How to Cook Basmati Rice in A Rice Cooker?

Remember how you closed your eyes the last time you had a biryani made with basmati rice at a restaurant? The taste is mind-blowing, isn’t it? Even before we let the rice touch our tongue, the aroma wins us over. Basmati, a long-grain rice variety is very popular in India. It is also used in many Indian households for its aroma, taste and nutritional value. We consume about 100 million metric tonnes of basmati a year in India, according to Statista!

If you too want to get basmati rice home and are wondering how to cook basmati rice in a rice cooker, don’t worry it’s easy. It only takes 10-15 minutes. Here’s a stepwise guide to help you do it like a pro.

Benefits of Basmati Rice

Before we learn how to cook basmati rice, let’s quickly learn about its health benefits:

• It is low in fat. If you are trying to lose weight, pick this.
• Doesn’t contain cholesterol, which means there is no risk to heart health.
• Has low sodium that will help maintain your blood pressure.
• Low in sugar. Ideal for diabetics as it has a glycemic index of 54, according to a research conducted by the University of Sri Jayawardenepura.
• Has good protein content that helps in maintaining muscle mass.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size: 1 cup (158g)

Source

Basmati Rice Cooking: What is the Best Way to Cook?

How to cook basmati rice? There are three ways. You can either cook it in a pressure cooker, rice cooker or an open-stove pot. Many think that cooking rice in a pressure cooker is the same as cooking it in a rice cooker. That is not true. The rice cooker offers the following benefits:

• A rice cooker does not use the pressure cooking method, which means that the rice is not gooey.
• It prevents the rice from sticking to the bottom as it has a non-stick coating.
• Specially made for rice-cooking, unlike the pressure cooker.
• Is electric, doesn’t need a gas stove.
• Can be used by the inexperienced cooks too to get the rice right (separated, unburnt and unbroken).

Now let’s move to learn how to cook basmati rice in a rice cooker.

How to Cook Basmati Rice in A Rice Cooker?

Step 1: Rinse the Rice

Take the desired amount of rice and add it to the rice cooker. Rinse the rice for hygiene purposes. Some Indian households store the rice by mixing it with boric acid. Rinse it with clean water two-three times before use. Drain using a sieve if needed.

• Remember that the quantity of rice increases after cooking. Leave enough space in the cooker to avoid spillage.

Step 2: Add Water

Add 1.5 cups of water to 1 cup of rice. Maintain this rice to water ratio, and you wouldn’t have any troubles while cooking. Rice cookers usually come with a measuring cup that may help.

Step 3: Soak the Rice

You can soak the rice for 15-30 minutes. You can also skip this step. Soaking can shorten the cooking time but might make the rice stickier.

Step 4: Add Flavourings

Another optional step. Some people like to add a few strands of saffron, or one clove, salt, bay leaf, cardamom or ghee to the rice to enhance the flavour. If you like any of these, you can also add the flavourings at this step.

Step 5: Turn it On

Turn on the switch after you put on the lid. The rice should cook in 12-15 minutes.

• If your rice cooker has special settings, other than on-off, read the user manual before beginning the cooking process.

Step 6: Let the Rice Rest

Leave the rice for 10 minutes in the cooker after you have turned it off. It cooks perfectly with the steam and is not wet when you serve.

That’s it! Open the lid, fluff the rice and serve! That’s how easy it is to learn how to cook basmati rice in a rice cooker.

Troubleshooting

Knowing how to cook basmati rice in a rice cooker is not enough. You may encounter these problems, and you must know how to troubleshoot them.

• Water spillage – too much water, too much heat or too much rice. Check what needs to be lowered.
• Burnt rice – high heat. Lower it.
• Gooey, gummy rice – too much water. Take care the next time.
• Undercooked rice – less water. Add more.

A Nice Rice That Will Entice

Bring that bag of basmati rice home and enjoy a mouth-watering recipe! Now that you know how to cook basmati rice in a rice cooker, you can impress your family and friends with your cooking skills. It goes great with all dals, gravies or something simple as curd. You can also use it to make rice dishes like Pongal, biryani, pilaf and more.

Share this step-wise guide on how to cook basmati rice in a rice cooker with your people who want to learn how to do it right. Basmati rice is a tradition, and now you can be a part of it.