1. Swap Out Water for Broth: Replace ordinary water with beef, vegetable, or chicken broth. The rice is enhanced with characteristics that are not possible with just water; the broth gives the rice a deep, delicious flavor.
2. Make the rice toasty: Toast the rice in a small amount of butter or oil until it turns a light golden color before adding any liquid. This helps keep the rice fluffy and separate while also adding a nutty flavor.
3. Include Fragrances: The key is aromatics! Before adding the rice, sauté the onions, garlic, or shallots in the pot. While the rice cooks, add spices like cinnamon, cardamom, or star anise, as well as herbs like thyme, rosemary, or bay leaves. These give the rice a beautiful scent and depth.
Use Appropriate Ratio: Restaurants pay close attention to the proportion of liquid to rice. For white rice, the ratio is usually two cups water or broth to one cup rice, and slightly higher for brown rice. However, they frequently modify this according to the kind of rice and the preferred texture.
5. Give it a break: They hold off on serving the rice immediately after it is prepared. Rather, they take it off the heat source, leave the lid on, and allow it to rest for roughly ten minutes. This makes sure the rice isn’t overly sticky or soggy by allowing the grains to firm up and steam.
6. Use a fork to fluff: Finally, to help separate the grains without making the rice mushy, fluff the rice with a fork rather than stirring with a spoon. When you use these methods, your rice will become more than just a side dish—rather, it will become the star of the show on the table, full of flavor and perfectly cooked texture that your guests will enjoy!
