Almost every cook has his or her own way of boiling this; the two following methods are given from long and successful use. The first is Indian. Pick over and well wash the rice, then put it into a pan with a pinch of salt, and a liberal allowance of cold water, say, a full quart to ½lb. of rice. Bring this water to the boil gently, and when it boils up the rice should be cooked; now drain off the water, return the pan and the rice to the fire for a minute or two, and stir it gently with a fork to get all the grains of rice separate and dry. Or: put into a pan ½lb of rice with sufficient cold water to cover it, and a pinch of salt; bring it sharply to the boil, then drain off the rice, rinse it well in more cold water, and return it to the fire with about three pints of boiling water, and cook it steadily for twelve to fifteen minutes; now turn it into a colander, drain off all the hot water, and pour a little hot water over to rinse it well; then throw a doubled cloth over the colander and let it all stand for an hour or so by the fire.

For rice to be served thus, Patna is the best, as Carolina, though quite as nice to taste, does not look so well.

Rice can be served in a variety of ways as an adjunct for all sorts of dishes, e.g., Coralline rice: To rice boiled as above add a good piece of butter (2oz. for a good sized dish) melted, with a very little salt, and a goodly proportion of coralline pepper, and toss the rice in this till it becomes of a delicate terra cotta shade. Curried rice: To llb. of boiled rice add a couple of spoonfuls of tomato conserve or puree, and half a pint of good curry sauce; stir this all well together, dry it by the fire for a little, and serve with quartered hardboiled eggs and seasoned watercress. Tomato rice: Cook the rice in any nice stock (meat or vegetable) with an onion, a bouquet of herbs, a bay leaf, some peppercorns, cloves, and a tiny blade of mace, till cooked. Now take away the. herbs, bayleaf, and onion, and mix into the rice about half a pint of tomato puree, conserve, or pulp, and garnish with rings of onion fried a golden brown and crisp, in oil or butter. Sauoury rice: Blanch ½lb. of rice, drain and cover with weak white stock of any kind (that made from mutton shank bones is excellent), bring it very gently to the boil, then add a teaspoonful of salt, half as much of sugar, 1 oz. minced onion, cayenne to taste, and just as much saffron as will colour it nicely (the best way is to dry a little saffron in the oven, and then powder it down), stir in a small piece of butter, and let it cook gently till the liquid is all absorbed by the rice; now turn it out on a hot dish, and garnish with strips of red chillies, chopped ham or tongue, rings of fried onion, shredded chicken, sliced sausage, etc., to taste, according to what you have at hand, and use.

This can manifestly be varied in many ways.