The Right way to cook RICE

I was taught long ago to make rice like this:

• 1 cup of rice, into
• 2 cups of water, with a
• dash of salt

Bring quickly to a boil, then cover and reduce heat as low as the flame would go, and then steam it for exactly 20 minutes. This sometimes came out okay, sometimes not.

I recently learned a better way, a lot less stressful.

• 1 or 2 quarts of water, bring up to good hard boil, then add
• 1 TABLEspoon white vinegar and
• 1 dash salt, and then stir in
• 1 cup of white rice (or brown rice, either one)

Return it to a good boil, then reduce heat to about medium, and continue a vigorous boil for about 8-10 minutes. After 8 minutes, check regularly for done-ness: lift a few kernels on a fork and bite into them. If they are hard or a bit crunchy, you've got a couple minutes more. They should be al dente, like gourmet pasta -- firm to the tooth, but not smooshy. (Smooshy is a technical term, often used among White Trash Gore-Mays and Down-Home Cookers.)

When the rice is al dente dump it into a seive in the sink to drain it. Shake it out a few times, then turn into your serving dish. It will be light and fluffy.

The vinegar helps to seal the kernels so they don't disintegrate during cooking. They come out quite nicely. Be careful to only use one TABLEspoon of vinegar, though -- any more and your rice will bite back.