How to Cook Rice

Even though Xi’an cuisine traditionally revolves around noodles and breads, my family’s meals also used rice as a base. The grain is historically preferred in southern Chinese cuisine instead of northern, but by the time I was born, it was easily accessible—and easier to cook for feeding a crowd.

In restaurants, you’ll see a lot of jasmine rice, but at home my family prefers short-grain or sushi rice, which is slightly sweeter on its own. And how it tastes is essential; we don’t add seasonings to the rice as it cooks, since it’s meant to balance the saltier toppings and side dishes of a meal.