There are countless ways rice can be cooked but the easiest way to cook them is in a rice cooker! But, the question is How to use a Rice Cooker? Here is the step-by-step guide to cook rice in a rice cooker easily.
Rice cooker as the name suggests is specifically designed to cook rice which hands down the easiest way to cook rice but also provides consistent results and you can have our word on this. You can cook rice in bulk or even in smaller portions, this gadget gets you perfectly cooked rice.
For those who are unfamiliar, a rice cooker is a kitchen appliance that is precisely used to boil or steam rice. The basic components of the rice cooker are a cooking bowl, a heat source, and a thermostat.
How to use a rice cooker?
For using a rice cooker you will need a certain thing which you must gather before starting the process. This includes the rice cooker, manual of the rice cooker, a measuring cup, and rice of your choice, a sieve, and water for cooking the rice.
You can cook your rice equally well in a pot but a unique and modern rice cooker makes the whole process much easier. You can add flavors and spices of your choice to the rice like oregano, salt, pepper, garlic, or any other seasoning of your choice.
Once you have gathered all the required items, let’s move to the basic question of how to use a rice cooker. Following is a step by step guide demonstrating how to use a rice cooker.
Step by step guide to cook rice
- The first step is to measure the rice using a measuring. Make sure to carefully measure the rice and be specific to the manual of the rice cooker. By a general rule, 1 cup of uncooked rice yields 2-3 cups of cooked rice.
- Secondly, you need to add the measured quantity of rice to a sieve or bowl and rinse the rice thoroughly. It will remove all the excess starch that could make your rice sticky. It will also eliminate all the impurities or contaminants of the rice. You need to rinse it until the water does not get any colors and is clear of any dirt or particles.
- This is an optional step but if you want an even better result you may soak the rice in water for about half an hour. This will result in even and well-cooked rice and will also alter the cooking time.
- Next, you need to measure the water according to the type of rice. For this step, you will again need to consult your manual because it will give you exact quantities for either type of rice. Generally, brown rice requires more water in comparison to white rice and longer grains require more water than shorter grains. In case you have overcooked your rice you can always stir fry them with chicken or veggies and make use of them.
- After draining all the water from the soaked rice, put the rice in the bowl followed by adding the measured water as per the manual’s instruction. Measurements play a vital role in the final product cooked. Now place the bowl in the rice cooker.
- Tightly close the lid of the cooker and turn the unit on. If there are multiple cooking options then choose the one you desire to cook and be sure to follow the instructions of the manual for the option you have chosen.
- It is strongly recommended not to open the rice cooker whilst it is still cooking the rice. This is because the frequent opening of the lid will prevent the retention of steam which is essential and will also prolong the cooking time. For seasoned rice, you may check and give a quick stir when the cooking sound changes to prevent the rice from burning.
- Once all the water has evaporated the cooker will automatically switch to the ‘keep warm’ mode and is advisable to let the rice rest in this mode for about 10 minutes. You should not keep the rice longer than stated in the manual.