The Flipping Trick That Guarantees Evenly-Cooked Rice On The Stove

Rice is tricky. The deceptively simple dish is difficult to get right, and often, you'll get conflicting opinions or advice. There's the whole heated to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse-rice debate. Everyone has their own perfect rice-to-water ratio, too. But some rules are near-universal: Conventional wisdom says that you should never remove the lid while cooking rice. An even bigger sin? Giving it a stir. But if you're consistently struggling to get your rice to cook evenly, it's time to try something new.

Just ask Chef Alex Abreu, executive chef at Boston's Vela Seaport and Deck 12. Abreu grew up cooking Puerto Rican classics like mofongo, mondongo, and yes, rice alongside his mother and grandmother. When The Takeout asked Abreu how he avoids unevenly-cooked rice, he dropped a bombshell.

Abreu's rice-cooking advice started out simple. "To avoid overcooking or undercooking rice on the stove, start with high heat when frying the ingredients," he told The Takeout. "After adding water, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot." But then, Abreu bends the rules. "I learned from my grandmother to periodically uncover and gently flip the rice every five minutes to ensure even cooking, so the bottom isn't the only area getting cooked or toasted," he explained.

The keyword here? Gently. Excess stirring breaks down the rice and leads to a starchy, gummy texture, which is why it's often considered a no-no. Note that Abreu said "flip" instead of "stir." You don't need to give the rice a fancy, high-flying flip like chefs who've perfected stir fry do. A quick swoop of the spatula will suffice. Imagine you're folding ingredients into a batter: Slip the spatula under the rice, then flip it over in one smooth, gentle move.

With so many different kinds of rice — and so many different ways to prepare them — it shouldn't come as a surprise that there are no hard-and-fast rules for cooking rice. Depending on the kind of rice you're making, this tip may or may not work for you. Basmati rice can break easily, so try not to mess with it. Long grain rice, on the other hand, should be stirred. Otherwise, it'll get compressed.

Abreu's grandmother isn't alone. In many cultures, stirring is the standard way to make rice. Cooks stir their rice in some parts of Vietnam. Italians stir, too — it's how risotto gets its signature creamy texture. So, next time you're cooking up a pot of rice, try Abreu's technique. It could very well take your rice to the next level.