The Only Thing Standing Between You And Perfectly Fluffy Rice Is A Kitchen Towel

Rice has been a staple of the human diet for nearly 9,000 years, flourishing throughout Asia for centuries before migrating to other areas of the world. Today, it's the foundation of traditional dishes all over the globe, and people still rely on it as an inexpensive, belly-busting food source. 

From serving as the base of the best fried rice you've ever eaten to adding bulk to a dish, this humble little grain has certainly earned its place on our plates and in our hearts. Possibly the only downside to this essential is that it's notoriously difficult to get it to a perfect, tender texture — which may be why there are so many different ways of using it. Smothering rice in chicken or curry sauce hides a multitude of imperfections, including a gummy, sticky texture. 

If your latest batch of basic stovetop steamed rice developed this texture after you thought it was cooked to fluffy perfection, condensation inside the pot is likely to blame. Excess water from the lid and walls of your pot is all too ready to cascade back down into the hot rice, which absorbs the extra moisture and seizes. Fortunately, this is easy enough to remedy by slipping a clean tea towel under the lid to absorb excess moisture and preserve the fruits (or grains) of your labor.

Though this hack takes about 10 seconds to execute, it's important to understand when to do it and for how long. As long as your pot remains on its heat source, the excess moisture inside will mostly remain steam. However, as soon as you remove the pot from the heat, the moisture begins to cool, condense, and stream into your rice.

 For the best results, lift the lid from your rice pot before removing it from the heat so there's no time for droplets to form. Drape a clean tea towel over the top of the pot and replace the lid, securing the towel between your rice and the lid's inner surface. Fold the ends of the towel up over your lid to prevent moisture from wicking onto your counter, and let the rice stand for a few minutes before gently stirring it with a fork. Condensation will absorb into the towel instead of your rice, resulting in a beautifully fluffy, tender texture.

This technique also works if you're cooking your rice in liquids other than water — just note that things like chicken stock, beet or carrot juice, and various types of tea may stain your towel. To avoid this, you can also use a thick layer of paper towels instead, or dedicate one or two fabric tea towels to use solely for this purpose. Just be sure to launder them thoroughly and store them away from other kitchen towels to prevent cross-contamination.