Rice has been a staple in most Asian cuisine for thousands of years. It is native to China, but is now grown all over the world. All varieties of rice require very specific growing conditions in order to thrive. There are over 40,000 varieties of rice worldwide, so almost any land environment can support at least one rice variety. Since all rice is different, they must all be cooked in slightly different ways.

Add 2 cups of water, 1 cup of rice and 1 tbsp. of butter to a pot or rice cooker. If you want to make more than one cup of rice, be sure that the rice to water ratio is the same. Always use twice as much water as rice.

Put the pot on the stove and set the heat to high. Wait for the water to come to a boil. Stir the rice with a wooden spoon once it comes to a boil.

Put a tight-fitting lid on the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the rice cook for 50 minutes at this heat. If you want the rice to be a little crunchy in the center, cook it for five to ten minutes less.

Remove the pot from the heat after it is finished cooking. Let the rice sit for ten minutes before serving.