How to Cook Rice and Pasta Properly

Rice and pasta are often the first things new cooks make. They look easy, yet almost everyone has ended up with mushy rice or a clump of stuck-together spaghetti. In this lesson we go step by step through Turkish-style pilaf, plain boiled rice and pasta.

Know your rice

In Turkey the two most common types of rice are baldo and osmancık. Baldo has larger, starchier grains and gives a softer, plumper pilaf. Osmancık is firmer and more forgiving when you are learning to make separate, fluffy grains. Long-grain types like basmati and jasmine contain less sticky starch and are cooked with their own methods. If you can't find Turkish rice, a medium-grain rice such as calrose works for pilaf.

Turkish pilaf, step by step

1. Rinse and soak. Rinse the rice several times in cold water until the water runs clear. Then soak it in warm, lightly salted water for 20-30 minutes. This removes excess starch and stops the grains breaking as they cook. Drain well in a sieve.

2. Toast. Melt butter with a little oil in a pot. If you like, first toast a handful of orzo or broken vermicelli until golden. Add the drained rice and stir over medium heat for a few minutes, until the grains turn translucent at the edges, separate and start to make a light ticking sound.

3. The ratio. For soaked rice, a good rule is 1 cup of rice to 1.5 cups of hot water or stock. If you didn't soak the rice you may need a little more liquid; check the advice on your packet too. The liquid must be hot, since cold water shocks the toasted grains. Add salt at this point.

4. Cook. Bring it to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat right down and cover. Cook for about 12-15 minutes until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Don't keep lifting the lid and never stir; stirring releases starch and turns pilaf to mush. To check whether the water has gone, tilt the pot slightly or look for small steam holes on the surface.

5. Rest ("demlendirme"). This is the secret of pilaf. Turn off the heat, place a paper towel or clean tea towel under the lid and let the rice rest for 15-20 minutes. The cloth absorbs the steam so no drops fall back onto the rice, and the grains finish cooking gently. Before serving, fluff it from the bottom up with a spoon.

Plain boiled rice

For East Asian and Indian dishes, plain rice is the better match.

• Basmati: Rinse and soak for 20-30 minutes. Cook roughly 1 part rice to 1.5 parts water in a covered pot on low heat, then rest for 5-10 minutes. Alternatively, boil it in plenty of water like pasta and drain.
• Jasmine rice: Rinse and cook with about 1.25 parts water to 1 part rice.
• Sushi and risotto rice are meant to be sticky or creamy, so they need different methods, which we cover in their own recipes.

Pasta: plenty of water, plenty of salt

Italian cooking has a few golden rules for pasta:

• Use plenty of water: about 1 litre for every 100 g of pasta. In too little water, pasta sticks together and the temperature drops quickly.
• Salt the water well: about 10 g per litre, roughly 2 teaspoons of fine salt. Add it once the water boils, just before the pasta goes in. Pasta only absorbs salt while it cooks.
• Don't add oil to the water: It's a common habit, but it does little to stop sticking and makes it harder for sauce to cling. The real trick is to stir during the first minute or two after adding the pasta.

What does "al dente" mean?

"Al dente" is Italian for "to the tooth". The pasta is tender but still has a slight firmness in the centre. Start tasting 1-2 minutes before the time on the packet. Since you'll toss the pasta with the sauce in the pan for another minute, it's best to take it out of the pot a little early.

Never pour away all the pasta water

Before draining, scoop out a mugful of the cooking water. This starchy, salty water is a kind of magic that helps sauce coat pasta. Tip the drained pasta into the pan with the sauce, add a few spoonfuls of pasta water and toss. The sauce turns silky and no watery puddle collects on the plate. In recipes like carbonara and cacio e pepe, this water is the real hero.

Also, don't rinse pasta under cold water unless you're making a pasta salad; the starch on its surface helps the sauce stick.

Quick recap

1. For pilaf: rinse, soak and toast the rice.
2. Add hot liquid in the right ratio and don't stir while it cooks.
3. Always let it rest.
4. Cook pasta al dente in plenty of well-salted water.
5. Always save a mug of pasta water.

Once these basics are second nature, rice and pasta will become the most reliable friends in your kitchen.