Cooking wild rice can definitely be tricky because it is not actually a grain of rice, but rather the seed of an aquatic grass. Because of its tough outer hull, traditional absorption methods where you try to evaporate an exact amount of water often lead to uneven cooking, leaving some grains hard while the rest break down into mush.
The most reliable technique to get that perfect bloom with a tender, chewy bite is to cook it like pasta instead of traditional rice.
First, give your wild rice a thorough rinse under cold water in a fine mesh strainer. Bring a large pot of water (roughly six to eight cups of water per one cup of wild rice) to a rolling boil and add a generous pinch of salt.
Add the rinsed wild rice, lower the heat to medium-low, and maintain a steady, gentle simmer with the lid slightly ajar.
Start testing the grains around the 35 to 40 minute mark. You want to look for the dark outer hulls to split open down the middle and curl back slightly, revealing the pale, tender interior. Depending on the freshness and specific harvest of the rice, this typically happens between 40 and 50 minutes.
As soon as the majority of the kernels have bloomed to your liking, remove the pot from the heat and immediately pour everything into a colander to drain off all the excess water.
Return the drained rice to the warm pot off the heat, cover tightly with the lid, and let it rest undisturbed for about 5 to 10 minutes. This steaming step lets the moisture redistribute and softens the hulls completely without risking overcooking or mushiness.
