How To Make Perfect Jasmine Rice, Stove-Top and Rice Cooker Methods

Cooking jasmine rice is a hit or a miss. It can be tricky to get it right so here’s a quick and complete guide on how to make perfect jasmine rice.

You are probably reading this post because you might either cooked your jasmine rice too soggy or dried. Well, it’s time to redeem yourself now and learn how to make the softest and fluffiest jasmine rice.

A Whole New Rice!

When we say rice, what we mean is a bowl of warm, soft, fluffy, and perfect white grains. Little do we know that there are many rice varieties yet to taste and discover. And one of them is jasmine rice.

Jasmine rice is a much softer variety than other long grain rice with a sweet aroma and color as white as that of the jasmine flower hence, its name. However, if you happen to really get to smell a freshly harvested jasmine rice, it is close to popcorn because of its buttery fragrance.

This rice variety is native to Thailand where they call is Khao Hom Mali, meaning fragrant rice. Unlike basmati rice, where the grains separate when cooked, jasmine rice is a bit sticky but less sticky than that of glutinous rice.

How to Make Perfect Jasmine Rice

Before we cook the perfect jasmine rice, we first need to learn a few essential tips. We know that different rice variety has its own unique rice to water ratio; some grains needed to be soaked overnight, while others need less water.

Jasmine Rice Water Ratio

Usually,  most brands suggest on their package for one and a half cup of water to every cup of rice. However, this may not be suitable for jasmine rice.

If you want to achieve an Al Dente rice then you may consider sticking to the 1:1 ratio but since we are searching for the best way on how to make perfect jasmine rice then we will be using 2 cups of water to over a cup of rice. This ratio also depends on what cooking technique or process you will be using.

The Knuckle Method

In Thailand or in this part of the world, people don’t actually use measuring cups when cooking rice but rather uses the finger knuckles. Curious?

• Simply place the pot or pan on a flat surface and level the jasmine rice inside. Make sure you have already rinsed the rice
• Place your index finger on top of the rice and put water until it reaches the first knuckle. That’s it!

Well, for other grains of course, such as brown rice, you might need more water!

Let’s Cook!

Now that we have covered some of the important tips when cooking jasmine rice, we’ll now learn how to make it extra special by using the stove-top method and the rice cooker.

Stove-top Method

If you are more comfortable in using a pot or pan in cooking rice then check out these steps:

1. Measure a cup of rice and 1 and 3/4 cups of water, place them inside the pot or pan.  At this point, you add your optional ingredients such as salt, butter or oil.
2. Cook in medium high heat and cover the lid when it starts boiling or when bubbles start to appear on the corners
3. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes more
4. Turn off the heat and fluff the rice with a fork or spatula and cover it for about 5 minutes. This will allow the steam to cook the rice well after fluffing
5. Serve

Rice Cooker Method

Perhaps the easiest and the most convenient way of having a perfect bowl of jasmine rice is by using a rice cooker. We know how rice cookers evolved these past years and the next weekend we know, there are new advancements in rice cooker technologies.

So if you got this appliance ready, here are the steps:

1. Place a cup of rice into the cooker inner pot and rinse well. Add in 2 cups of water. You can also add oil and salt for optional taste but if you are watching your salt intake, you may leave it as is.
2. Put the inner pot into the rice cooker, cover and turn it on. Press cook and wait until it turns to automatic keep warm mode. If you are using modern rice cookers with fuzzy logic technology or induction heating, they do provide specific cooking settings including white rice or jasmine rice.
3. When it switches to automatic keep warm function, you may fluff the rice with fork or spatula to make sure each grain is cooked evenly by allowing the steam to seep in.
4. Serve!

Thai Fried Jasmine Rice

What better way to do with leftover jasmine rice? Fried rice! Everyone loves fried rice and it seems that we all have our own recipes or we tend to innovate and become more creative when cooking fried rice.

As for me, whatever leftover rice we have in the fridge plus the available meat and veggies in there, I simply toss them in and cook fried rice. I even call it Fried Rice Whatever!

But then, since jasmine rice originally came for Thailand, here is an authentic Thai fried rice recipe called Thai Spicy Chicken Fried Rice

A bowl of Thai fried rice is good enough to make your day! Indeed, you can make more recipes using jasmine rice or you can pair it with delectable cuisines!

Summary

Making perfect jasmine rice is simple and quick as long as you take into considerations all the essential tips we mentioned earlier. If you are comfortable cooking on a stovetop, no worries, just go ahead and take note of the water ratio. Same goes when using a rice cooker, you only have to get the right water level and off you go!

Cooking rice is a basic kitchen process yet many of us still fail, however, I am positive and assured that right after you have read this post, you will absolutely become a rice expert; a jasmine rice specialist!

Have you tried cooking jasmine rice at home? Share us your experience in the comments below!