Measure the Ratio of Rice to Water With Your Finger
Rice needs the right water-to-grain ratio to be perfectly fluffy and delicious. To make things easier, you can use your finger as a measuring tool.
Kitchn calls this the “first joint method” and I was delighted to meet him because this is what my mom taught me when I was little. They explain:
It’s simple: pour the rice into the pot in which you will cook it. Align it and place your index finger so that it touches the surface of the rice. Add enough water to reach your first knuckle – I usually use a crease in the palm of my finger.
For clarity, this is the first line of your finger on top. It doesn’t matter how much rice you use, the idea is to keep the water up to the line of your finger. They mention that it’s surprising that it’s a universal method because everyone’s fingers are different. But I have seen almost everyone in my family use this method and I have recommended it to others when cooking rice and the rice always comes out the way it should. It is neither raw nor undercooked. It is fluffy and slightly sticky. Depending on your dish, you may not always need that consistency. I grew up using this method for Chinese and Thai dishes.
Of course, it’s best to measure everything exactly, but when you’re a lazy chef like me, this method works surprisingly well. You can view the full text of the message at the link below.
Cooking rice: are you using the first bone method? | Kitchen