Topic: Cooking rice in a pressure cooker

[london]

I've just got a pressure cooker and tried to cook rice in it following a guide from the internet, it turned out well over cooked. Does anyone use a PC to cook rice if so how do you do it, my PC is 12psi if this helps.

Thanks in advance for your help,
London

[Stephen Lindsay]

Rice takes ten minutes to cook so wouldn't think to cook it in a pressure cooker.

[Peripatetic Phil]

I always cook my rice in a Pyrex^(R) casserole (with lid) in the microwave oven, as does my Chinese/Vietnamese wife (she was brought up to use a rice cooker).  Wash well (until the water runs clear), add to casserole, add water to an excess depth of 1/3", add salt (my wife omits the salt), and cook for 12 minutes at full power.  Then leave for 20 minutes either in a warm oven (80^oC) or in the microwave oven at 10%.  The last step can be shortened or omitted if the rice is to be eaten as-is and not fried or converted into a pulao, biryani or similar.  I use basmati rice, my wife uses Thai fragrant/jasmine.

** Phil.

[london]

Phil,

Is the 20 min in the oven just to dry the rice out.

London.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Well, no, it has two functions :  the first is to finish cooking the rice, which takes place as it absorbs any residual moisture; and the second is to dry it so that it can be immediately fried.  For pulao, I fry the spices first (in the casserole), then add the washed, soaked and dried rice and fry for a further two minutes; and then I cook for the full 12 minutes, after which I leave it to rest for a further 20 minutes; but if I am cooking fried rice, then there is no pre-frying, straight in at full power for 12 minutes, then rested for 20 after which it can be immediately fried with zero chance of sticking.  For boiled/steamed rice, you can probably shorten the resting period to 12 minutes or so.

** Phil.

[london]

Phil,

Thanks for clarifying your method, I'll give it a go and report back.

London.

[976bar]

Why would anyone want to cook rice in a pressure cooker?

Like Stephen says, it takes about 10 minutes to steam in a normal saucepan and like Phil, I always wash the starch out of the rice first. If I am making Pilao Rice, I would then leave it to dry before frying it in butter that has added spices and bay, before adding water and steaming it.

Perfect rice every time and individual grains too....