Put 3 quarts of spring water in a saucepan to boil, and add 1/2 lb. of rice.

Let it boil as fast as possible, with the lid off. Keep skimming it all the time. When done (which means that it is soft, but with a little hardness left in the middle), strain it off onto a sieve, and then let cold water run on it till it becomes quite cold. Put it back into the saucepan without water, to get hot enough for table. It should take 1 hour to get hot; it will be a bad colour if hurried.