Rice is definitely one of the most popular cereals all around the world. The traditional way of cooking rice is with the use of a pot or a rice cooker, and this method has been in use since long. But, now rice is also cooked in a microwave oven. Many people still use microwave for reheating food items only, cooking something in a microwave is still not their regular cup of tea. But to everyone’s surprise, cooking rice in a microwave is much efficient and easier. You can comfortably cook small servings of rice in a microwave. In fact, a microwave provides you the flexibility of cooking rice even in a mug. Another advantage of cooking rice in a microwave is that the grains are separate even after the rice has been cooked, they just don’t make up a mess. Also, the procedure is as uncomplicated as boiling water. The instructions given below will make everything clear, just follow them and you’ll be able to cook rice in a microwave.
Complexity level: Basic
Time required: 20-40 minutes
Resources required:
- Microwave
- Measuring cup
- Rice
- Water
- Large glass bowl
- Salt
Instructions:
1. Rinse the rice before cooking:
- This step is necessary for certain types of rice especially the brown rice. However, if you rinse the rice before cooking, it will certainly increase the flavor and texture of the rice, therefore this is recommended. Also, by rinsing it with water, you can remove all the impurities that may be present.
2. Add rice and water in the container:
- Now mix rice and water in the bowl in which you are going to cook it. The ratio of water and rice is very important. For beginners, it’s better to keep the ratio of rice and water equal to 1:2, that means if you are taking one cup of rice then add two cups of water in it.
- After cooking rice few times, you will automatically understand how much water you need to use in order to cook rice according to your taste.
3. Add oil or butter and stir the ingredients:
- This step is optional but it definitely enhances the flavor of the rice. You can add salt, butter, vegetable oil or olive oil before cooking. Then stir the ingredients with a wooden spoon so that the ingredients are mixed thoroughly.
4. Place it in the microwave and cook it:
- Now place the bowl in the microwave. The time for which the rice must be cooked, depends on several factors like the power of the microwave and the amount of rice to be cooked. For instance, if you are cooking 1 cup of rice in a microwave of rating 700 watts, then you must leave the bowl in the microwave for 16 minutes.
- Turn off the microwave but don’t just remove the bowl. Allow the rice to sit in the microwave for five more minutes. The steam so generated will complete the cooking process.
- Your rice is ready to eat. Serve it with a vegetable or curry.
Frequently asked questions:
How to cook rice in a microwave rice cooker?
First of all, the dry rice is placed in the inner bowl. After this, the inner bowl is placed in the outer bowl and then it is filled with water. The lid is placed over the top to cover it. Finally, microwave the bowl for specified amount of time.
Quick tips:
- If the rice has turned cold then you can even reheat it in the same container in which you have cooked.
- Rather than serving plain rice, its better to season it with salt and then serve it.
Things to watch out for:
- Choose a container which is large enough because rice expands considerably while cooking.
- During the entire cooking process, never stir the rice.
- You need to exercise precautions while handling hot objects.
