Hello, I'm an expert in culinary arts with a focus on rice preparation. Let's dive into why your rice might be coming out hard.

There are several reasons why rice might turn out hard:


1. Water-to-rice ratio: The most common reason for hard rice is not using the correct amount of water. For white rice, a general guideline is 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice. For brown rice, you might need a bit more water due to its higher fiber content.


2. Rinsing: Rinsing rice before cooking is important to remove excess starch, which can make the rice sticky. However, if you rinse too much, you might remove too much starch, leading to hard rice.


3. Soaking: Soaking rice before cooking can help it cook more evenly, but if it's soaked for too long, it can start to break down, which can result in a harder texture.


4. Cooking method: Different methods of cooking rice can yield different results. For example, boiling can sometimes result in hard rice if the water evaporates too quickly and the rice isn't cooked through.


5. Quality of rice: Older rice can be harder and may not cook as well as fresh rice.


6. Altitude: If you're cooking at a high altitude, the lower atmospheric pressure can cause water to boil at a lower temperature, which can affect how the rice cooks.

7.
Heat distribution: Uneven heat can cause some parts of the rice to cook faster than others, resulting in hard or unevenly cooked rice.

To avoid hard rice, make sure you're using the right amount of water, rinse and soak appropriately, use a cooking method that provides even heat, and start with good quality rice.

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