This essential technique in Asian culture allows you to obtain the ideal quantity of water to cook your rice.
We all dream of perfect rice, which does not stick when cooked but which remains very soft inside… In short, the same rice as that found in the best Asian restaurants. To do this, there is no need for a rice cooker or to follow the classic instructions on the back of the rice packet: there is an ultra-simple tip that does not require any utensils to obtain ideal cooking in a pan. And it obviously comes to us from the Asians who have been using this technique for centuries, before the invention of the pressure cooker.
It is called “cooking rice with the knuckle” or “absorption technique” in Asian cuisine, more particularly Chinese: it allows you to measure the quantity of water necessary for cooking rice. In order to determine this precise volume of water, distribute the chosen quantity of rice evenly at the bottom of the pan (after having washed it well to remove all its starch), then cover your hand flat on top and pour cold water until it barely covers the hand at the level of the knuckles. We understand better why in Asian thought, this technique allows the cook to transmit an “extra soul” to his guests. If you are put off by laying your entire hand flat, even after washing your hands thoroughly, you can instead place your index finger vertically on the rice and cover with cold water up to the edge of the first knuckle. .
You will need to be careful not to salt the water. You can possibly heat spices in the pan before adding the rice then the water: cardamom, cumin, saffron, ginger, pandan, cloves… Depending on your preferences! Then, bring the water to a boil uncovered, until it has completely evaporated, before reducing the heat to minimum to allow the rice to heat for 15 minutes, covering the pan with a lid. Be careful not to lift the lid during this time!
If your rice is finally ready, wait a few more moments. The last little secret of the best cooks is to wait a few more minutes, about five, before lifting the lid to serve, even when you have taken the pan off the heat. This little last tip allows the rice grains to finish cooking gently and thus have an incomparable texture. Your taste buds will delight with this delicately soft and tasty rice, with separate grains that do not stick to each other!