Every Grain Counts: A Rice Bowl Lesson from My Childhood.... An insight into the many Asian dishes using all kinds of the humble grain
When I was little, my grandmother used to say: “Finish every grain of rice in your bowl, or your future husband will have a face full of spots!”
At six years old, I wasn’t entirely sure what that meant, but the image was terrifying enough to make me scrape my bowl clean at every meal. I would sit at the table, carefully chasing the last few sticky grains around with my chopsticks, determined not to doom my future spouse to a lifetime of pimples. Of course, as I grew older, I realised it wasn’t really about acne or husbands at all, it was about respect. In Asia, rice is considered sacred. It symbolises the hard work of farmers who spend months planting, tending to and harvesting crops under the hot sun. And the earth, that provided our meal.
ASIAN GREETING - “Have you eaten”
In many Asian languages, the word for ‘meal’ is closely tied to rice: in Japan, ‘Ggohan’ means ‘cooked rice’ and ‘meal’. In Thailand, ‘Kin Khao’ literally means ‘eat rice’. ‘Chī fàn’ also means ‘eat rice’ in China, and it is the everyday way to say “let’s eat!”
Saying “Let’s eat rice” isn’t just about the food—it’s an invitation to share time, stories, and laughter. That’s why a common greeting isn’t “How are you?” but “Have you eaten?” It’s a way of checking if someone is well-fed and cared for.
TYPES OF RICE
There are more than 40,000 varieties in the world, each with its own texture, aroma and story.
Jasmine rice
Jasmine rice is a long-grain, fragrant rice. When cooked, it is soft and slightly sticky, with grains clinging together but remaining individual, making it easy to eat with a fork, chopsticks or hands. Its mild, floral smell and taste go well with strong, spicy Thai curries and stir-fries.
Chinese rice
Chinese uses long-grain varieties in the south and medium-to-short-grain varieties in the north. Long-grain rice is fluffy and the grains stay separate, unlike Jasmine rice. Short-grain rice is stickier and clumps together, which makes it good for eating with chopsticks. It serves as a neutral base for dishes seasoned with ingredients like soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and sesame oil. Fried rice is typically made with day-old, drier long-grain rice to keep it from clumping.
Basmati rice
Basmati rice is a long-grain rice known for its slender grains and a distinctive nutty and floral aroma. The name ‘basmati’ is Hindi for ‘full of aroma’. It is primarily cultivated in the Himalayan foothills of India and Pakistan.
When cooked, the grains become long, fluffy, and remain separate, making it an ideal accompaniment for curries and other saucy dishes, as well as the popular dish biryani.
Japanese rice
A short-grain rice that gets sticky and a bit chewy when cooked. This makes it perfect for sushi, rice bowls (donburi), and rice rolls (maki), as the grains hold together. It has a mild, slightly sweet flavour that goes well with a lot of different foods.
Glutinous rice
Also known as ‘sweet rice’, glutinous rice has a sticky, glue-like consistency when cooked. It's often used in Asian cuisine for both sweet and savoury dishes, like the iconic Thai dessert of mango sticky rice, and the classic dim sum dish of steamed chicken and glutinous rice in lotus leaf. Despite its name, it does not actually contain gluten.
THE POWER OF WATER
When I was younger, I loved helping my grandmother wash rice. We would sift through the grains carefully, picking out little insects, husks, and pebbles left over from the harvest. Nowadays, rice is machine-harvested and clean, but I continue to wash my rice. Not to remove bugs, but to rinse away the dust and to remove surface starch, ensuring the grains cook evenly and stay fluffy.
Cooking rice properly is simple once you understand the science behind it. The basic principle is water absorption: add too much and the rice will be mushy, while adding too little will leave the centre chalky.
These are the two methods that I teach at my cookery school for measuring water when cooking rice:
Method 1
1. Rinse and drain the rice.
2. Add 1½ cups of water for every cup of rice.
3. Leave the rice to soak for 10 minutes.
4. Bring to the boil, then cover with a lid and turn the heat down to the lowest setting.
5. Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and leave, covered, for a further 10 minutes. Let the steam work its magic.
