How To Cook Rice In A Rice Cooker [5 Steps to Make American Rice]

how to cook rice in a rice cooker

Want to know how to cook rice in a rice cooker? Well, Think about the busy life of people. Waking up early, a quick breakfast, and leaving for work or study then coming back after a tiring day. Hardly anyone would try to give effort in the kitchen. A cooker machine solves this problem through time efficiency, automated processes, and making your delicious meal in just a few minutes. 

Preparing rice in a cooker is easy and simple. Rice and water should be poured together inside the cooker and the lid should be covered. Water should be equal to the amount of rice. The cooker must be plugged in and switched on, it would take mostly 15-20 minutes to finish the cooking process of rice. 

The cooker machine not only makes fluffy rice but can also be used to make many mouth-watering foods. In this article, I am going to share with you some delicious rice cooking methods in a rice cooker. So, stay around. 

5 Easy Steps To Make American Sausage Rice With A Rice Cooker:

Give your everyday veggies, sausage, or hams a new taste. Mix these and cook with flavored rice and hot sauce to give you a treat of absolutely delicious meat veggie rice. If you have a double steam pot cooker, it will be easier to make. But you can also cook in a single chamber cooker. Let’s see what ingredients you will need for the cooking process : 

  1. Rice of any variety (150g for a single serving)
  2. Cooking oil 
  3. Veggies ( Carrot, green chilies,  corn, mushroom, beans, green onion, shallot, tomato)
  4. Sausage or hams ( 2 or 3 sticks/patties)
  5. Fish sauce/Hot Sauce
  6. Soy sauce
  7. Thyme/Oregano/Rosemary/lemongrass

Don’t forget to sharpen your knife properly and hand gloves for precaution. Now let’s start with the rice first. 

1. Prepare The Rice And Clean :

Take 2 cups of rice (300 mg for two people)  and place it in a bowl. Now pour freshwater all over the bowl and give your rice a good wash. Rinse till the water is clear almost. Then pour the rice in a strainer to get rid of excess water. 

2. Cut Sausage  And Veggies:

Take out your sausage rolls or ham patties and cut them in small cube proportions. On your cutting board chop any vegetables you have in the desired size. Give your chopped veggies a good rinse and place them in a dry place. 

3. Place All Ingredients In Rice Cooker: 

Take equal amounts of water as rice. First, pour water into the cooker and put all the rice inside. Then follow these steps : 

  • Make sure your cooker cable is unplugged. 
  • Add 3 tbsp salt in the rice water mixture and stir. 
  • Place similar vegetables in different triangles inside the pot. You can mix if you want. Then add sausage cubes.
  • On the top add flavor ingredients such as lemongrass,  thyme.
  • Close the lid. Power on your cooker and set a timer of 20 minutes. 

4. Make The Flavor Base With Sauce:

While the rice is being cooked let’s make the sauce base : 

  • Add 3 tbsp of cooking oil to a pan. Add chopped shallots and garlic, stir till brown in low heat. 
  • Put your hot sauce /fish or soy sauce/ tabasco sauce and stir. 
  • Add fresh tomato or puree and stir till it forms a paste. Add water for sauce consistency. Simmer in low heat. 

5. Mix Cooked Rice With Flavor Base:

When the rice is ready, open the lid of the cooker and pour all the liquid from the pan inside.  Take your spatula or spoon to mix everything evenly. When everything is mixed, turn the cooker off and close the lid till serving. Enjoy your sausage rice with a garnish of cilantro, mayo, or oregano. 

What Type of Rice Cooker Should I Use In Home To Cook Rice? 

There are tons of different rice cookers available in the market. Each of them comes with different types, attributes, and price points. And some of them are multidimensional too which means you can cook different things at the same time. Some of the types of cookers ideal for rice or any other cooking are : 

  1. Non-Sticky rice cookers: The interior of the nonsticky rice cooker is made of Teflon which barre any food items to stick with the interior wall. This allows you to clean the cooker easily and warm rice without the tension of burning. 
  1. Induction rice cookers:  Induction cookers are the most modern and safe rice cookers. The coil under the inside creates electromagnetic energy and heats the water and rice in equal proportion. These cookers distribute the heat thoroughly inside the pot. 
  1. Multi pot rice cookers: Also known as a multi steam cooker which allows attaching a secondary pot over the cooker. That means you can cook a secondary dish alongside rice at the same time which makes your cooking easier. 
  1. Digital rice cookers: Digital cookers come with the most advanced technologies and sensors. There are switches for different uses such as temperature control, dehydrator, cooking options for different varieties of rice, power button, timers, and auto shut down technology. 

Which Variety of Rice Can Be Used In  Cooker? 

You can use any kind of rice in a cooker and each of them would be cooked with the same efficiency. Some of the types of rice available in the US market are: 

  • Long grain.
  • Full milled white rice.
  • Brown rice.
  • Unmilled rice.

Alongside these, you can also find imported ones in markets such as basmati,  pulao, and other aromatic variants of rice mostly from the Asia region

What Tools And Ingredients Do I Need to Cook Rice In A Cooker?

Cooking rice just takes a little effort if you use a rice cooker. The tools and ingredients are very simple. Let’s see what you need to cook rice in a cooking pot: 

  • A rice cooker
  • Electric plug
  • Water
  • Rice
  • Salt
  • Cooking oil 
  • Thyme/lemongrass/rosemary 
  • Specula or big spoon
  • Pot cleaner

Now you’ve got all the primary tools and ingredients names, let’s make an American-style sausage/ham rice for today’s dinner. Prepare your rice cooker and get ready. 

Related Questions :

How Can I Make Fluffy Rice In A Rice Cooker?

To make rice fluffy and soft, you have to let all the excess water from rice evaporate. To do so, don’t touch the rice or open the lid of the cooker until the appropriate time. Then switch off the machine and keep the lid open for 10 minutes, all the excess water will be released as steam.

How Long Does It Take to Cook Rice With A Cooker?

The maximum time of cooking rice in a cooker will take 20-25 minutes. Although the cooking time can vary depending on the amount of water and rice is put in the cooker. Say if you are cooking for four people the time can reach up to 40 minutes. 

Do Rice Cookers Consume A Lot of Electricity?

Rice cookers use less voltage because of their small size and operational activity. It does not even consume 1% of the total electricity of your house whereas microwaves can take up to 12-13 % of energy. 

How Do I Keep Rice From Boiling Over In A Rice Cooker?

The bubbles of hot water are the main reason rice boils out of the cooker. To prevent boiling, you can use a little bit of cooking oil. Pour ½ tbsp of cooking oil in the rice cooker before cooking, it will prevent the formation of bubbles.

Final Words : 

Rice cookers save your time and energy and help you to make amazing foods for the family. Not only rice, but you can also make pizza,  fried chicken, soup, pasta, and many other amazing dishes with a rice cooker. But make sure you follow all the specifications while cooking and keep the cooker clean always. 

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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