I don't use it, but I will have to try it!

Yes I do and that was taught to me by my Chinese boyfriend. He also taught me to always wash it three times. We both use rice cookers and I've never had such perfect rice til he showed me those tricks. I am four foot nine and it works:)

My ex taught me this trick, and she learned it from her friend's mother who is from Thailand. It's the only way I know to cook rice without over or under cooking it, even in a rice cooker. I have no idea what the actual rice to water ratio is supposed to be, because this method works so well.

I use it all the time! Great trick I learned as teenage line cook.

This is the only way I cook rice too. My Filipino mother taught me how to do this.

Yup, I do that. I learned that from my mother. It's the only way I know how to measure water for rice. The one thing I do differently is I go up to 1/2 of the finger (just about the edge of the nail bed). The reason is I like my rice a little bit on the dry side and up to the that crease is too wet for me, especially when working with short grain rice.

I grew up with people telling me this, but I find it gives quite a sticky consistency (which I know many people prize). If you want perfect rice, fragrant elongated grains, ask an Iranian! There is more to cooking rice than rice to water ratio.

I didn't realize it's such a common trick! I do this when I make rice for one or two. It doesn't work when you make a big portion.

I boil my rice like pasta - no measuring at all and comes out perfect every time.

I love this method for white rice. Makes life so much easier. Pearlmelon and I have differing definitions of perfect.

I might be missing something. How much rice? Just an arbitrary amount as long as the water hits a knuckle? Seems a bit off to me. I've always done the 1:2 ratio and rice comes out just fine.

i've never heard about doing this. i'll have to try it out! water for rice and quinoa/etc. is pretty much the only thing i actually measure out when i cook, unless i'm baking, hah.

I tried that but it never worked for me. I think it depends on your cooking method. I just go with the ratio my rice cookers say I should use (2 to 1 water to rice)

What about when you're making different types of rice? Brown or wild require more water than white. I don't understand why it's not easier to just fill the cup used to measure rice and accommodate for the type of rice--because it's dry vs. liquid measurements? I've never had issues with my ratios 1:2 for brown and 1:1.5 for white.

What I like to do is this:
1) Fill up the pan (rice cooker in my case) with water until it's roughly 1:2 rice to water.
2) When the rice has settled to the bottom of the pan, poke and measure with my finger, the depth at which the rice reaches.
3) Add/remove water to ensure that the water reaches the same depth, above the rice, as the previous measurement.

This is how I learned how to cook jasmine white rice from my Filipino mom. But, I haven't been as successful using this method with brown rice. Because I don't cook rice often, I never remember how much more water I use for brown vs white rice, so I just stick with the 2 cups of brown rice and filling up with water to the #3 line so I don't have to deal with crunchy or mushy rice.

Iranians do about this much water as well, maybe a smidge less, but they let almost all of it cook off before putting the lid on the pot. Sticky rice is great for some things (Asian dishes in particular) and Iranian rice is perfect for Iranian dishes. It's all good!

Never heard of this technique. I've been cooking rice for many years, and just follow the instructions my mother gave me: 2 cups of cold water, one cup of rice, a little salt, and a pat of butter go into a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil, then turn the heat to low and cover for 20 minutes. Take the cover off, fluff with a fork, and you've got perfect rice every time.

Mom was never a very good cook, but she knew how to make rice.

Yep, my mother (Vietnamese) uses this method. She taught me to do the same, but I found that equated to ~1 cup water per 1 cup rice (long grain white), so I did it that way and it's always worked for me. It's a good starting point and if you need more water, you can add it later. Same can't be said the other way around.

We cook rice like pasta: plenty of water, salt, and mix often (perfect rice every time).

This doesn't seem scale-able to me? Sometimes I just want to make enough rice for my lunch, sometimes for a big dinner for lots of people, so I just use a ratio (typically around 1 parts rice to 2 parts water, though it changes with the type of rice).

While living in S. Korea, a friend taught me to place the palm of my hand flat on the surface of the rice, and add water until my middle finger is submerged to the base of the second knuckle. Works like a charm!

