but exact measurements are crucial in cooking and baking—particularly the latter. While liquid and dry measuring cups measure volume, they are not intended to measure the same ingredients.

We'll see why later. But there's a trick that lets you calculate the exact amount of water needed to cook rice without using a scale or measuring cup, and you don't even need to remember any ratios.

"For cooking, you have a bit more leeway," professional baker and recipe developer Laura Kasavan told SPY. Baking, however, ...