Perfect Rice

I grew up with the notion of dinner consisting of a protein, a vegetable and a starch.  Not much has changed, though now I will generally double up on the vegetables, and the starch usually takes up little space on my plate.  Because I try to limit fats and oils (which go so well with potatoes), rice and quinoa are good choices.  I will normally opt for a whole grain variety of rice, but if time is an issue, I will cook up some good basmati or sushi rice.

My Dad taught me the trick to cooking the perfect pot of rice.  It's perfect for those of us who never measure.  Just add the desired amount of rice to a saucepan and shake it until it is uniformly spread on the bottom.  Simply add water until the distance from the top of the rice to the top of the water is one index finger knuckle high.  Works with any size of pot and any kind of rice.  This has never failed me.

Set over high heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover the pot and simmer until done.  In general, it will take ~20 minutes for white rice and ~40 minutes for brown, whole or long grain.  Do not stir or lift the pot lid (unless it is bubbling over - lift the lid for a few second).  Once cooked, remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.  Easy.