How To Turn A Pot Into A Makeshift Rice Cooker

For nearly 7,000 years, rice has been a staple grain for cultures on nearly every continent, from Asia and southern Europe to areas far beyond. It's a deliciously chewy, filling base to Indian curry, East African pilau, and paella, not to mention an essential ingredient in Japanese sushi and Cajun jambalaya. Knowing its ubiquitous status, you'd think it'd be easier to cook, but there are still plenty of mistakes people make when cooking rice.

In fact, it's so easy to cook rice incorrectly that rice cookers are one of the most popular appliances in Asia. Though they're catching on in the United States, our diet here is less rice-based, so it's not a guarantee you'll find one in the majority of American kitchens. Many of us rely on tried-and-true stovetop methods for steaming rice, but there's a technique you can use to make this process even easier: adding an extra layer of insulation between your saucepan and the lid.

Placing a tight layer of foil or a clean tea towel under the lid of your saucepan creates cooking conditions similar to that of a rice cooker. These specialty appliances have airtight lids that lock in place and prevent moisture from escaping, ensuring every drop of liquid is absorbed into the grains, resulting in fluffy, tender rice. Ordinary saucepans' comparatively loose-fitting lids allow too much evaporation, which could result in hard, dry, undercooked grains. Slipping insulation under the lid creates a tighter seal that keeps all the moisture in the pot, where it belongs.

While this hack is fairly straightforward, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure you get the perfectly tender grains you're dreaming of. The first thing to note is that you'll need to use a different water-to-rice ratio with foil than with a tea towel. A fabric towel will absorb moisture rising from the cooking rice, while the foil will gather condensation that will then fall back down into the pot.

This means you'll need more liquid when using a towel than when using foil, so it's okay to follow the common wisdom of 2 parts water (or broth or another tasty liquid) to 1 part rice. However, using this ratio with foil could cause your rice to become overcooked, the solution being to simply use less liquid. Try a 1.5:1 ratio of water to rice to start with.  You can always add more water if things are looking dry. Additionally, using a little too much liquid is better than not using enough, as having soggy rice is less dangerous than a scorched pot.

Speaking of safety, it's also important to keep a close eye on your saucepan while using this method. Since the idea is to prevent evaporation, your pot will be more prone to boiling over if it becomes overheated. Try to keep the water at a simmer, and don't be afraid to peek inside or turn down the heat if your rice starts to boil.