How To Cook Rice In A Rice Cooker

By Philip Yiga | September 2, 2015

Cooking rice can actually be simple and effective when using a rice-cooker and in fact most rice-cookers while help to keep your rice warm after it’s cooked. Additionally, you won’t need to watch over the rice being cooked using a pressure-cooker because these cooking-appliances actually come with an automatic-timer which beeps when the rice is ready. On the other hand, rice-cookers are equipped with other several amazing features which enable the user to achieve perfectly cooked-rice and you can even cook different types of rice while using a rice-cooker. All in all, I will show you how to cook rice using a rice-cooker while minimizing the chance of getting burnt-rice and other related cooking problems. In fact, if you still encounter problems when it comes to cooking rice in a rice-cooker, then try to take-off some time and read through this article.

RELATED:- What Is The Best Rice Cooker?

 

METHOD-1: HOW TO COOK THE RICE:

1. Prepare and measure the rice to be cooked: you should begin by measuring the rice using a cup and then pour it into the cooking-pot. Some rice-cookers actually come with a removable bowl/pot while others require the user to place the rice directly into the cooker. Additionally, some rice-cookers will come with a measuring cup (scoop) foe measuring rice but in case your rice-cooker didn’t come with one, then you can alternatively use an ordinary measuring-cup. All in all, one cup of raw-rice (240ml) will generate about 1.5 cups (360ml) to 3-cups (720ml) of cooked-rice depending on the variety of rice being cooked.

 

2. Rinse your rice if needed: most people actually prefer to rinse uncooked rice so as to remove any pesticides or contaminants which may be present. Additionally, some rice-milling methods create broken grains which can release excess starch into rice and this means that you need to rinse-off such grains in order to prevent rice from clumping together. Rinsing rice will involve pouring clean-water into a bowl or under a faucet and then stir while adding water until rice is fully submerged. You will then have to drain water through a sieve or even tip your bowl slowly while catching the falling rice-grains using the fingers. You can actually rinse your rice for about 3-times until you notice that the new water added looks very clear.

 

3. Measure the amount of water to be used: most rice-cooker instruction actually recommend using cold-water when preparing rice. Additionally, the amount of water you have to add depends on the type of rice you’re cooking how moist you it to become. Likewise, there are often graduated marks on the inside of the rice-cooker indicating the amount of rice and water to be added or you can even use the instructions placed on the rice-package.

 

4. Soak rice for about 30-minutes (optional): rinsing rice may not actually be required but some people do it in order to shorten the cooking-time. Additionally, soaking may even make cooked-rice stickier but you will have to use the amount of measured earlier to soak your rice at room-temperature and then use same water to cook rice.

 

5. Add some flavors (optional): flavors should actually be added to water before starting the rice-cooker so that the rice can absorb the flavors during the cooking-process. However, most people prefer adding some little salt for flavor at this point while others add a little bit of butter/oil. In case you are preparing Indian-style rice, then you will need to add some cardamom-seeds or bay-leaf.

 

6. Push the rice-grains off the sides of the cooking-pot: get a wooden or plastic tool and begin to push any rice-grains around the pot back into the water. This is very crucial because rice left above the water-surface may burn during the cooking-process. Additionally, if rice or water spills over the edge then wipe the outside of the pot using a cloth or rag.

 

7. Select the desired cooking-options on the rice-cooker: some rice-cooker actually have an on/off switch while others have different settings for preparing either brown or white rice coupled with the ability to delay cooking until a specified period of time passes.

 

8. Cook your rice: incase the rice-cooker features a removable cooking-pot, just place this pot of rice and water into the rice-cooker and then close the lid. Plug the rice-cooker into a power-socket and then switch it on. The rice will now be cooked for the specified time period and after be warmed until you unplug the rice-cooker.

 

9. Allow rice to rest for about 10-15 minutes before removing the lid (optional): this process may not be required but it is actually recommended in rice-cooker instructions and it is even automatic in some rice-cooker models. In fact, unplugging the rice-cooker or taking the cooking-pot off heat for this time period will help to minimize on the amount of rice that sticks onto the pot sides.

 

10. Fluff and serve the cooked-rice: once there is no water left within your cooked-rice then this rice should be ready to eat. Using a fork or rice-paddle, stir the rice after cooking it in order to break-up clumps and to release any steam out so as to prevent rice from over-cooking.

 

METHOD-2: THE TROUBLESHOOTING PROCESS WHILE COOKING RICE IN A RICE-COOKER:

• Reduce water-levels next time in case the rice comes-out mushy: try to use less water per cup of rice next time you make rice incase the rice you prepared today is mushy. Reducing water-levels will also cook rice for a shorter time period and even give rice less water to absorb.

• Add water and cook using a stove incase rice is undercooked: incase your rice turns-out too dry or chewy for eating, then move it to a stove after adding about 1/4-cup (30ml) of water. Cook this rice while covered for some minutes in order to steam it up. Otherwise, adding back rice to the rice-cooker without to cover it may result in to burning or even the rice-cooker failing to turn-on.

• Find use for over-cooked rice: cooked-rice that has turned mushy with split grains can still be tasty incase used in a right recipe. You may actually consider frying this rice to remove excess moisture, turn it into a sweet-dessert or even add to any baby-food, soup or home-made meatballs.