What do you do on a Saturday afternoon?

TL;DR: Don't worry about brand names. Just find a bag that says Aged Extra Long Grain. If you get that right and wash it properly it beats standard supermarket stuff every time. Best thing to do regarding rice (especially Basmati) is to ignore the big supermarket brands like Tilda or Laila. You don't need a specific brand, you just need to look for two key phrases on the bag: "Aged" and "Extra Long Grain". Always go for Aged Basmati. You want the grains to look slightly golden or creamy rather than stark white. This means it has less moisture so it cooks fluffier and smells better. You can usually find great 5kg bags at a local Asian shop for about £10–£15. If you really want to splash out, the best rice I've ever used is the Yum Asia Premium Basmati Extra Long Super Kernel. It’s about £20 for 5kg so it is pricey but honestly amazing. To prep, you absolutely have to wash the starch off. I use a Yum Asia Stainless Steel Rice Washing Bowl (has drain holes on the side so you don't lose grains) but a sieve works too. Rinse it 3–4 times until the water runs almost clear. The secret is to let the washed rice sit and soak in the bowl for 20–30 minutes before cooking. For cooking on the hob, drain the soaked rice and put it in a pan with boiling water. The ratio is key here: use 1:1.2 (1 cup rice to 1.2 cups water). If you're doing 2 cups rice, use 2.5 cups water. Chuck in some salt plus a cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cloves and cardamom pods if you have them. Bring it back to a boil then put a tight lid on and turn the heat down to the lowest setting. Simmer for 10 minutes until the water is gone, then turn the heat off and leave the lid on for another 5 minutes. This steams the rice and makes it perfect. I also have a Yum Asia Bamboo UMAI Induction Heating (IH) Ceramic Rice Cooker. It’s expensive (about £189) so I only use it when I want to set and forget. It takes about 40 minutes so I skip the soaking step when I use the machine.

TL;DR: Don't worry about brand names. Just find a bag that says Aged Extra Long Grain. If you get that right and wash it properly it beats standard supermarket stuff every time. Best thing to do regarding rice (especially Basmati) is to ignore the big supermarket brands like Tilda or Laila. You don't need a specific brand, you just need to look for two key phrases on the bag: "Aged" and "Extra Long Grain". Always go for Aged Basmati. You want the grains to look slightly golden or creamy rather than stark white. This means it has less moisture so it cooks fluffier and smells better. You can usually find great 5kg bags at a local Asian shop for about £10–£15. If you really want to splash out, the best rice I've ever used is the Yum Asia Premium Basmati Extra Long Super Kernel. It’s about £20 for 5kg so it is pricey but honestly amazing. To prep, you absolutely have to wash the starch off. I use a Yum Asia Stainless Steel Rice Washing Bowl (has drain holes on the side so you don't lose grains) but a sieve works too. Rinse it 3–4 times until the water runs almost clear. The secret is to let the washed rice sit and soak in the bowl for 20–30 minutes before cooking. For cooking on the hob, drain the soaked rice and put it in a pan with boiling water. The ratio is key here: use 1:1.2 (1 cup rice to 1.2 cups water). If you're doing 2 cups rice, use 2.5 cups water. Chuck in some salt plus a cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cloves and cardamom pods if you have them. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the water is gone. I also have a Yum Asia Bamboo UMAI Induction Heating (IH) Ceramic Rice Cooker. It’s expensive (about £189) so I only use it when I want to set and forget. It takes about 40 minutes so I skip the soaking step when I use the machine.