Easy Boiled Rice

Ingredients

• 1 cup or more long-grain white or brown rice
• Water
• Salt

Directions

1. Pour water into a pot and add the rice. You want the grains submerged by several inches of water, or use a 1:4 ratio of rice to water if you want an easy guide. Add at least 1 teaspoon of salt for each cup of rice, then stir a few times so the rice is evenly distributed in the water.
2. Set the pot over high heat and bring it to a boil. Once the water is boiling vigorously, lower the heat until the pot settles into a steady, gentle simmer.
3. Cook until the rice is just shy of fully tender. White rice should take about 10 to 15 minutes, while brown rice should take about 20 to 30 minutes. Stir now and then as it cooks, if you think of it. As the rice gets close, taste a few grains. It should be tender without any crunch, but still slightly firmer than you ultimately want.
4. Place a strainer in the sink or over a large bowl, then pour in the rice and cooking water to drain. The liquid can be kept for another cooking use, if you like. Jiggle the strainer several times so the rice drains thoroughly.
5. Right away, while the rice is still hot and giving off steam, put it back in the pot and cover it with the lid. Leave it off the heat for 10 to 15 minutes, so the steam inside the pot can finish cooking the rice and settle the texture.
6. Remove the lid, loosen the rice with a fork, and serve.