Measure however much rice you want, and take note of the measurement. (You don't need any special measuring tools for this step. You could just use any cup or mug you have). Put the rice in the pot, and cover with about 2 inches of water. Let the rice soak for 15-20 minutes on the counter. Once the rice has soaked, drain off the water it was soaking in. You should now just have a pot of soaked rice.

Now remember the amount of rice you put into the pot? Measure the same amount of fresh water and pour it into the pot (for brown rice, add a little more water).

Put the pot over the stove on medium high heat. Once the liquid comes to a boil, turn the heat to low, cover, and cook for around 10-15 minutes (white rice) or 20-25 minutes (brown rice). And that's it!