Cooking rice can be tricky but you just need to follow a few simple rules to get it right every time. How do you prevent the grains from getting stuck together? Should you leave the lid on the pan while it cooks? Is it safe to reheat? What do you do with any leftovers? Read on for the answers, with tips and recipes to inspire you.

It's important to pick the right grain for the job. Long-grain rice is the best all-rounder: basmati for curries and biryani, and jasmine goes well with Southeast Asian dishes. Medium-grain rice types such as bomba or arborio are best used in paella and risottos, respectively. Short-grain rice includes sushi rice and the type you'd use for a classic rice pudding.

White rice keeps for a long time but it's best to decant it out of the packet and store in a sealed container, out of direct sunlight in a cool cupboard. Wholegrain or brown rice has a higher oil content so store as for white rice but use within three months of purchase. If it smells musty or oily, you'll just have to put it in the bin. It's best to buy in small quantities if you don't use it very often.

Most rice you buy has been pre-washed. However, washing and soaking sushi rice is an essential part of the process. It removes excess starch so your sushi doesn't become a sticky, glutinous mess. Washing and soaking is also a good way to prepare basmati rice before cooking. You want light, fluffy grains which don't stick together so it's worth giving it a good rinse then a soak before cooking.

This method for cooking perfect basmati or white long-grain rice works every time. Simply add double the volume of water to rice (so if you have 100g/4oz rice, add 200ml/8floz water). Bring to the boil with a pinch of salt, then turn down to a very gentle simmer and cover. Once the water has been absorbed, around 15 minutes, take it off the heat but leave the lid on for 5 to 10 minutes before fluffing up with a fork. You can use the same method for wholegrain but it will take closer to 30 minutes.

There are a few simple rules to nailing a great risotto. Buy the best quality Italian rice you can – cheaper rice will have broken grains in it and will make it soggy. Then, don't leave it alone! Constant stirring releases the starch in the grain and ensures a creamy result, adding boiling stock a little at a time. A risotto takes around 25 minutes from start to finish so it's a great midweek meal. Achieve risotto perfection with this tasty version with prawns, peas and courgette.

While you can reheat leftover risotto, it may lose some of its original creaminess. Worry not, though, as cooked arborio rice is the main ingredient in arancini, deep-fried risotto balls which originate from Sicily. We love this wild mushroom arancini recipe but it'll work with whatever risotto you've whipped up the day before.

There are several recipes where rice is cooked with meat, fish and vegetables in stock and we're always a fan of a dish which just sits and cooks itself. The Creole dish jambalaya is a case in point. It's pretty hard to get it wrong and this dish is full of flavour and spice. Our recipe for a jambalaya-style rice is served as a side. In the classic you'll also have chicken, sausage and seafood but it's a great starting point and so simple.

Chefs in Japan spend years perfecting the art of sushi-making but you can do a simple version at home. The main trick is getting the rice right. You need to rinse the rice in cold water until it runs clear, then soak two parts rice to three parts water in a saucepan. Bring the rice to the boil and cook, covered, for about 10 minutes until the rice is tender. Stir through a rice vinegar and sugar solution, and cool quickly by spreading it out on a tray.

One of the world's great dishes, paella will vary according to the region or even the town in Spain. Typically the dish is flavoured with paprika and saffron, and contains meat, vegetables and seafood. Calasparra and bomba rice, both Spanish varieties, make a perfect paella because they absorb liquid well. Give our classic paella a try, although note that this version controversially includes chorizo (purists look away now).

There are a few different ways of making biryani – a dum biryani is cooked and steamed by sealing layered spiced rice and meat with an inedible dough, whereas a tawa biryani is when rice, meats and vegetables are tossed together and cooked on a flat, round pan. Generally a long-grain rice like basmati is used. But you definitely don't need meat to make it delicious – this vegan version incorporates cavolo nero and yellow split peas.

For easy coconut rice, cook jasmine or basmati rice in a mix of half water and half coconut milk. Use double the quantity of liquid to rice then bring to the boil, simmer, cover, then allow around 15 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed. Take off the heat, keep covered and leave for a good five minutes to steam. Serve plain or add some chopped coriander (cilantro) and finely chopped lemongrass, or top with thin slices of shallow-fried crispy onion.

One of the best ways to use up leftovers is fried rice. You can add all sorts of vegetables, chicken, prawns or meat to make a great midweek meal. You need cooked rice so you can save time by using a pre-cooked pouch of rice if time is precious. If you've got leftover rice from the day before, even better – this makes the best fried rice. Try this prawn and cabbage fried rice recipe or go for a simple egg fried rice. One of our favourites is this Indonesian-inspired chicken dish.

Here's a thing – wild rice isn't wild and it isn't even a rice, but a grass. Nevertheless, it's a wholegrain which is high in fibre and protein, and it's gluten-free. You should simmer it in double the volume of water to rice for about 40 minutes, until the grains have popped. Otherwise it's too chewy. Enjoy the nutty, smoky flavour by trying this wild rice, kale and pistachio salad.

A more unusual variety, camargue red rice is grown in southern France and the result of a natural pollination between cultivated white rice and a wild rice. It has a nutty, chewy flavour which makes it perfect for salads. You need to cook it in plenty of boiling water in a large pan for about 30 minutes. It will still have a bite to it which is part of its chewy texture. Try swapping red rice into this recipe for a salad with broad beans, orange and pistachios.

Even if you're cooking plain rice as a accompaniment to a dish, you can liven it up by cooking the rice in stock. Throw in a bay leaf, a sprig of rosemary, some grated ginger or garlic. Quickly fry the rice in a little oil before adding the water or stock to bring out the taste. Try adding crushed cardamom pods, a stick of cinnamon or some nigella seeds to add a touch of spice.

An Anglo-Indian favourite, kedgeree is a perfect brunch dish when you have a bit more time in the morning. It's typically made with smoked haddock, curry spices, coriander (cilantro) and eggs, though there are plenty of twists on the classic. We particularly love it with kippers. The rice is cooked with spices then assembled with the fish in a buttery, creamy, spicy sauce. This is an easy kedgeree recipe with smoked haddock and delicate spicing.

Comfort food doesn't get better than hot rice pudding. Short-grain pudding rice is washed then cooked very slowly (around two and a half hours) in milk, in a low oven. Warming spices, such as cinnamon or cardamom, are a welcome addition as are dried fruit such as sultanas or raisins. For a grown-up twist on the childhood classic, try this recipe with caramelised, rum-infused bananas.

Read more: 32 inspiring rice dishes

Sticky or glutinous rice is popular in Asia. It’s a chewy, filling rice served with savoury or sweet dishes. The important step to getting it right is a long soak in water. Fill a cup with sticky rice and pour into a shallow container. Then pour over twice the volume of water and stir, leaving for an hour. Stir again and cover the container with clingfilm (plastic wrap), then cook on high in the microwave for 10 minutes. Remove the wrap and leave to stand. For a sweet treat, infuse cooked rice with a warmed coconut milk and sugar mixture, and serve with mango.

Read more: 29 tips for perfect fish every time

Rice is a common source of food poisoning because of the bacillus cereus bacterium. Room temperature rice is a breeding ground for these bacteria so cooked rice needs to be cooled quickly (within an hour). If you are pre-cooking rice for a stir-fry, for example, just run it under cold running water until thoroughly cold, then store it, covered, in the fridge. Reheat it within 24 hours and make sure it's evenly cooked and steaming hot.

Read more: How long you can safely store your favourite foods