Preparation and cooking time: 25-30 minutes.

Ingredients:

3 pints (1.7 litres) approx. water
2 cups basmati rice
1 teaspoon salt

Method:
Pour the water into a large pot and bring to the boil on a high heat.
Meanwhile pick over the rice and wash in several changes of water. Drain.
Add rice and salt to boiling water and bring back to the boil. Turn down the heat and stir.
Simmer the rice uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In the meantime heat the oven to gas mark 3 (350F or 170C).
Drain into a large sieve, pour over cold water to remove excess starch and shake sieve to remove as much water as possible.
Return rice to pot and place in the oven for about ten minutes to dry the grains.
NB. If you are not serving the rice immediately, allow it to drain in the sieve until cool (do not place in the oven) and refrigerate. Re-heat when required in a microwave oven or covered in a conventional one.