How to prepare perfect Panta

With the Bangla new year 1424 just a day away, it's perfect time to learn how to prepare a perfect bowl of panta bhat, also called panta, to celebrate Pahela Baishakh. 

Here are some tips to make the perfect bowl of panta.

To a pro, cooking rice is as easy as boiling water. But for those who are not used to it, cooking a perfect bowl of rice -- not to mushy and not too hard -- can be quite a difficult task.

Preparing a bowl of panta? Easier said than done! Making a perfect bowl of panta--soft and squashy -- may be quite a brain strain for you!

In most of the cases, it depends on how hard or mushy you like your panta. The consistency of your rice depends on how much water you add. Then there's a variety of rice you can choose from, from brown rice to fragrant basmati.
If you have a rice cooker, that's cool and makes things a lot easier. But if you don't, you need to be a bit more focussed.
Initially, get an adequate amount of rice (deshi rice could be the best option) for your panta and wash it two or three times. Place the rice in a pot and add water (see below for the accurate measurements). Cover the pot, place on stove and leave to cook. Be very careful while boiling the water. The rice should boil till the water is fully absorbed, about 15 minutes is good enough.
Once the rice is cooked, uncover the pot and allow to cool for an hour or two.
Now it's time to turn the cooked rice into panta bhat

This boiled rice soaked in water is called panta bhat in general, but making a bowl of perfect panta is not that so easy. To make that happen, you should soak boiled rice at least six hours in advance.
To do list:
Cooking rice (serves four)
*Take 0.5kg rice
*Add at least .75 litre water
*Boil it for 15 minutes or until it is ready
For pantha bhat
*Cool the rice
*Soak it adequately. But be careful, if your rice looks hard, add a little more water to make sure it becomes soft and mushy.
*Soak for at least six hours overnight for a perfect bowl of pantha. Thus, you can soak it at 12 midnight.
*Serve it to your family members or roommates in the morning with hilsa, green or fried dry chillies, and slices of raw onion. Bon apetit!