How to cook perfect brown basmati rice (on the stove)

Discover how to cook perfect brown basmati rice on the stove with this simple, fail-proof method. All you’ll need is a pan with a tight-fitting lid, water, salt and brown basmati rice.

In this post, you’ll learn all the secrets to consistently perfect stove-cooked rice – light, fluffy and fragrant every single time. This steam-cooking technique ensures you always get separate, light and fluffy grains with a tender but firm, slightly springy texture. Just like the rice they serve in the best Asian restaurants. This method also preserves all the nutrients, while rinsing and soaking help to eliminate the toxins that are naturally found in rice.

Basmati rice is a traditional accompaniment to Indian curries and Thai dishes, and it’s a staple in Asian cuisine in general. It is also widely used in the Western world, although not everyone knows how to cook it properly. You can make the most amazing curry, but if your rice is wet or overcooked, it will spoil an otherwise perfect meal.

Basmati rice

Basmati rice is a fragrant, aromatic, long-grain rice which has been cultivated in India and Pakistan for centuries. In fact, basmati means “fragrant” in Urdu. Wholegrain brown basmati rice has a nutty, earthy flavour and firm, slightly chewy texture. Every year India exports around 4 million metric tons of basmati rice, which accounts for about 65 – 70% of world production. Pakistan accounts for the remainder.

Brown rice is considered healthier than white rice as it contains more dietary fibre, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals.

Whole grains have three components: the bran, which contains most of the fibre; the germ, which contains the vitamins, minerals and fatty acids; and the endosperm, which contains the starch. White rice, on the other hand, has been stripped of its bran and germ, leaving just the endosperm. As a result, white rice is considered empty carbs since it loses its main sources of nutrients. You can read more about that here.

Brown basmati also has more flavour and a firmer texture than its white counterpart.

How to prepare brown basmati rice – rinsing and soaking

First, weigh the brown basmati rice. Put it in a bowl and rinse it well. Rinsing is a fundamental step if you want to make perfect rice.

Firstly, rinsing serves to wash off any undesirable substances, such as dust, dirt and chemical residues, that may have come into contact with the rice during processing, shipping or storage. Rice has also been found to contain varying levels of naturally occurring contaminants, including arsenic, lead and cadmium. These can be absorbed from the soil and water into the grain. Luckily, brown basmati rice has less arsenic than other rice varieties and rinsing it thoroughly helps remove contaminants.

Secondly, washing removes excess starch. This gives the rice a fluffy texture and results in grains that remain separate rather than being overly sticky.

Swish the rice around in the bowl with your hand until the water becomes cloudy. Pour the water away by tilting the bowl to one side. Repeat the rinsing process until the water runs clear. This could require several rinses. Afterwards, leave it to soak in water for 30 minutes while you prepare everything else for your meal.

How much brown basmati rice per person?

How much rice you should allow per person depends on what you are making and how hungry you are. For something like vegetable biryani (an aromatic rice dish made with spices and mixed vegetables), you would calculate about 100 g per person because the bulk of the dish is rice. If you’re making a side dish for a vegan curry like korma or tikka masala, you’ll probably only need about 70 g per person. For a complete Indian meal (thali) consisting of several dishes, you’ll most likely need 50 g or less.

The following is a general guide:

Small portion: 50 g of rice to 100 g of water. Add 2 g of salt.

Large portion: 100 g of rice to 200 g of water. Add 4 g salt.

How much water do you need to steam cook wholemeal brown basmati rice?

The weight of the water should be double the weight of the rice. So for 100 g of rice, you need 200 g of boiling water. For volume (cups), see below.

Brown basmati rice to water ratio – an accurate guide

I recommend weighing your rice and water rather than using cups! Unfortunately, cups are far less accurate than grams, and this can lead to disappointing results. Below you will find the rice-to-water ratio expressed in both grams and cups.

Brown basmati rice to water ratio, expressed in weight (grams):

50 g of brown basmati rice and 100 g of boiling water will yield one portion of cooked brown basmati rice as a side dish.

100 g of brown basmati rice and 200 g of boiling water will yield one portion of cooked brown basmati rice as a main course.

Brown basmati rice to water ratio, expressed in volume (cups):

1/2 cup of brown basmati rice and 4/5 cup of boiling water. This will yield one portion of cooked brown basmati rice as a main course (the same as the weight ratio above). In fact, 1/2 cup of brown basmati rice weighs 100 g, and 4/5 cup of water weighs 200 g. There is no 4/5 mark on a cup, so you’ll need to eyeball it. Or remove 4 tablespoons from a cup of water.

See what I mean when I say weighing is easier and more precise? It could be the difference between perfect results and disappointment. Moral of the story? 1:2 in weight is not the same as 1:2 in volume.

How to cook brown basmati rice

• After soaking the rice for 30 minutes, drain the water from the bowl and put the rice in a pan.

• Add the exact amount of boiling water and unrefined sea salt. Stir once. This will be the only time you stir the rice until it’s done.

• Turn the heat up to high. As soon as it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to the lowest possible setting and put the lid on.

• Steam cook the rice with the lid on for about 40 minutes or for the time stated on the packet.

• Once the rice is cooked, turn off the heat but leave the pan on the warm stove until you are ready to serve your meal.

