Rice to water ratio calculator
How much water for basmati, sella, jasmine or brown rice, and how long to cook it.
For the absorption method: rice and water go in together, the lid stays on, and all the water is absorbed. Use any cup or mug for both rice and water; the ratio is what matters.
Rice to water ratio chart
| Rice | Water per 1 cup rice | Cook (lid on) | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basmati, soaked 30 min | 1.5 cups | 12–15 min | 10 min |
| Basmati, not soaked | 1.75 cups | 15–18 min | 10 min |
| Sella (parboiled) basmati | 2 cups | 18–20 min | 10 min |
| Jasmine | 1.25 cups | 12–15 min | 10 min |
| Long-grain white | 1.75 cups | 15–18 min | 10 min |
| Brown rice | 2.25 cups | 40–45 min | 10 min |
| Short-grain / sushi | 1.1 cups | 12–15 min | 10 min |
How much rice per person?
Allow about 75 g (a heaped ⅓ cup) of uncooked rice per person when rice is a side, and about 100 g (just over ½ cup) when it’s the main part of the meal, as with pulao or fried rice. One cup of uncooked basmati is about 185 g and gives roughly 3 cups cooked.
Perfect basmati, step by step
- Rinse the rice in a bowl of cold water, swirling gently, until the water is almost clear. This removes surface starch that makes rice sticky.
- Soak for 20–30 minutes if you can. Soaked grains cook more evenly and grow longer. Drain well and use the soaked ratio.
- Boil the measured water with a little salt, add the rice, and bring it back to the boil.
- Cover and lower the heat to the minimum. Don’t lift the lid or stir.
- Rest off the heat, still covered, for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
Biryani is different
For biryani, rice is usually par-boiled in plenty of salted water like pasta, drained when it’s about 70% cooked, then layered and finished on dum. You don’t measure water for that method; just use a large pot of it.
Pressure cookers and rice cookers
Very little water evaporates in a pressure cooker or rice cooker, so use less: about 1¼ cups of water per cup of soaked basmati, or follow the lines on your rice cooker bowl.