Cook White Rice Without a Rice Cooker

Don't have a rice cooker? No problem! To cook rice without a rice cooker, use one of the following methods.

For traditional rice, use one part rice to two parts water. For fluffy rice, use two parts rice to three parts water.

Steps

Rinse your rice grains under cold water (optional). You can rinse it through a sieve or fine colander, or even just fill a pot with water, swish the rice around in it with your hand, put the lid on very slightly askew, and strain the water out through the crack. Be sure to rinse the rice until the water that escapes is clear. People do this to keep their rice from becoming mushy, but this can wash away nutrients.^[1] To get fluffier rice without rinsing, see the Fluffy Rice method.
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil (a 2:1 ratio took 40 minutes and was extremely gooey. Use less water). Add a pinch of salt if desired.
Add 2 cups of rice to the water, stir, and turn it down to a simmer.
Put the lid on the pot and simmer for 20 minutes.
Turn the stove off and let the rice sit covered for 5 minutes. This will make it fluffier.

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt if desired.
Add 2 cups of rice to the water, stir, and turn it down to a simmer.
Put the lid on the pot and simmer for 15 minutes. When you’re done, slightly open the lid and check to see if the surface of the rice is dimpled (i.e. marked with obvious holes). If so, proceed to next step; if not, continue simmering for several more minutes.
Turn the stove off and let the rice sit covered for 15 minutes. Though the rice may appear fully cooked at this point, the centers of the grains are still crunchy. Allowing the rice to continue to cook in its own steam will make it soft and fluffy without letting it become mushy.
Finished.

When bringing the water to a boil, it helps to keep the lid covered to prevent too much steam from escaping.
If you live at a high altitude (where the air pressure is lower), you may need to increase your cook time and/or temperature.
The lowest setting on the stove top may keep the rice warm rather than actually simmering it, so turn it to the second lowest setting and check back in a few minutes to make sure it’s simmering properly.
If pre-rinsing, consider turning the excess liquid into a drink by adding a little powdered cardamom for flavor and a pinch of salt to taste. Mix well and serve hot or cold.
To make white rice more interesting, add butter, black pepper, herbs, onions, garlic, or anything else that tickles your fancy to the water before you add the rice. Feel free to outright substitute water with broth, coconut milk (not cream), or another water-based solution.

White rice tends to produce froth in the early stages of simmering when the water-to-rice ratio is still high. To prevent this from happening, you may need to keep the lid askew until a fair amount of the water has absorbed into the rice.
Don't ruin your meal by forgetting about the rice while it’s cooking. A low water level can cause it to burn and/or dry out.

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