For fluffy, separate grains of rice, we always start by rinsing and soaking the rice to remove excess starch and aid in absorption. Note that every pot and every stove is different; your cooking time may vary 1-2 minutes or your liquid by a few tablespoons. Use these recipes as your guide to a fluffy, aromatic, and delicious pot of rice. You’ll notice that each recipe calls for a fresh bay leaf in the pot. These are optional, but we feel their unique fragrant and earthy flavor helps draw out the best aromatic qualities in our rice.