Choosing the right water-to-rice ratio for a rice cooker can be difficult, especially for beginners or those who want to cook a variety of rice types. The amount of water a cook uses is usually determined by the type of rice he or she wishes to make. Sticky rice, or rice that naturally clumps together, does not require as much water as regular white rice. Hard-shelled rice varieties like basmati, brown, and wild require two to three times the amount of water that white rice does. It may take some trial and error to find the right water-to-rice ratio, but starting with a reasonable estimate is usually a good place to start.
Rice cookers are frequently promoted as a fail-safe method of preparing rice. True, these tiny machines are specifically designed to cook rice at the ideal temperature, release just the right amount of steam, and turn off automatically when the rice is done. Most of them even come with instructions, though they rarely cover all of the different types of rice. This is where the cook’s intuition and a basic understanding of rice can come in handy.
Sushi rice, also known as glutinous rice or Thai sweet rice, requires approximately.75 parts water to 1 part rice. Using a water-to-rice ratio that is less than the amount of rice ensures that the rice cooks through and sticks together rather than becoming fluffy and soft. Rice that absorbs too much water slides against itself, making it unsuitable for sushi, rice balls, and most other sticky rice recipes.
If you want light, fluffy, tender rice for a risotto or rice pilaf, use a 1:1 water-to-rice ratio, which means one part water for every one part rice. This works best with long grain white rice and rice with a jasmine scent. If the rice becomes too sticky for the cook’s liking, adding an additional.75 part water for every 1 part rice should solve the problem. The water-to-rice ratio now stands at 1.75 parts water to 1 part rice.
Brown, wild, and basmati rice are distinct from their white counterparts. They not only necessitate more water, but they also necessitate soaking time. Many cooks soak all types of rice before cooking it, but only whole grain rice requires it. This softens the rice’s hard outer shell, allowing it to steam into soft, tender, fluffy grains. Soak the rice for up to 2 hours in a bowl or directly in the rice cooker before cooking.
For these harder rice grains, the ratios of soak water and cooking water are usually the same. In general, 4 parts water to 1 part whole grain rice is the best ratio. More water necessitates a longer cooking time, which is typically required for hard rice. Cooks can also use the soak water as the cooking water, which helps to keep the flavors intact.