What is the water to rice ratio?

For standard long-grain white rice, the workhorse ratio is 2 cups of water to 1 cup of rice, which produces fluffy, separate grains on the stovetop. Rinse the rice first until the water runs clearer to wash off surface starch that otherwise makes it gummy, bring water and rice to a boil, then drop to a low simmer, cover, and leave it alone for about 18 minutes. The single most common mistake is lifting the lid to check, which lets out the steam that is doing the actual cooking, so trust the timer and resist.

Different rices want different ratios. Brown rice, with its intact bran layer, needs more water, roughly 2.25 to 2.5 cups per cup, and longer cooking, around 45 minutes. Short-grain and sushi rice run closer to 1.25 to 1.5 to one for their stickier result, and basmati does well near 1.5 to one. After cooking, let it rest covered off the heat for 5 to 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork; that rest lets the moisture redistribute and firms the grains. A rice cooker automates all of this and is worth it for anyone who eats rice weekly, but the 2-to-1 stovetop method is a fine thing to have memorized.