can create almost any meal with. It’s one of the most basic cooking skills that sticks with you beyond university.

If you’ve never given it a go, now’s your moment to try and prepare some rice for you and your flatmates. It might go wrong at first, but you’ll soon be a rice master.