Knuckle Method Point your index finger and touch the inside bottom of a heavy saucepan with it. Pour uncooked rice into saucepan to the depth of the first joint of your index finger. (Don't count the length of your fingernail.) (If you are using a 3 quart saucepan you'll need about 3 cups of uncooked rice.) Rinse rice in pot and drain off water. Add clean water to the depth of your second index fnger joint (about 3 cups for 3 cups of uncooked rice). Add 1 tbl margarine and ? tsp of salt if desired. Put on medium high heat uncovered and cook until water is mostly absorbed (about 15 minutes) stirring occasionally. Cover pot and lower fire to very low and cook until tender (about 15 minutes) stirring well only once or twice. Serve hot under vegetables, beans, sauces and gravies. Colander Method Pour two cups uncooked rice in a 3 quart heavy saucepan and rinse, draining well. Add 4 cups clean water and 1 tsp salt to rice. Bring to a boil uncovered on medium high heat and cook until rice grains are swollen and slightly hard at the centers (about 20 minutes), stirring occasionally. Drain rice in a metal colander and rinse in cool water. Clean pot and add 2 cups water to pot. Put rice in colader over pot and cover. Steam on medium high heat until rice is tender (about 20 minutes), stirring occasionally with a fork. Serve under vegetables, beans, sauces, and gravies.