› Browse Recipes › Perfect Fluffy White Rice with Low Starch (Arroz Blanco Graneado)

by Victor Heredia

technique easy Peruvian

Perfect Fluffy White Rice with Low Starch (Arroz Blanco Graneado)

A master technique for cooking perfectly separated, grain-by-grain white rice at any altitude — removing over 80% of arsenic and reducing starch by boiling in abundant salted water, straining, then finishing in a garlic-and-oil aderezo. Works on the coast, in the mountains, and everywhere in between.

10m Prep

20m Cook

30m Total

5 Servings

Ingredients

Aderezo

90 mL olive oil (or vegetable oil) (place in cold pan; add garlic cold; heat together)
6 g garlic (finely diced) (dice very finely; place in cold oil from the start)

Rice

350 g aged long-grain white rice (transparent, low-starch) (wash by rubbing gently in water 3 times; drain well)
3 L water (for boiling) (use 4× the volume of rice; salt before adding rice)
45 g salt (for boiling water) (15 g per liter of water; dissolve in water before adding rice)

Steps

1

Choose the right rice: use aged (añejo), transparent long-grain rice. The more transparent the grain, the less starch it contains. Whiter rice has more starch, will clump, and starch converts to sugar. Aged or parboiled rice is recommended.

Consejo: Rice contains 10% more arsenic than other cereals. Choosing an aged variety and washing well already removes a significant portion.

~1 min
2

Wash the rice: add water to the rice and rub gently — do not scrub aggressively. Drain. Repeat 2–3 times until water runs clearer. Drain thoroughly.

Consejo: Washing removes starch from the surface and already eliminates some arsenic. Handle gently to avoid breaking the grains.

~3 min
3

Bring 3 L of water to a boil. Add 45 g of salt (15 g per liter) before adding the rice. Once boiling, add the washed rice. Stir once. Move the rice only twice during cooking to avoid damaging grains.

Consejo: Salt the water first so the rice absorbs a calibrated amount. The ratio of 15 g salt per liter accounts for the fact that when you drain and then cook further, the rice already has perfect seasoning.

~2 min
4

At sea level, check the rice at 10 minutes. At 2500–3000 m altitude, check at 15–18 minutes. At very high altitude (e.g., Cerro de Pasco), allow 20+ minutes. Test: remove a grain and press it completely flat — it should dissolve like clay. If it still has a hard center, continue cooking.

Consejo: Water boils at lower temperatures at altitude (90°C at 3200 m vs 100°C at sea level), so rice takes longer and absorbs more water. Always cook in 4× the volume of water to compensate.

~15 min
5

While the rice cooks, prepare the aderezo: place 90 mL oil and 6 g finely diced garlic in a cold pan. Heat together over low heat until the garlic dances and turns lightly golden. Keep on very low heat.

Consejo: Starting garlic in cold oil extracts maximum flavor as the oil slowly heats. This is the Master Cook technique (técnica Master).

~5 min
6

Once the rice grain crushes completely when pressed, drain it immediately through a strainer. Discard the cooking water — the arsenic, excess starch, and heavy metals leave with it.

Consejo: This is the key health step. Draining the cooking water removes over 80% of arsenic and a large portion of starch.

~1 min
7

Add the drained rice to the pan with the aderezo. Stir gently to coat every grain with the garlic oil. The rice already has its salt — no need to add more. Cook on minimum heat, cover, and let steam dry for 3–4 minutes until all remaining moisture evaporates.

Consejo: Using good olive oil elevates the flavor. You can substitute with 70 g butter + 20 g oil — but if using only butter it may burn.

~4 min
8

Turn off heat. Uncover. The rice should be perfectly dry, individual, and separated — you can literally count each grain. To plate, press firmly into a mold (the low starch means it needs pressure to hold shape). Serve immediately.

Consejo: Despite having very little starch, if you press firmly enough the rice will hold its shape for plating. It will crumble easily when the customer touches it.

~1 min

Cultural Context

White rice is the cornerstone of Peruvian daily cooking — served alongside nearly every main dish. The Peruvian technique of cooking with an aderezo (garlic-and-oil base) and producing graneado (grain-separated) rice is a national standard. Victor Heredia adds a health dimension: rice contains arsenic and heavy metals, and his strained-rice method removes over 80% of arsenic while simultaneously guaranteeing perfect texture at any altitude.