Texture: The rice should be al dente, meaning cooked through but with a slight bite in the center. The overall consistency should be creamy, but not soupy. It should slowly flow back together after running a spoon through the pan. Taste: Take a bite! The rice should be mostly soft with a slight firmness. The "smear test": This is a handy trick. Take a single grain of rice and smear it on a plate. If it's rough and has a large white center, it's undercooked. If it's very smooth with no white center, it's overcooked. Ideally, you want a fairly smooth smear with a tiny bit of white in the middle.