How to make fluffy rice pilaf

Fluffy pilaf comes down to four things: rinsing off the excess starch, coating the grains in fat, using the right amount of water and leaving it alone while it rests.

Which rice?

Osmancık is the easiest choice for everyday pilaf. Baldo absorbs more water and suits stuffing rice and dolma. Washing and soaking improve the result with both.

Water ratio

• Soaked osmancık: 1.5 measures of hot water to 1 measure of rice
• Soaked baldo: about 1.75 measures of hot water to 1 measure of rice
• A wide-based pot loses a little more water to steam

Step by step

• Soak the rice in warm salted water for 30 minutes, then wash it until the water runs clear.
• Fry it in butter until the edges of the grains turn glassy.
• Add hot water, bring to the boil, turn the heat to its lowest and put the lid on.
• When the water is gone, turn off the heat, place a paper towel under the lid and rest for 15 minutes.

Common mistakes

Stirring while it cooks breaks the grains and releases starch. Adding cold water makes it cook unevenly. Lifting the lid often lets the steam escape.

To put this into practice, try the rice pilaf recipe or the holiday classic spiced stuffing rice.