How to Cook Basmati Rice (Perfect every time!)

Let's learn how to make perfectly fluffy Basmati rice every time! Basmati rice hails from the Himalayan region in South Asia, which is long-grained rice, and beautifully fragrant. This rice is served with lentils and paneer curries. We use this rice to make Pulao, Biryani, Khichdi, and Kheer too.

I have grown up eating rice every single day of my life. Every day my mom would whip up meals that would have rotis, 2 different vegetable sides, a side of lentils, and rice. I hear from my readers that they struggle to make perfectly fluffy basmati rice at home, and that it turns out sticky and soggy. So I thought of sharing my tips and tricks with you guys.

In India, one of the first things you are taught is to make rotis and rice. The two quintessential recipes, that will help you perfect your cooking skills. And my mom did the same. The first lesson in the kitchen was to make rice. Now the interesting fact about Indian moms is that they don't use measuring cups. I was taught to measure rice to water ratio with my fingers, and believe me or not the rice would come out fluffy just as desired.

I have been experimenting with different brands of Basmati Rice and water ratios. You want to be mindful of buying Basmati rice. I like to buy mine from South Asian stores, from brands like Royal Basmati Rice.

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works
• What is Basmati Rice?
• Different Varieties of Rice Used Globally
• Ingredients to Make The Basmati Rice
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• How to Cook Basmati Rice using the Rice Cooker
• Recipes You Want to Serve This Rice With
• How to Cook Basmati Rice using the Instant Pot
• Expert Tips and Tricks For No Fail Basmati Rice
• Recipes You Want to Use this Rice With
• Storage Instructions
• How to Cook Basmati Rice

Why This Recipe Works

Are you tired of burnt, or soggy rice? Then this recipe is for you because I will teach you how to make the perfect, fluffy, and airy basmati rice every single time, on your stovetop, rice cooker, and instant pot.

• The quality of Basmati Rice you buy plays an important role. If you happen to buy a South Asian brand of basmati rice, which is grown in the Himalayas and aged, it consumes more water than the brands you find at American grocery stores.
• The rice-to-water cooking ratio changes with every brand, because it depends on where the rice was grown, if it was aged or not, etc. So always read the cooking instructions mentioned at the back of the rice packaging. I will be providing a complete guide to figure out how to figure out a rice to water ratio that works for you!
• You can use other enhancers to elevate this recipe like butter, bay leaves, star anise, or add some saffron water to make a deliciously fragrant saffron rice.

What is Basmati Rice?

Basmati rice is a long-grained, aromatic rice variety that is grown in the Indian sub-continent in the Himalayas. This rice is aged and is healthier to consume than other varieties of Basmati Rice. India is the highest producer of Basmati rice even now, although some countries have started growing it locally.

This rice can be served over, palak paneer, green moong dal and chana masala.

Different Varieties of Rice Used Globally

There are three types of varieties of rice which are used globally.

• Long-Grain Rice - There are different varieties of long-grained rice, like plain white long-grained rice, brown long-grained rice, and White Basmati Rice and nowadays we have started getting a variety of long-grain brown basmati rice too. This variety of rice is less starchy, and the texture is light, fluffy and airy when cooked.
• Medium-Grain Rice - Medium-grain rice varieties include Sona Masoori from India, Calrose from California, and Nishiki from Japan. These varieties of rice have intermediate starch levels, and they usually look short and round.
• Short-Grain Rice - Arborio rice from Italy is a great example of short-grained rice. This variety of rice is small and has very high starch content, which makes it gluttonous. It also takes longer to cook short-grained rice than the other types of rice.

Ingredients to Make The Basmati Rice

Basmati Rice - You will need 1 cup of Basmati rice to make this recipe. I prefer to buy mine from South Asian store, from a brand of Indian origin, and the rice which is aged.

Water - You will 2 cups of water to cook the rice. Apart, from that, you will need water to wash and soak the rice too.

