How to use the online timer
Seventeen minutes covers most long-grain white rice done by the absorption method on the hob. Basmati often wants a shade less, jasmine sits close to the same mark, and brown rice needs half as long again on top. Rinse the grains in cold water first until it runs mostly clear, which takes off the loose surface starch that otherwise glues the finished rice together. Bring it to the boil, drop the heat to the lowest setting the hob will hold, and put the lid on.
Then leave the lid alone. Every look lets out steam the rice needs to finish the top layer, and the usual result is a pan that is done underneath and still chalky on top even after the full seventeen minutes. A heavy pan with a well-fitting lid holds heat more evenly than a thin one, and an electric hob that stays hot after being turned down is worth allowing for.
When the time is up, take the pan off the heat and leave it standing, still covered, for another five to ten minutes before a fork goes anywhere near it. That rest lets the moisture even out through the grains instead of pooling at the bottom. Rice that looks slightly wet the moment the lid comes off is usually right once it has stood.
Common questions
Why does the top layer stay hard?
Almost always because the lid came off during cooking and the steam escaped. Leave it alone for the full time, then let the pan stand covered for five to ten minutes before fluffing.
Does brown rice take the same time?
No, it needs considerably longer, usually around half as long again, because the bran layer slows water absorption. Basmati and jasmine both sit slightly under the white long-grain figure.
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