All I know is that my Nani's rice is the most delicious ever, and this is how she taught me to make it. Or at least, she taught me to make rice over a decade ago, and this is how I do it. Fluffy, fragrant and seasoned. I love rice. Try it this way and you'll see why it's not just a starch, filler or something to soak up other flavours. It's an element worth enjoying (I regularly eat rice and nothing else. It's delicious!)
50-100g rice per person depending on appetite
Just boiled water
Cold-pressed rapeseed oil and/or butter
Salt
Wash the rice thoroughly until the water runs clear, leave to drain and dry as much as possible.
When ready to cook, heat your oven to 160C (fan) and boil your kettle. Heat your fat in a saucepan over a medium heat, then add the rice and gently fry it, stirring well but not violently, to coat all the grains in the oil/butter without smashing them.
Add your measured water: either by weight, using 180g water per 100g raw, unwashed rice. Or applying the 3:2 ratio water:rice, add water that is 1.5x the volume of the rice you used - this is why the mug trick is so handy! Cover with a lid, bring to the boil. You want it to boil and steam but not so much that it spills out of the lid.
After about 5 minutes, transfer the pan to the oven for 10 minutes whilst you get ready to eat!
Season the cooked rice with a little salt and extra butter if you like, lightly fluffing it with a fork as you serve it.
