Equipment
Ingredients
Main
- 200 g jasmine rice
- 260 ml water, cold
- 2 g kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 65 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 14 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 196 mg
- Potassium
- 0 mg
- Calcium
- 1 mg
- Magnesium
- 1 mg
- Water
- 65 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the jasmine rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly under cold running water for a minute. Gently swish the grains with your fingers until the water runs completely clear, which removes excess surface starch.
Transfer the drained rice into a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add the cold water and the optional kosher salt.
Place the saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the water to a rolling boil (100°C/212°F) without the lid.
Once boiling, immediately reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting. Cover tightly with the lid and simmer undisturbed for exactly 15 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat source entirely. Keeping the lid firmly in place, let the rice rest for 10 minutes to allow the remaining steam to finish cooking the grains and distribute the moisture.
Remove the lid and gently fluff the rice with a fork or rice paddle, scraping from the bottom up to separate the grains before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Always rinse jasmine rice. This critical step washes away the starchy powder left over from milling, which is the primary culprit behind gummy, clumpy rice.
- The 1 to 1.3 ratio of rice to water by weight is the golden rule for stovetop jasmine rice. Unlike older long-grain varieties, new crop jasmine requires slightly less water to reach its optimal fluffy texture.
- The resting phase is just as important as the active cooking phase. Removing the heat but trapping the steam allows the starches to gelatinize fully without burning the bottom layer.
- If your saucepan lid has a vent hole or fits loosely, place a clean kitchen towel between the pot and the lid to trap the steam effectively. Fold the edges of the towel up over the lid so they do not catch fire.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container once completely cooled.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in individual portions in freezer-safe bags, pressing out excess air.
Reheating: Microwave covered with a damp paper towel and a small splash of water until steaming hot, stirring halfway through.
Troubleshooting
Rice is mushy, wet, or gummy
Cause: Too much water was used or the rice was not thoroughly rinsed prior to cooking.
Fix: Spread the warm rice on a baking sheet and bake at 150°C/300°F for 10 minutes to evaporate excess moisture, or repurpose into a savory porridge or congee.
Prevention: Weigh the water precisely rather than estimating volume, and ensure the rinse water is completely clear.
Rice is crunchy or hard in the center
Cause: Insufficient water or the lid was removed during cooking, allowing essential steam to escape.
Fix: Add 2 tablespoons of boiling water, cover tightly, and simmer on the lowest heat for another 5 minutes, then rest again.
Prevention: Use a tight-fitting lid and do not peek during the simmering or resting phases.
Bottom layer of rice is burnt
Cause: The burner temperature was too high during the simmer phase, or the pot has a very thin base.
Fix: Scoop out the unburnt top layers to serve. Do not scrape the bottom, or the burnt flavor will permeate the rest of the batch.
Prevention: Ensure the burner is set to the absolute lowest setting. If using an electric stove that retains heat, move the pot to a smaller, cooler burner for the simmer step.
Cultural Context
Jasmine rice, known natively as Khao Hom Mali in Thailand, is a premium long-grain varietal celebrated for its subtle, pandan-like fragrance and slightly sticky texture. It forms the foundational carbohydrate for countless Southeast Asian meals, specifically cultivated and prepared to soak up thin curries, complex sauces, and rich broths. High-quality jasmine rice is often graded by the percentage of whole, unbroken grains, representing the pinnacle of Thai agricultural heritage.
