MasterChef's Gregg Wallace reveals 'common' cooking mistake that makes rice soggy

MasterChef star Gregg Wallace has shared the common cooking mistake that makes rice ‘sticky’, as the cooking expert reveals his step-by-step guide to ‘perfectly fluffy’ grains

Gregg Wallace explains how to cook rice perfectly

MasterChef host Gregg Wallace has revealed his foolproof recipe that guarantees fluffy rice every time – and the common mistake that makes the popular dish soggy.

While two-minute microwave rice packets are undeniably convenient and require less washing up, nothing beats perfectly cooked boiled rice, which costs just a fraction of the price. However, unpredictable grains can often accumulate into sticky clumps or boil over into a frothy foam if not cooked properly.

Luckily, TV expert Chef Gregg has shared his unbeatable rice recipe that can’t go wrong once you’ve “mastered” the method. Speaking to TikTok, the food expert said: “Rice is really cheap to buy and really expensive to buy in microwave bags. It’s the way to cook it, and once you’ve mastered it, it’s fabulous.

“Remember that the amount of water is twice as much as the amount of rice.” He then explained the simple preparation steps, which you will find below.

In a saucepan, add two cups of rice, followed by four cups of water. Using a wooden spoon, gently stir the contents of the saucepan. Gregg pointed out a common mistake when it comes to rice, adding: “You stir now, not while it’s cooking, because that will make it sticky.”
Place the pan on the stove and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to the lowest setting so that the contents simmer and place the lid on the pan slightly wobbly.
After 15 minutes, you will have “well-cooked rice”. Once served in a bowl, stir the rice with a fork to “fluff it up”

Gregg concluded: “You don’t need microwave bags anymore, I don’t see a problem with that. The helpful video garnered nearly 94,000 likes and impressed followers flocked to the comments to share their reactions.

One user exclaimed: “This is the first time in 37 years I’ve made perfect rice! Thanks for this, I feel classy.” Another wrote: “I’ve been doing this for years. Finally some tips on how to cook rice properly.”

A third wrote: “Exactly how I cook rice and exactly how I taught my daughter and son. Perfect every time.” “I tried and finally managed to make fluffy rice for the first time ever,” shared another

Meanwhile, others criticized the chef for not washing the rice first, as one user said: “Wash the starch first until the water runs clear,” which to which Gregg replied, “Yeah, you can do that.”