Preparing rice and grains

The three types of rice - long, medium and short grain - do not need to be washed before cooking, as some people claim. Do be sure though to cook them al dente.

On the whole, grains do not need soaking, although cooking times will be shortened somewhat if they are soaked. Bulgar and cous cous are exceptions in always needing some form of treatment. Treat grains as you would rice, cooking so that they are al dente rather than soft. See the chart below for full details.