Rinse the rice: Always rinse rice before you cook it. This helps remove excess starch (surface stars and keeps it from sticking together. Rinsing gets rid of any dirt. Place rice in a fine mesh strainer or a bowl and rinse it several times. Rinse by scrubbing rice gently with your fingertips.

Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottom saucepan. Sauté rinsed rice stirring until rice just begins to brown. Do not brown rice.

Use a 1:2 ratio. For every 1 cup long grain rice, add 2 cups of liquids. Add liquid of your choice – water or chicken stock to pack in more flavors. For the vegetarian option, use vegetable stock.

Scrape rice sticking to the side of the pan into the liquid.

Reduce flame to medium-low heat and bring water to boil. Pro-tip: it’s important to cook rice at the correct temperatures. If cooked on high heat, water will evaporate very quickly preventing the rice from absorbing the liquids, thus your rice won’t get cooked as desired.

Cook uncovered until the water level drops below the surface of the rice. Then reduce the flame to low. Now cover the pan with a lid (when almost 90% of water is absorbed) and simmer and cook for about 12 minutes. Note: Heat should be at its lowest temperature. Else rice will begin to burn at the bottom. DO NOT Stir rice in between. Leave it untouched.

Once cooked remove the saucepan from the heat and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes undisturbed. Do not open the lid. This helps the rice to cook through. Rice absorbs moisture from steam and makes it fluffy and perfect.

Open lid. Add butter, lime juice, cilantro, and lime zest and gently fluff it with a fork or spatula. If needed add salt as per taste.

Serve with your favorite food.