Method 2
The second method is the traditional finger method. After rinsing the rice, level it out in the pot and place your fingertip gently on top of the rice. Add water until it reaches your first knuckle. That’s it! No measuring cups needed, and it works every time. Simple, instinctive, and a little kitchen magic that’s been trusted for generations!
Both methods rely on a little quiet patience, allowing the rice to absorb the water slowly and waiting while the rice rests. One is precise, the other instinctive, but either way you end up with fluffy rice.
BEYOND BOILED – THE MANY FACES OF RICE DISHES
Rice is a wonderfully versatile ingredient. Depending on how it’s prepared, it can be fluffy and plain - as the perfect canvas to eat with other dishes, crispy when deep fried or cooked to form a golden crust in the bottom of some rice dishes, soupy in comforting bowls of Teochew porridge or congee, or delightfully sticky in both sweet and savoury creations.
Biryani is one of my personal favourites, an Indian spiced rice dish with tender meat that has been marinated in spices and yoghurt. It’s layered with fried onions, fresh coriander and mint, and slow-cooked in a sealed, heavy-based pot.
Another favourite of mine is Khao Tod Nam Pla – cooked rice seasoned with fish sauce and aromatics, pressed flat, then dried and deep-fried until golden and crispy like a cracker. Served with a spicy dipping sauce made from lime juice, chili, garlic, and fish sauce. I am salivating just thinking about it!
In China, Yangzhou fried rice combines prawns, roast pork and peas to create a dish that is both colourful and flavourful. While on the subject of fried rice, I must mention Indonesia’s famous Nasi Goreng - made with day-old rice, garlic, soy sauce and chilli sambal, typically served with a fried egg on top. Every household has its own version, just as no two Sunday roasts are ever quite the same.
Onigiri are Japan’s answer to our sandwiches: little hand-shaped pyramid rice balls wrapped in seaweed with customised fillings and toppings like tuna mayonnaise, pickled plums, teriyaki chicken and tempura crunchies etc. Perfect for lunchboxes or a picnics.
Being Singaporean, I have to give Hainanese Chicken Rice a shout! Considered Singapore’s national dish, it was also one of the first hawker favourites to earn a Michelin star!! Tender poached or roasted chicken served with fragrant rice cooked with chicken fat, garlic and superior chicken stock, and paired with its signature sauces - dark soy, garlic chilli and ginger.
Bibimbap (Korean Rice Bowl): a vibrant and wholesome rice bowl, piled high with colourful cooked vegetables of your choice (spinach, strips of carrots, mushrooms, courgettes, bean sprouts, kimchi), tender slices of meat (beef is most commonly used) or tofu, and a runny fried egg. Traditionally served in a stainless steel bowl or a heated stone bowl for crispy rice at the bottom, it’s finished with a sauce made from gochujang, mirin, and sesame oil. Mix everything together with a spoon until it turns into a sea of red—each mouthful a delicious blend of flavours and textures.
Then there’s Congee, the humble rice porridge found across Asia. It's a bowl of comfort -soothing, nourishing and endlessly customisable with toppings such as pork, chicken, fish, spring onions, soy sauce and shredded ginger etc. Many of us grew up eating it when we were unwell or in need of comfort — it's the Asian equivalent of chicken soup.
ELEVATING RICE
Here are a few ideas for turning plain rice into something more exciting at home:
1. Coconut rice – Cook jasmine rice with equal amounts of water and coconut milk, plus a pinch of salt to bring out the flavour. Add makrut lime leaves, slices of ginger, or pandan leaves for extra fragrance. Perfect with curries, grilled prawns or crispy fried chicken.
2. Pilau rice – Sauté the rice in butter or oil with onions, garlic, and spices before adding the broth. Toss in some nuts or dried fruits for texture and a pop of sweetness.
3. Turmeric rice – A golden, gently spiced side dish with turmeric, cinnamon, and bay leaf. Aromatic, warm and uplifting.
RICE AS A MEMORY
For me, rice carries memory. The scent of steamed jasmine rice instantly transports me back to my childhood kitchen in Singapore, to my mother’s voice reminding me, “Don’t waste even a grain.” Rice may be humble, but it’s also profound. It nourishes us, brings us together, and quietly reminds us of where we come from. Whether you eat it with chopsticks, a spoon, a fork or your hands, take a moment to savour the story in every grain.
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