Why Is Cooked Rice Still Hard and Undercooked?

The most common reason rice stays hard and undercooked after cooking is not enough water; rice grains need to absorb a certain amount of water to soften and gelatinize their starch, and if the water runs out while the rice is still hard, cooking stops before the process is complete. What mainly causes the hardness? Early evaporation of water is another reason; if the lid does not close completely or the heat is kept too high, the water evaporates from the pot before the rice is fully cooked, leaving grains that have not softened enough. Frequently opening the lid to check also worsens the same problem because steam is lost each time. The hardness of the water used is another factor; hard water with a high calcium content may somewhat slow the proper gelatinization of the rice starch, which can contribute to the rice not reaching the desired softness in the expected time. Old rice that has been stored for a long time is also harder to cook; rice grains that lose moisture over time need more water and longer cooking than fresh rice, increasing the chance that they will stay hard when the same water ratio and cooking time are used. What should you do for properly cooked rice? Getting the water ratio right for the type of rice is the most basic solution; generally, use one and a half to two measures of water for one measure of rice, although this ratio may vary by rice type. Keeping the lid closed throughout cooking and maintaining a steady low heat prevents unnecessary steam loss; lifting the lid before the cooking time is over reduces the pressure and moisture in the pot, delaying cooking. If the rice is still hard when the time is up, adding a few tablespoons of hot water and leaving it over low heat for a few more minutes generally solves the problem; this extra time finishes cooking the rice. Washing the rice and soaking it in water for a while before cooking can also help; this pre-soaking allows the grains to absorb some water and can shorten the total cooking time needed. The size and thickness of the pot also affect cooking; in a thin-bottomed pot, heat is distributed unevenly, so rice in some areas may be overcooked and in others undercooked, leaving the rice with an uneven texture in the same pot. The type of rice used also directly determines the amount of water and cooking time needed; long-grain rice such as basmati and short-grain rice such as baldo have different water absorption capacities, so a ratio that is right for one type may not be enough for the other. Letting the rice rest covered for a few minutes after cooking can also partly make up for incomplete cooking; during this rest, the remaining steam continues circulating in the pot and helps the grains go through a final softening stage. At high elevations, water boils at a lower temperature, so rice takes longer than usual to cook; a recipe's standard cooking time may not be sufficient in these areas, and extra cooking time may be needed.