How To Cook Basmati Rice In A Rice Cooker -An In-depth Discussion

how to cook basmati rice in a rice cooker

Going to cook Basmati rice in your favorite rice cooker? Oddddly!!!!!  A rice cooker is mainly designed to cook rice and its similar grains. At present, there are several ways of cooking Basmati rice. But a rice cooker is one of the easiest ways of cooking Basmati rice not only for a professional chef but also for an amateur. 

In today’s article, I’m now going to write down how I cook Basmati rice in my rice cooker, including a FAQ section at the bottom. So read the whole article at least once before starting cooking. 

How To Cook Basmati Rice In A Rice Cooker

Basmati without any doubt is fragrance rice. When your intention is to cook Basmati rice, it means you love the fragrance of the rice, or you have somehow taken the fragrance of Basmati rice when it’s cooked. 

Whatever it is! 

I cook Basmati rice with these 4 steps. And if you want to cook, apply these steps for your cooking too. 

1. Take The Right Amount Of Basmati Rice 

First of all, take the right amount of Basmati rice based on the capacity of your rice cooker and the number of your family members. You should have a clear idea about the capacity of your rice cooker. 

I usually take 2 cups of Basmati rice for two members (for my young daughter and me). The measuring cup that comes with each rice cooker is very helpful to measure grains. So measure Basmati rice with the measuring cup. 

Generally speaking, a rice cooker can be between 3-quart to 10-quart. While a big size rice cooker is quite perfect for an extended family or group, a smaller size, on the other hand, is perfect for a tiny group or family. 

Note: To exactly know more about the capacity of your rice cooker, you should go through the instruction booklet that commonly comes with every rice cooker. You can ever visit the official website of your rice cooker brand. 

2. Wash The Rice Cooker Pot

Before putting the Basmati rice in the rice cooker pot, wash both inside and outside of it thoroughly. 

Make sure that you’re habituated to washing the rice cooker pot after each cooking. This simple rule of thumb will help you to cook rice next time with ease. 

Note: Make sure that the outside of the pan is dry. Never put any pot in the rice cooker while its outside is with water.  

3. Wash The Basmati Rice

Now it’s time to wash the Basmati rice you’re going to cook. 

Take your rice cooker pot and put the rice on it. Turn on the faucet and cover the rice with water. Now, wash them with your hand. You should see that water becomes cloudy. If it is, drain the water. 

Repeat this cleaning cycle constantly until you see that fresh water runs. Once the water runs clear, you’re ready to cook your Basmati rice. In my personal experience, I see that 4/5 different changes of water are quiet enough. You can make your own rule. 

4. Start Cooking 

Once you’ve completed all the fundamental cleaning cycles, it’s time to start cooking. 

Now pour fresh water into the rice cooker. Have it in your mind when it comes to cooking Basmati rice, 4 cups of water are enough for 2 cups of rice. Never consider much or less water if you don’t want overcooking or undercooking.

Place the lid on the rice cooker and plug-in your rice cooker to the power. Now touch the “Turn On” button and leave it for 12-15 minutes. 

If you have enough time, try to stir the rice 5 minute later. This is how you’ll protect them from sticking one with another. 

After 15 minutes, you should see that your Basmati rice is ready. Fluff the rice a bit.

Hurry! Your Basmati rice is ready to eat.

This is how you can cook Basmati rice in your favorite rice cooker. 

Related Questions

Is Basmati Long Grain Rice? 

Of course! Basmati rice is long grain rice. This rice is very familiar to the mass people as a long grain for cooking Biryani, and similar food recipes. 

What Is The Ratio Of Water To Rice When Cooking Basmati Rice?

To be honest, different types of rice have different water measurements. One of the oldest ways of measuring water and rice, that I’ve learned from my grandmother, is here. 

After putting the rice in the pot, she always gives a little stir. Then she put a spoon into the water and just get it to touch the rice. That way she would know if the water is just right for rice. 

Anyway, the general rule of thumb is two cups of water for each cup of Basmati rice. I use 4 cups of water for 2 cups of Basmati rice. 

Look at the chart at a glance in order to clean up the ratio. 

Type Of RiceRice RatioWater Ratio
Aged Basmati rice (made in Pakistan & India)1 cup of rice2 cups of water
Non-aged Basmati rice (made in the USA or nearer)1 cup of rice1.½ cups of water

Should I Add Salt And Olive Oil To Cook Basmati Rice? 

It mainly depends on the recipe you’re going to prepare. Basmati rice is widely cultivated in Punjab, a typical area of India and Pakistan. The people of this area are usually cooked Basmati rice with and without salt and olive oil. 

When their intention is to eat Basmati rice with curry, Salad, or anything else, they cook Basmati rice without salt and olive oil. Alternatively, when their intention is to eat Basmati rice without curry, sauce, or anything else, they cook Basmati rice with salt, olive oil, and many other spicy items. 

To the point, Basmati rice can be cooked with or without salt and olive oil. 

How Long Does It Take To Cook Basmati Rice In A Rice Cooker?

It takes 12-15 minutes to cook Basmati rice in a rice cooker. However, how long it takes to cook Basmati rice in a rice cooker mainly depends on the amount of rice you’re going to cook. 

Does Basmati Rice Cook The Same As White Rice?

Again, it mainly depends on the recipe you’re going to make. Basmati rice has both white and brown versions. For this reason, Cooking Basmati rice is almost the same as cooking white and brown rice. 

Does Long Grain Rice Cook The Same As Basmati?

It goes without saying, there are several types of rice in the market that are long enough. Basmati rice is one of them. That’s why, it can be said that cooking long grain rice and cooking Basmati rice is almost the same. 

Can You Substitute Long Grain Rice For Basmati?

Of course! You can substitute long grain rice for Basmati as Basmati is long enough. 

Can I Substitute Basmati Rice For Arborio?

You cannot substitute Basmati rice for Arborio. There is a core difference between them. While Basmati is fragrance and long grain rice, Arborio is short grain rice and is not  fragrant like Basmati. 

Plus, there is a small difference between Basmati and Arborio rice in terms of cooking time. Apart from these, mass people don’t tend to cook Arborio rice in a rice cooker.

Can You Cook Other Kinds Of Rice Following The Basmati Rice Cooking Recipe? 

Strictly speaking, you should not apply the same procedure to cook several types of rice. Although all of them are rice, there is a huge difference between them in terms of cooking. 

So never ever apply the Basmati rice cooking method for cooking other types of rice and similar grains. I hope you’ve got the point. 

Will Basmati Rice Stick To The Rice Cooker Pot? 

Basmati rice will not stick to the rice cooker pot. Reason is very simple. When Basmati rice is cooked, it becomes neat and fluffy. So, it will never ever stick to the rice cooker pot. 

Final Verdict: 

In a nutshell, many of us ask me if they can cook Basmati rice in their rice cooker. I can inevitably tell them that you can. Making any Basmati recipes in a rice cooker is far easier than making stoves. 

In this blog post, I’ve explained everything you should know. 

Anyway, if you still wonder with any question in your mind, visit the contact page and ask the question. I’ll reply to you as early as possible. 

Wilson C. Scully

Hello everyone, This is Wilson C. Scully. I'm likewise you. However, the main difference is that I like to share my kitchen and cooking experience with you.

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