Equipment
Ingredients
Rice and Liquid
- 300 g jasmine rice
- 400 ml water, cold
- 5 g kosher salt
Garlic and Fat
- 55 g unsalted butter
- 10 garlic, finely chopped
- 20 g fried garlic, store-bought crispy
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 225 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 10 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 493 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 30 mg
- Potassium
- 93 mg
- Calcium
- 41 mg
- Iron
- 0.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 10 mg
- Phosphorus
- 35 mg
- Zinc
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 94 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 5 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.03 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 1 mcg
- Water
- 171 g
- Alcohol
- 12 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the jasmine rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until the water runs completely clear. Drain well to remove excess moisture.
Melt the unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add the finely chopped garlic to the melted butter. Cook gently, stirring frequently with a silicone spatula, until the garlic is highly fragrant and just beginning to turn pale golden, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the rinsed jasmine rice and kosher salt to the saucepan. Stir constantly to coat every grain in the garlic butter, toasting the rice slightly for 2 minutes.
Pour the water into the saucepan and bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
Immediately reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting. Cover the saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and simmer undisturbed for 15 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat completely. Do not open the lid. Let the rice rest for 5 minutes to finish absorbing the steam.
Remove the lid and gently fluff the rice with the silicone spatula. Fold in half of the store-bought fried garlic.
Transfer the rice to a serving bowl and sprinkle the remaining fried garlic evenly over the top just before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Rinsing the jasmine rice is non-negotiable for this dish; it removes the surface starch that would otherwise make the final grain structure gummy and heavy.
- Mincing the garlic by hand with a chef's knife rather than using a garlic press produces cleaner, more distinct pieces that toast evenly in the butter without quickly turning to mush and burning.
- The store-bought crispy garlic adds essential textural contrast. Ensure your supply is fresh and smells sweet; rancid fried garlic oil will ruin the aroma of the entire dish.
- Do not rush the resting period after the cooking phase completes. This allows the steam to redistribute evenly from the bottom to the top, ensuring perfectly fluffy grains that separate easily.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Rice will harden when cold.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze in individual portions. Reheat with a splash of water.
Reheating: Microwave covered with a damp paper towel until steaming hot, or pan-fry in a skillet.
Troubleshooting
Garlic tastes bitter or burnt
Cause: The heat was too high during the initial sauté step, scorching the fresh garlic.
Fix: Cannot be fixed. If the garlic burns before adding the rice, discard and start over.
Prevention: Keep the heat at medium-low and monitor the garlic constantly. Do not let it go past a light golden hue.
Rice is gummy or mushy
Cause: Surface starch was not fully rinsed off, or the lid was removed during simmering.
Fix: Spread the rice out on a baking sheet and place in an oven preheated to 150C/300F for 10 minutes to dry out slightly.
Prevention: Rinse the rice thoroughly until the water is completely clear, and never lift the lid while the rice is steaming.
Cultural Context
Garlic rice is a foundational element in many Southeast Asian cuisines, most notably in the Philippines where Sinangag (garlic fried rice) is a beloved breakfast staple. While traditional Sinangag is made using day-old rice and oil or rendered fat, this rich, buttery adaptation applies the same intoxicating flavor principles to a freshly steamed batch, bridging the gap between an Asian staple and Western-style buttered rice.
