Published 1965
There are countless ways of cooking plain-boiled rice. Some cooks prefer to steam it in the Chinese manner; others insist that unless a knob of butter or a little oil is added to the cooking liquid, the grains will not separate. I like to boil it in a large, heavy saucepan capable of holding a good quantity of water. The secret for separate grains of white, fluffy rice is very simple indeed: just salt the water, add a little lemon juice to keep the rice white, and when the water is boiling well, dribble the grains into the liquid through your fingers, stirring all the while. Do not cover the pan; and allow rice to cook for 15 to 18 minutes. During the last 2 or 3 minutes of cooking time, watch the rice carefully, for the only real test is the “taste test”. I always pick out one or two grains with a fork and taste them. When the rice is just right - with the granular core tender but not mushy - drain it through a large colander and keep warm over boiling water until ready to serve.
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