Make perfect, fluffy Jasmine Rice every time with these step-by-step instructions for the stovetop or Instant Pot.
Confession: for the longest time I was afraid of making rice. It seemed like every time I tried it would come out either undercooked or sticky. When Thai Food Month rolled around, I’d be making my own green curry paste, but would freeze up when I had to make a pot of Jasmine Rice. Turns out you only have to make a couple of bad batches of rice to scare you off the whole endeavor.
But there’s no denying that when it comes to cooking Thai food at home, great Jasmine Rice is often the foundation. It’s exactly what you need to tame the heat of a great Pad Krapow, soak up the creamy sauce from a classic curry, or start a batch of Crispy Rice.
I know that many of you swear by your rice cookers, and I totally hear you! But at the end of the day, I also wanted to be able to make Jasmine Rice on the stovetop and in my go-to kitchen appliance – the Instant Pot. So a couple of years ago, I set out to find the formula for a great pot of Jasmine Rice.
Let’s get back to basics today. Let’s make Jasmine Rice!
What is Jasmine Rice?
Jasmine rice is a fragrant, long-grain rice that is common in Thai cuisine as well as in many other Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines. When cooked, the grains should be separate, smooth, and tender. They should be a tiny bit sticky but not clump together.
Tips for Making Great Jasmine Rice
- Rinse well – this releases starch and is the most important step to separate tender grains of rice.
- Rub the pot with oil – Rubbing the pot with a small amount of oil before cooking the rice prevents any grains from sticking to the sides during cooking. This is key with both the stovetop and Instant Pot. In the Instant Pot, it adds an extra benefit of minimizing foaming under pressure.
- Adjust for age of rice – This is useful for any type of rice you’re cooking. See below for more on this.
How to Cook Rice on an Electric Stove
For the past three years I’ve been cooking on an electric stove which I find to be a bit finicky when it comes to moving food quickly from high to low heat. In the case of cooking rice, it is particularly important to reduce the heat under the pan as soon as it begins to boil so that the rice doesn’t absorb the water too quickly. Here’s the method I’ve found that makes all the difference in producing great rice.
- On the electric stove, turn on two burners – one on low-medium and one on high.
- Bring the covered pot of rice and water to a boil on the high burner.
- As soon as it begins to boil, move the covered pan to the low-medium burner and finish cooking there (turn off the high burner once the pan is moved).
Why the Age of Rice Matters
New, fresh rice grains will absorb water more easily, so you’ll need less water to get perfectly cooked rice. Old rice grains that have been sitting at the grocery store or in your pantry for a few months will absorb water more slowly, so will need more moisture. Keeping this fact in mind will help you to adjust your cooking method slightly and will give you great rice each time.
Although there is no way to know exactly how old your rice is (unless you harvested it yourself!), you can make some guesses based on where it was purchased and how long you know rice sits in your pantry. If you purchased the rice recently from a place that has a lot of turnover (like an international grocery store), it is probably quite new and you will not need as much water – remove 1 Tbsp of water per cup. If the rice is older and has been sitting in your pantry for a few months, add an additional 1 Tbsp of water per cup.
Best Dishes to Serve with Jasmine Rice
- Thai Red Curry with Chicken
- Thai Green Curry with Chicken
- Thai Chicken Satay
- Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai)
- Instant Pot Chickpea Curry
- Instant Pot Thai Panang Curry
- Thai Cashew Chicken
- Lemongrass Roasted Salmon
- Sweet Chili Chicken
Favorite Tools
- Saucepan or Instant Pot
- OXO Good Grips 6-Inch Fine Mesh Strainer for Frying
- Pyrex 2-cup Glass Measuring Cup
How to Cook Jasmine Rice {Stovetop and Instant Pot}
Equipment
- Saucepan or Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup Jasmine Rice (1 cup Jasmine Rice = 230g)
- 1 tsp Cooking Oil
- 1 cup Cool Water (1 cup Water = 250ml)
- Pinch of Salt
Instructions
- Rinse rice in cool tap water, using your fingers to swirl the rice around to remove as much starch as possible. (You can do this in a fine mesh strainer or by placing the rice in a pot of water and draining the starchy water off.) Drain well.
Cook Rice:
- Instant Pot - Rub the inside of the Instant Pot with oil. Combine rice, water, and salt (if using) in the bowl of an Instant Pot. Close and lock the lid. Turn the knob to “sealing”. Pressure cook on “High” for 3 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes and then manually release any remaining pressure. Once pressure has been released, remove the lid.Stovetop - Rub the inside of a heavy-bottomed saucepan with oil. Combine rice, water, and salt (if using) in the pan and cover with a lid. Place over high heat. When the water begins to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer rice, covered, until all of the water has been absorbed, ~20 minutes. Move pan off the heat and let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes. (Tip: If your stove is electric and the temperature does not come down quickly when going from high to low heat, use two burners and transfer the pot of rice to the cooler burner as soon as it starts to boil.)
- Fluff rice with a fork to gently break apart rice. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
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