Until earlier this year, the only time there had ever been real (the non-minute kind) rice in my house was because it was delivered…a la local Chinese restaurant.
Yeah…I know….lame and lazy. But…it is what it is.
Now however, it is not that way. Yes, I have used the minute kind a few times but only in recipes that are made for it. I would LOVE a rice cooker to do it “For Real” but….for now, I do it like this;

Put 1 cup of rice and 1½ cups of water in a small (one-quart) saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. (1 cup dry makes 3 cups cooked)
Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Steam should be coming out from under the lid; keep the pot covered and don’t peek under the lid. (For novice rice cooks, a glass lid is a big help.)
Reduce the heat to very low. The rice grains swell as they absorb the water. If the temperature is too high, the bottom of the pan can scorch while the top rice is still undercooked. Set a timer for 20 minutes.
When the timer rings, turn off the burner and remove the pan from the heat. Let the rice sit, covered, for an additional 5 minutes (and no peeking under the lid–the steam will escape).
Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork to separate the grains.
My only caveat to these directions would be that if you’re using Enriched rice, to rinse it well first. I have not done so and my rice has not been cooking completely.

Hopefully this helps you with your rice dishes in the future.
If you have any other tips/tricks for cooking rice, PLEASE! Drop me a comment so you can share your knowledge.

Mo