Step One: Rinse and (Maybe) Soak
how to cook rice
I usually rinse my rice in a few changes of cold water. There are two reasons for rinsing: some mills outside the U.S. use talc as a milling aid, so it's an important step for imported rice. The rinsing also removes loose starch, making the rice less sticky.
For most everyday meals, you can get good results without soaking your rice. If I'm using older rice, I soak it for about 30 minutes, which makes the grains less brittle and prone to breakage. Soaking is also traditional for basmati rice, as it helps the rice expand to maximum length. Either way, be sure to drain your rice thoroughly or you'll be using more water in cooking than you intended.