To wash or not to wash.
Among Asian cooks there will never be agreement on whether rice should be washed or not. Some favor washing the rice several times, then leaving it to soak for a while. Other good cooks insist that washing rice is stupid and wasteful, taking away what vitamins and nutrients are left after the washing process.

If rice must be fried before liquid is added, the washed rice must be allowed enough time to thoroughly drain and dry, from 30-60 minutes. Rice to be steamed must be soaked overnight. Rice for cooking by the absorption method, without previously being fried, may be washed or not, drained briefly and added to the pot immediately.

To cook rice perfectly. Though details are given in every rice recipe, here is a general rule regarding proportions of rice and liquid.

Long grain rice. 2 cups water for first cup of rice, 1½ cups of water for each additional cup of rice.

1 cup rice 2 cups water
2 cups rice 3½ cups water
3 cups rice 5 cups water

Short or medium grain rice: 1½ cups water for the first cup of rice and 1 cup water for each additional cup of rice.

1 cup rice 1½ cups water
2 cups rice 2'/2 cups water
3 cups rice 3'½ cups water

Bring rice and water to a bubbling boil over high heat, then turn heat as low as it will go, cover pan tightly and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover pan and let steam escape for a few minutes before fluffing rice with fork. Transfer rice to serving dish with a slotted metal spoon, for a wooden spoon will crush the grains.

You will notice that long grain rice absorbs considerably more water than short or medium grain, so the two kinds are not interchangeable in recipes.

KHAO PHAT PRIK CHILI FRIED RICE Ingredients (Serves 4): 4 cups cold steamed rice 3 tablespoons peanut oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 fresh red chili and 1 fresh green chili, seeded and sliced 1 tablespoon red curry paste 1 pork chop, finely diced 500 g (1 lb) raw prawns, shelled and de- veined 2 eggs, beaten pepper and salt to taste 3 tablespoons fish sauce or light soy sauce 1 cup chopped spring onions including green tops ½cup chopped fresh coriander leaves chili flowers for garnish

PROCEDURE Cook rice by steaming method. Allow to cool. Heat oil in wok and fry onion and sliced chilies until soft. Add the curry paste and fry until the oil separates from the mixture. Add pork and fry until cooked, then add prawns (chopped into pieces if they are large). Fry for a minute or two longer, until prawns turn pink, then add rice and toss thoroughly until coated with the curry mixture and heated through. Push rice to side of wok and pour the beaten eggs, seasoned with salt and pepper, into the center. Stir until eggs start to set, then mix through the rice, tossing on high heat until eggs are cooked. Sprinkle fish sauce evenly over the rice and mix well, then remove from heat. Stir the spring onions through. Garnish with coriander leaves and chili flowers and serve.

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The Writer: CHARMAINE SOLOMON comes from a family of exceptionally good cooks. Working as a reporter and feature writer for an English language newspaper in Sri Lanka, she ran a cookery column and edited and updated the fourth edition of Sri Lanka's best-known cookery book, written by a member of her family and originally published before she was born. She has written fourteen cookbooks.