How much water should I use with a rice cooker?
One of the benefits of rice cookers is that you can
easily put the rice and the water into the bowl, press “start,” and come
back to perfectly completed rice. Rice cookers are generally very smart
appliances, able to recognize when the water level inside the device has
receded, meaning that the rice has soaked up all of the liquid and is ready
to be eaten.
However, one of the things that rice cookers do not
know is the type of rice you are cooking. The machines work on the
assumption that you have made the correct measurements yourself, and that it
should turn off when the cooking is completed. But if you are using a type
of rice that requires a different level of water, the rice cooker does not
know that you have added too much/too little water and will over/under cook
your rice based on the measurements you placed in the machine.
Here is a handy reference that you can use to know
how long to cook your rice and at what ratio the water level should be
inside the appliance.
Rice/Water Levels
·
White Rice
Standard American white rice has the most well
known measurements, and often contains its own “fill to” line inside of the
appliance, so knowing the exact measurements may not actually be necessary.
For reference, the water to rice ratio for white rice should be 2 cups of
water for every 1 cup of rice.
·
Brown Rice
Brown rice is more natural than white rice, and
slightly more chewy as well. In history, brown rice was only eaten by the
poor, but within the past several decades the consumption of brown rice has
increased dramatically because it is unmilled and more natural than white
rice. It is particularly popular with natural foods lovers. The correct
ratio of water to brown rice is 1.5 cups of water for every 1 cup of brown
rice.
·
Jasmine Rice
Jasmine rice hails from
·
Basmati Rice
Basmati rice has several similarities to jasmine
rice, but is still its own grain. It is used almost exclusively in Indian
dishes, and has a fragrance much in the same way of jasmine rice. Basmati
rice water ratios have a little to do with preference. Some people prefer
firmer Basmati, which is about 1.5 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice.
But some dishes require softer Basmati, in which cause 2 cups of water to
every 1 cup of rice is advised.
With all of these rice varieties, a small
adjustment may need to be made based on brand and style, though these
changes are rarely necessary to any considerable extent. In addition, if
your rice is coming out too sticky, the most likely cause is not a poor
water ratio. Rather, most likely you have not given the rice a good rinse
beforehand, and the residues are causing the rice to stick together.
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