Important tips for perfect results

• Whole grain brown basmati rice takes much longer to cook than white basmati – usually around 40 minutes, plus 30 minutes of soaking time. Bear this in mind when preparing your meal. I usually start with the rice and then make everything else while the rice is soaking/cooking.

• Different brands of rice will have different cooking times. Check the manufacturer’s instructions on the packet of rice, but be prepared to adjust the cooking time, as guidelines can be inaccurate. Many factors can influence the time rice takes to cook, such as altitude, the type of stove/cooker you have, the type of pan used etc. Also, the longer you soak the rice, the less time it will take to cook.

• Ensure your pan is large enough to accommodate all the rice as it cooks and expands. It will more than double in volume once cooked.

• Where possible, use a non-stick pan or one with an enamel finish. This will prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

• I use a glass lid so that I can see what’s happening in the pan without having to lift the lid to look.

• The lid must be tight fitting, so the steam can’t escape during cooking. The rice cooks in the steam, so if you want fluffy, moist, brown basmati rice, don’t lift the lid. Otherwise, your rice could end up hard and dry due to the lack of moisture in the pan.

• It’s very important to turn the heat right down to a minimum once the water boils. The rice has to simmer very gently. If you cook it on a higher heat, the water will evaporate faster. This will result in rice which is hard and dry, and the grains will tend to break up.

• Don’t stir the rice while it’s cooking. Stirring the rice activates the starch and makes it either sticky or creamy.

• Towards the end of the cooking time, tilt the pan to one side and look through the glass. You should be able to see steam and condensation but little to no water.

• Brown basmati rice takes around 40 minutes to steam cook using this method. The rice will absorb all the water as it cooks, leaving it light, fluffy and firm.

• Once the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and leave the rice to stand for another 10 minutes before serving. You can keep the rice warm like this for a while if you’re not ready with the rest of the meal. It won’t spoil if left to stand for a short time.

• If you follow the instructions in this recipe, your brown basmati rice will be perfect. In the recipe card below, you will find step-by-step instructions with photos.

How to serve brown basmati rice

Just before serving, gently fluff up the rice with a fork.

Brown basmati rice can be eaten in so many different ways! It’s the perfect accompaniment for Indian curries and Thai dishes. I would suggest a dish that has a lovely tasty spicy sauce. You could try making a deliciously creamy vegan chicken tikka masala, for instance. Or chickpea, cauliflower and spinach curry. I sometimes make it as a side dish to accompany vegetables or put it in a poké bowl and have it for lunch.

How to store leftover rice

Store any leftover rice in an airtight container in the fridge, where it will keep for a couple of days. Don’t leave rice out at room temperature. I have a diploma in food hygiene, and I always remember what they told us about rice.

Uncooked rice can contain spores of Bacillus cereus, a type of bacteria which can cause food poisoning. The spores can survive even when rice is cooked. If you leave rice standing at room temperature, the spores can grow into bacteria which in turn will quickly multiply and produce toxins. If ingested, it may cause food poisoning. The longer cooked rice is left at room temperature, the more likely it is that the bacteria or toxins could make the rice unsafe to eat. Typical symptoms are vomiting and/or diarrhoea about 1 to 5 hours after eating. Symptoms are usually relatively mild and only last about 24 hours, but who wants that? You can read more about food poisoning caused by rice here.

How to reheat rice

The best way to heat up steamed brown basmati rice is in the microwave. I’m not a great fan of microwave ovens, but sometimes we don’t have much choice. Putting it in the oven would dry it out. So would heating it up in a pan, unless you have some leftover sauce to go with it. In that case, you could slow heat it with the sauce until thoroughly warmed through. Do this on a low heat in a wide, preferably non-stick pan with a lid on to keep the moisture in.

Ways of using up leftover rice

Another way of using up leftover rice is to fry it. Asians often reheat their rice this way, usually adding spices like cardamom, turmeric, green chili pepper, onions and garlic to the oil they fry it in.

If you have a lot of rice left over, you could make an Indian fried rice dish with spices, like fodni bhaat or vagharelo bhaat. You could also throw in a few leftover vegetables if you want to transform it into a main course.

I hope this recipe will revolutionise the way you cook brown basmati rice! We love its light and fluffy consistency and hope you will too! I still cringe when I remember how I used to just boil rice and how mediocre it made an otherwise amazing curry dish. It changed our way of eating rice forever and elevated my Asian cooking to a whole new level.

Frequently asked questions

Is brown basmati rice healthy?

Yes, brown basmati rice is healthy. It’s a whole grain which is high in fibre and protein. It supports digestion and helps regulate blood sugar levels. Flavonoids play an important role in disease prevention. Brown basmati is also rich in essential vitamins and minerals like magnesium, which contribute to heart health and overall well-being.

Is brown basmati rice good for people with diabetes?

Studies show that eating whole grains can help lower the risk of heart disease and diabetes and help maintain body weight. Furthermore, brown rice makes you feel fuller for longer. This is because it releases energy slowly and prevents blood sugar levels from spiking.

If you make this recipe for brown basmati rice and like it as much as we do, please leave a comment below – I’d love to hear from you! Feedback helps me and other readers too. Thanks for your support – I really appreciate it.

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