Pour water into the pot– if you are cooking loose rice, it should be in a ratio of roughly 1.5-2.5:1 water to rice (less water for fluffy rice, more for denser rice). If you're cooking rice in bags, there should be several times more water, enough to fully submerge the bag. After a moment, add some salt (about ⅓-1/2 teaspoon). Bring to a boil. If you're cooking loose rice and want it to be fluffy after cooking, rinse it thoroughly at the beginning in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water or place it in a container and repeatedly add water, stir, and drain until the water is no longer cloudy.

Add the rice or rice bag to the boiling water.

When cooking loose rice, during the first few minutes, stir it several times to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Once the rice starts boiling, reduce the heat and cover the pot with a lid. Depending on the type and length of the grains, cook the rice for 10 to 40 minutes. Refined rices (e.g. white or jasmine) typically cook for about 10-20 minutes; round, medium-grain rices (e.g. arborio or black) around 20-30 minutes, and unrefined, long-grain rices (e.g. brown or red) about 30-40 minutes. It's advisable to follow the cooking time recommendations on the package. Remove the pot from the heat. After a moment, remove the lid and gently stir with a spoon in a manner that separates the rice from the bottom. The rice should be of the right softness and the water fully absorbed (drain any excess water if necessary).

If you are cooking rice in a bag, after the indicated time, drain it using a colander or carefully remove it from the pot. Then, cut open the bag.

Transfer the rice to a convenient dish or immediately combine it with the other meal ingredients.