Nope - but for full disclosure, until about 2 years ago when a friend taught me a trick to toast the rice first (and that's almost ALL rice - doesn't matter if I'm making risotto or fluffy jasmine, it all starts with the same treatment. The only other method I use is the baking/steam trick I learned from Good Eats for brown rice.) I couldn't make any edible rice beyond instant. Insanity making, really. I view myself as a good cook (will even be teaching this fall/winter GF cooking & baking!) and am comfortable & confident in the kitchen. I'll make elaborate and intricate recipes as a way to relax... and I couldn't make rice. Tried everything - it even failed miserably with rice cookers. (in one extreme case... the rice cooker caught on fire!) I have heard of this trick, and my husband even uses it successfully - but I seem to have been cursed when it comes to rice cooking.

I do! My mom taught me this is the best way to get the right amount rather than try to figure it out according to the packaging. I've even taught my boyfriend, who before getting together with me, had never made rice. Now this is the only way he knows how to make rice.

This does not work for me as I am making for rice for one. It also does not work for basmati rice which has a lower water to rice ratio than jasmine. Brown rice is a guessing game for me.

My Persian dad taught me this fingertip trick for the basmati rice in the rice-cooker and it seems to always work for him. I happen to make rice the labor-intensive, elaborate Persian way after having soaked the basmati for a few hours...and not for the reason that it's better, but that's just the only way I was taught. (Also for the Tah-deeg!) I cannot make instant or non-basmati rice to save my life (even having followed the directions exactly). Go figure.

@JENNAL, thanks for the tips in your comment...I'm looked up the bake/steam trick you referred to and I plan to try it for brown rice.

I do use this method once I feel particularly lazy, but I've noticed that it's not great. Depending on the age of the rice, you have to readjust.

This is how do it too! I learned from my Chinese mother. We eat white rice. Comes out perfect every time.

I totally use this method! My mum's korean and she taught me. I also use a trick where I out my hand on top of the rice and where the water reaches my knuckles is the line.

Interesting - I never heard of this before. I'll have to give it a try.
This may be a dumb question, but this works for all kinds of rice, right? Or is it just for white rice?

I've never heard of this method. My first thought it that there is no consistancy with pan sizes. I always follow the "1 part rice, 2 part water" rule.

@SSmith, it only works for white rice. It will work for basmati white rice if the rice has been soaked beforehand.

I've been doing this with sticky rice since I was kid! :) My Swedish bf gave me a strange look the first time he saw me do it and now I'm in charge of cooking the rice...hehe

Yes, but it's also about how you cook it as well.
Following wasH and knuckle bit....lid on, bring to boil down to simmer until no more steam is coming out. Never lift the lid!until you need to get your rice out that is :)

My husband has long fingers and I have short ones--wouldn't we end up with dramatically different amounts of water if we used this method?

mum swears buy it!

I used to do it, but I found that for small portions (in my too big rice cooker), it doesn't work and I'm better off with a 2-1 ratio.

I have to try this trick. I use a rice maker, but never know how much water to use.

My Chinese friend taught me this method (except I use my middle finger) years ago and I've used it ever since. I find I have to adjust the level depending on the brand of rice I'm using.

I recommend the Bob's Red Mill Indian Basmati Pilaf method. I tend to put in less oil and a bit more water, and I rarely use the cinnamon and raisins, but the recipe lets you add all sorts of fun things (lentils! diced carrots! oats!) in with your brown rice, and it always works really well.

I don't have any connection to Bob's Red Mill, I just like this recipe...

I measure and microwave

my mum (Filipina) and dad (Thai-Chinese Malaysian) taught me this method growing up, and one where I place my whole hand face down into the top of the rice, and the water would be at wrist level... Or something like that.

Somehow when I moved to Australia, these methods didn't work on the Aus-grown Jasmine rice! It just made the rice too sticky like sushi consistency... So I ended up 1:1 cup ratio...