Gordon Ramsay has shared his simple method for cooking rice perfectly every time – and it shows we’ve all been doing it wrong for years. Here’s what you need to know
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has let slip the secret behind making the perfect rice – and it turns out we’ve all been doing it wrong. The kitchen maestro revealed that food staple rice is often mishandled, leading to disappointing results.
Ramsay has dished out his pro tips for cooking rice that’s “light, fluffy and delicious” every time, steering clear of the common sticky, mushy, or burnt pitfalls. In an enlightening video posted online, Ramsay took fans through a step-by-step guide to mastering rice preparation and pinpointed where many go awry.
His first rule for cooking rice: Always give it a good rinse.
According to Gordon Ramsay, who began by measuring out 400g of basmati rice, you should always kick off by washing the rice under cold water. Ramsay emphasised the importance of this initial rinse, stating, “What I’m gonna do is just rinse off the dust and the starch, [use] cold water always and just rinse the rice to stop it from becoming clumpy in the pan.”
Disposing of the excess starch, especially in white rice, is key as it causes the grains to clump, stick to your cooking utensil, and sometimes burn. A thorough wash will ensure your rice ends up airy and light. Moreover, Ramsay suggested a dash of oil or butter in the pot to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom.
Another gem from Ramsay’s treasury of cooking advice: Season your rice before you cook it. Gordon placed the rice in a cooking pan, added a bit of salt and pepper, and suggested some other spices to make the rice even more delicious.
The Hell’s Kitchen star said: “To make a plain fluffy rice exciting, we’re going to infuse it [with] three cardamom pods. Just get the pods and just pierce them so it allows all that flavour to come out. Then star anise, these are beautiful…it makes the rice really nice and fragrant.”
Gordon did add that this cooking method will work without spices if you prefer to leave them out. Undercooking rice is a common mistake made at home, leading to bland and hard rice. This issue arises from people not knowing the correct amount of water to cook the rice in.
According to Gordon, the correct ratio for cooking rice is “one part rice to one and a half part water”, and he used 600ml of water for his 400g of rice. If you don’t use the correct ratio of rice and water, you can end up with mushy rice. Check the packet instructions if you are unsure of the measurements. .
Home cooks are often guilty of letting their rice simmer on a consistent heat, but that’s not the way to do it – no less than celeb chef Gordon himself divulges the trick: “Always start off with cold water. Then bring it up to the boil as quick as possible, then let it simmer for 8-10 minutes. That’s the secret to cooking great rice allow it to steam as it’s cooking. Do not lift the lid up.”
Fail to bring your pot to a rolling boil, and you’re looking at a side dish of disappointment with potentially undercooked or inconsistently cooked grains. For the finishing touch, after letting the rice sit covered post-simmer for about 10 minutes to give the heat inside a chance to do its magic, don’t just plop it onto plates.
Gordon suggests fluffing it up first: “Once you’ve forked it through it becomes really nice, light and fluffy, and then, that is perfectly cooked rice.”
