My grandma’s trick for fluffier rice finally clicked after her neighbor scolded me
I was at my grandma’s house last summer in Tampa, helping her cook for a family dinner. Her neighbor Mrs. Reyes came over to borrow eggs and saw me rinsing the rice under cold water before cooking. She stopped me and said “Don’t run it that long, you’re washing away all the starch that gives it body.” I thought she was being picky, but she showed me her method: a quick swirl and drain twice, then let it sit in the pot for 10 minutes before adding the water. I tried it that same night with the jasmine rice we were making, and it turned out way fluffier, not sticky like I usually get. Now I do that every time, even for plain white rice. Has anyone else gotten a random cooking tip from an unexpected person that actually stuck?