Perfect Basmati by Absorption

Fluffy, separate basmati comes down to two habits: rinsing and resting. Rinse the raw grains under cold water until it runs clear to wash away surface starch — starch is what makes rice gluey and clumped. Then cook by absorption: combine the drained rice with a measured amount of water and salt (roughly 1 cup rice to 1 3/4 cups water), bring to the boil, stir once, then clamp on a lid and cook on the lowest heat for 10–12 minutes until the water is gone. The crucial final step is the rest — turn off the heat and leave the rice covered and undisturbed for 5 minutes so the grains firm up and finish in their own residual heat, then fluff gently with a fork. Lifting the lid early or skipping the rinse is what gives wet, sticky rice.