Salt - Salt is optional, but I like to add it as a flavor enhancer.

Optional Add-Ins - You can also add, bay leaf, green cardamom pods, star anise, butter/ ghee, and saffron water as taste enhancers.

Step-by-Step Instructions

You must always start by washing the rice until the water runs clear. This will help to take out the starch and impurities of rice and make it ready for cooking.

Soaking the rice for 10 minutes before cooking helps it cook faster and fluffier. Hence, I like to soak the rice for 10-15 minutes and drain the water.

Add the drained rice to the pot. We are using 1 cup of Basmati Long Grain rice, so for this, we will need 2 cups of water to cook the rice.

Bring the water to a boil, without covering the pot.

When the water starts to boil, cover the cooking pot with a tight lid, so the steam doesn't escape. You will want to let the rice cook on low flame without opening the lid.

This takes about 8-10 minutes for the rice to completely cook. Once it sounds dry, turn off the flame. Now let it rest untouched with the lid covered for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes open the lid, and fluff the fork gently with either a fork or a silicon spatula

The rice is ready to serve. You can add a dollop of either ghee or butter, some finely chopped cilantro or bloomed saffron before serving.

How to Cook Basmati Rice using the Rice Cooker

You want to use a rice cooker like the Zojirushi Rice Cooker.

Wash the rice thoroughly until the water runs clear. Now drain the rice and add it to the inner pot of the rice cooker. Add water and salt. Close the lid of the rice cooker. For 1 cup of rice you need 2 cups of water.

Press on the right instruction buttons on the rice cooker, in this case, long grain white rice.

Once the rice is ready, after 10 minutes, fluff the rice using a silicone spatula or fork.

Keep the lid of the rice cooker closed, until ready to serve.

Recipes You Want to Serve This Rice With

How to Cook Basmati Rice using the Instant Pot

You want to start with rinsing the rice until water runs clear. You can soak the rice for 10 minutes, if you have time. If not, skip it.

Next, add the drained rice to the Instant Pot. For 1 cup of rice you will need 1 cups of water. Add water and salt. Close the instant pot lid. Make sure that the instant pot vent is on sealing position.

Manual pressure cook the rice for 6 minutes on high pressure. Natural pressure release for 5 minutes, and then do a quick pressure release. Fluff the rice with silicone spatula or a fork. Cover it until ready to serve.

Expert Tips and Tricks For No Fail Basmati Rice

Wash the Rice - You must always start with rinsing your rice until the water runs clear. This helps with reducing the starchiness. This step helps with cooking bigger batches of rice, as the starches can add up, and end up in mushy rice.

Rice-to-Water Ratio - I always use long-grain aged rice grown in India and Pakistan, so the rice-to-water ratio that works for me is 1:2. For every 1 cup of Basmati rice I use 2 cups of water. In some American home-grown brands, the rice-to-water ratio is 1: 1.5. For every 1 cup of Basmati Rice you need 1.5 cups of water. So please check the cooking instructions on the packaging.

Cooking The Rice - The rice needs to be left undisturbed while cooking. The rice cooks perfectly in the steam, and you do not want to disturb the steam formed in the pot. If you want to add any flavor enhancers like ghee, butter, salt, saffron water, whole spices, etc add right after adding the water to the pot. Leave the rice to cook once the water comes to a boil and cover it with a lid.

Rest The Rice After Cooking - It is important to let the rice sit untouched, with lid covered for 5-10 minutes. This will keep your right light and airy.

Fluff the Rice - You can fluff the rice gently with a fork or silicone spatula, and serve immediately. If there is time to serve then, you can cover the rice with the lid, until your are ready to serve.

Recipes You Want to Use this Rice With

Storage Instructions

You can store the rice in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze individual portion sizes, using a ziplock bag or freezer safe containers for upto 6 months.

Cooked Basmati rice is great for using in rice recipes like fried rice and pulao.