Dollop

Skill 4 of 16

Rice that isn’t mushy

Rinse, measure, lid on, and leave it alone.

What it means

Rinse

Rinsing means running cold water over rice or canned beans in a strainer while you swish them around. It washes off loose starch and can liquid, so rice cooks up fluffy and beans taste clean.

How you’ll know: The water running out goes from cloudy to mostly clear; it doesn’t have to be perfect.

Bring to a boil

It means heating a liquid on high until it’s fully boiling before you move on. A lid on the pot gets it there faster, which makes it a good moment to chop something.

How you’ll know: Big bubbles break all over the surface, and they keep coming when you lift the lid.

Reduce the heat

It means turning the burner down, usually to medium-low or low, so food cooks gently instead of hard. Electric burners cool slowly, so lift the pan off for a moment if it’s bubbling hard.

How you’ll know: Within a minute the bubbling calms to a gentle simmer, or the sizzle turns quiet.

Saucepan

A saucepan is a pot with tall, straight sides and one long handle. It’s for things that need depth, like rice, sauces or a few boiled eggs.

How you’ll know: The food fills it about halfway, leaving room to bubble without spilling over.

Dolly says: You pick this up just by making one of these. I point it out in the steps when you get there.

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