Making the perfect rice...

Start with good rice. Really.

Before I went to Thailand, I didn't care for rice. It was okay, but not great.

In Thailand, I discovered how amazing rice is. They have over 200 varieties, and you won't find much brown rice. It doesn't keep well.

Regular long grain rice is cooked on a 1:2 ratio. 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water, with a bit of butter. I've used chicken broth, and it works well. Bring to a boil. Turn down and simmer for 20 minutes. Take off the heat, lay a towel between the pan and lid and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Absorbs some of the excess moisture, so the rice isn't sticky but fluffy.

It's also amazing cooked in the oven, but the recipe is a little more complicated and takes longer.

Why share something so simple? It took me years to master cooking rice.

Jasmine rice is 1:1-3/4 that's 1 cup of rice to 1-3/4 liquid. I've even used coconut milk. Loved it!

One of my favorite Thai dishes, is khao neeo mamuang. Mango with "sticky" rice, another variety. It's cooked in a straw rice hat. Jasmine works as well. Add a bit of coconut milk and sliced mango, and delicious!

Mango season lasts for approximately two months, so you make yourself absolutely sick on the stuff because you know you won't see it again for ten months. By the way, the mangoes in the US aren't quite the same. The Hawaiian mangoes are closer than Mexican mangoes.

Yes, I really enjoy cooking. I wanted to attend culinary school. Whole other story.