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How to fix hard, undercooked rice

Add a splash of boiling water, put the lid on tightly and cook over a very low heat for a few minutes until the rice is tender.

How you can tell

  • The grains are hard or chalky in the middle
  • The rice is crunchy or chewy
  • All the water is gone but the rice isn't cooked

Why it happens

Rice needs enough water and time for its starch to absorb liquid and soften all the way through. If there wasn't enough water, the heat was too high so the water evaporated too fast, or the lid wasn't on tightly, the rice runs dry before the centre of each grain cooks. Brown rice and some other varieties need more water and a longer cooking time than white rice.

How to fix it

Option 1Steam it a little longer

  1. Add a splash of boiling water to the pan
  2. Cover tightly with a lid, or with foil under the lid
  3. Cook over a very low heat for a few minutes
  4. Check the rice and repeat with a little more water if it's still hard

Option 2Cook it in a sauce

  1. If the rice is going into a dish with liquid, such as a soup or stew, add it there and simmer until tender

Next time

  • Use the amount of water the packet or recipe suggests for that rice
  • Keep the lid on tightly and the heat low when the water is simmering
  • Let it stand off the heat with the lid on before serving
General kitchen guidance, not food-safety advice. If food may be unsafe, for example undercooked meat or anything left out too long, follow the Food Standards Agency and throw it away if in doubt.