KITCHEN PRACTICE 1 — Cook a Full Pot of Plain Rice
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TASK
Wash, soak for 20-30 minutes, use the roughly 1:1.1-1.2 ratio, simmer
without lifting the lid, then rest 10 minutes before fluffing. Taste it
plain and note the texture.

WALKTHROUGH

Step 1 — Wash.
Cover the rice with cold water, swirl gently, and drain. Repeat 2-4
times until the water runs mostly (not perfectly) clear.

Step 2 — Soak.
Cover with fresh water and let it sit 20-30 minutes. Drain fully
before measuring your actual cooking water — soaked rice holds some
water in the grain already, which is part of why the cooking ratio is
lower than you might expect.

Step 3 — Measure and cook.
Use roughly 1 part rice to 1.1-1.2 parts water. Bring to a boil
uncovered or lid ajar, then cover tightly and drop to the lowest
simmer for 12-15 minutes. Resist checking on it.

Step 4 — Rest, then fluff.
Take the pot off the heat and leave it covered for a full 10 minutes
before opening. Fluff with a cutting, folding motion rather than
stirring.

Step 5 — Taste and take notes.
Eat a spoonful plain, no seasoning. Note:
  - Are the grains distinct, or clumped into a solid mass?
  - Is there a chalky or hard centre to any grains (undercooked), or
    are the edges blown out and mushy (overcooked/too much water)?
  - Does it taste clean and lightly sweet, or heavy and starchy?

A genuinely well-cooked pot should be tender but not mushy, with
grains that hold together in a scoop but separate easily on the
tongue.

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WHY THIS MATTERS
This is your reference point for the rest of the course. Every later
chapter that serves rice alongside a main dish assumes you can produce
this result reliably — and every problem in a later chapter (rice that
falls apart under sushi seasoning, rice that's too wet for a bowl of
donburi) traces back to getting this basic technique right first.