Some points worth remembering when cooking rice

• Use about 1/3 cup (60 g) of rice per person.

• With packaged American and European rice, you don't have to pick through it for small stones or other impurities, but with basmati rice you must. Empty the rice onto one end of a large platter or cookie sheet and work the rice from one side of the platter to the other, inspecting the grains carefully. Push any stones or other foreign objects to the side.

• Wash the rice to get rid of the dust, chaff, and starchy powder left over from the milling process. Put the rice in a large bowl filled with cold water. Swirl the rice with your hand, and the water will become cloudy with starch. Slowly pour the water away, holding back the grains with your free hand or with a strainer. Repeat this three or four times until the water is reasonably clear.

• Before you cook your rice, try letting it soak for 15-30 minutes. Each grain absorbs water and will therefore stick less to the other grains while cooking. Before cooking, put the rice in a colander and let it drain for a few minutes. If you're going to saute the rice, let it drain for at least 10-15 minutes.

• Sauteing the rice before you boil, bake, or steam it is another way to keep the grains from becoming soggy. Saute the grains gently in a little ghee, butter, or vegetable oil, stirring constantly to keep them from burning and to make sure every grain is saturated. Continue until some of the grains have become translucent.

• When you cook rice by steaming it, use about 1 3/4 parts water for each part of rice. If you've soaked the rice beforehand, you can use a little less water for steaming.

• When you steam large quantities of rice, you need less water. For example, for more than 2 1/2 Ibs (1.1 kg) of rice, use about 1 1/2 parts of water for each part of rice. For 5 lbs (2.2 kg), use a little less than 1 1/2 parts water.

• When you add boiling water to the grains, stir a few times to keep them from sticking.

• In most recipes, trapped steam helps cook the rice, so keep the pan covered tightly. Any time you're unsure about the fitting of the lid, interpose a layer of aluminum foil between the lid and the saucepan. When you steam rice, use the lowest heat, without lifting the lid or stirring.

The reason for not stirring rice is that as the rice expands, it forms a network of steam tunnels. If these are disturbed, the rice will cook unevenly with the bottom soggy or burned and the top not done.

• The rice is done when the grains are tender but firm. Uncover the saucepan and allow the rice to cook for 2-3 minutes more. This boils off the excess moisture and keeps the grains from sticking together.

• Before you serve the rice, take off any whole spices from the top. Take the rice out of the pan in layers, being careful not to break the grains. Then mix it gently with a fork.