Last night in kitchen, I made what might be my best rice yet.Which is amazing as lately, (for couple months), I’ve been having a quiet obsession with cooking rice.
Maybe it was the Jerusalem spices. (in picture).
Maybe it was the olive oil.
Maybe it was just the cooking process.
Either way — it was tayim. 🍚🌾
I used to think white rice was just white rice — until spend couple weeks in Israel. The rice tasted different — fluffier, more flavor, never sticky. It stood apart.
It wasn’t just one meal. Whether it came from a Safta’s kitchen, or another kitchen, Israeli rice made me fall in love with cooking rice with taste of tayim.
So I’ve been learning: “Can you teach me how to make rice?” It sounds simple. But if you’ve ever tried to master it — in different ways and dishes — you know it’s not. It takes practise, it takes time.
Here’s basics to cook Israeli-Style and Inspired Rice:
Step 1: Add olive oil to a pan.
Step 2: Add 3.2 dl of washed, well-rinsed white rice (soaked for 30–60 minutes).
Step 3: Pour in 6.4 dl of boiling water. Add salt.
Let it come to a boil. Then, turn off the flame.
Cover the pot and let it sit for 25 minutes. Do not lift the lid. Let the steam do work. Don’t open and close too much. The result? Fluffy, fragrant rice. Each grain perfectly defined — .
🧂 Notes from cooking:
Always rinse until the water runs clear. The starch is the enemy of fluff.
Herbs matter = fresh pop of color + flavor.
Water ratio? Essential.
Short Grained Rice needs 1 and ⅛ cups water.
Basmati Rice needs 1 and ¼ cups water.
American Long Grain Rice needs 1 and ½ cups water.
Jasmine Rice needs 1 and ¾ cups water.
Note: the more rice you make, the less water (proportionally) it seems to need.
So, when multiplying the recipe, rice often needs less water than you’d think. For example, with American long grain rice: 1 cup rice needs 1 and ½ cups water. 2 cups rice need 2 and ¾ cups water. 3 cups rice need 3 and ½ cups water.
I made white rice with spices seen above to be serve with some kababs, roasted vegetables, and fish later this week as a stir fry addition.
The scent of steam and spice and rice that carries memories — from Jerusalem to table-settings in Hong Kong.
xx
Ea