Place the rice in a large bowl. Pour very warm water over the rice just until the water covers the rice by about a ¼". Allow the rice to soak for about 30 minutes.

Pour the rice and water mixture through a strainer and wash the rice thoroughly with warm water. Place the strainer over a bowl to allow the excess water to drip for about ten minutes.

After the excess water has drained, place the shortening or oil in a pot over high heat. If you're using the shortening, stir until it's fully melted. Pour the vermicelli noodles into the pot. Stir frequently. After about 5 minutes or once the noodles have gotten to more of a brownish color, add the rice to the noodles and cook both for a couple more minutes. We just want to toast the rice for a couple of minutes and this will also finish off cooking the noodles to a color we're satisfied with. The noodles should be browned, but not burned. They're naturally golden in color and will darken as you cook them.

Once the sauteeing is done, pour cold water into the pot. Add in the vinegar and salt. Stir just a little bit until the rice is fully covered by the water. Cover with the lid and cook on high heat until most of the water is soaked up from the top. This takes about 5 minutes or so on high heat. Make sure to check to see if the water is soaked up just enough. Some water should be visible, but most of it should be soaked up from the top. It's important not to overdo it or the rice will be overcooked.

Turn the heat to low. Cover the pot with layers of paper towel and place the lid on top of the paper towels. Cook on low for 20-25 minutes.

Remove the lid and paper towels from the pot. Use a big fork to fluff the rice up a bit.

Serve and enjoy! This rice is delicious on its own, but it's also great as a side dish or as a base for many wonderful Mid-East dishes.