How to boil rice on stovetop rather than using pressure cooker

Hi,

I have been used to pressure cooker or electronic rice cooker for making rice since teenage. After coming to US i am using the rice cooker alone. Now-a-days my husband is not coming home lunch, so i dont feel like cooking a quarter cup of rice in that big rice cooker.

My MIL used to make it directly on stovetop, i tried but since i was not aware abt the water measurement, it became clumsy.

Can anyone help with this?

Originally Posted by Cindhuja

Hi,

I have been used to pressure cooker or electronic rice cooker for making rice since teenage. After coming to US i am using the rice cooker alone. Now-a-days my husband is not coming home lunch, so i dont feel like cooking a quarter cup of rice in that big rice cooker.

My MIL used to make it directly on stovetop, i tried but since i was not aware abt the water measurement, it became clumsy.

Can anyone help with this?

I do the same. I feel lazy to use a huge cooker or a pan. What I do is put a measurement of rice say 1 cup and add 1 1/2 times water to it and keep it to cook at medium flame. This is the measurement I use for sona masoori. If its not that then you need to add little more water say 1/4 cup of water.In 10 min rice should be done if its sona masoori. If its others maybe 2 min or more .
Good luck.

Dear Cindhuja and Chocolate,

Why don't both of you try my method for a change?:)
It is so very easy to cook rice in the microwave oven. All you need is a glass or pyrex or cornware bowl. I use basmati rice. For one cup of rice, add one and three fourth cup (or 1:1, depending on the rice) of water and cook for 13-15mins without a cover. It is done and you can take it straight to the tabletop. There is no danger of it getting clumpy or forgetting to reduce the flame etc etc. No hassles at all. If you use sona masoori, I actually use more water as sona absorbs more water...like 1rice:2 1/2 Water and the cooking time too increases by another four or five minutes.

L, Kamla

I cook on stovetop since it takes less time for cooking.within 10 minutes rice will be ready.I dont measure water just wash rice and put morethan half water that is for one cup rice say maybe 3 cups water and cook in the middle if needed add more water.when its 3/4 th done add more water and strain excess and keep fr lessthan 5 minutes.rice is ready fluffy
But some people say you should not strain excess water as it drains all nutrients.Can somebody clear this?

Rice is full of carbs.

cooking in pressure cooker, makes those carbs sit with the cooked rice.. Thus more rice, more cute pot belly one gets ;) But there are some advantages too, since its pressure cooked, more than the normal boiling water, most of the germs are neutralized... Also its energy efficient as everything you cook is faster than stovetop.

Now, when cooking them in stovetop, it is believed that carbs are cooked off the rice and thus rice lovers can still eat their favorite meal with no worries about belly.

About microwave cooking, I guess most of you know that this system works with radiation - electromagnetic energy passed in through the tube inside the microwave.. that heats the food.. Now its upto us to decide if its good in the long term use.. ;)

Gemini, true... Thats the reason in those days, the drained water was used to soak rice for idly/dosa etc... you can cook the rice completely and then keep the vessel closed, so that there is no need for you to drain the excess water.. that might help !!

I pressure cook sona masoori(1:3 ratio).This works fine for me.When I cook in the microwave,my ratio changes a little. I add another 1/4 cup of water,that is for 1 cup of rice,3 1/4 cup water.Even if it is 2 cups,water will be 6 1/4 cups only.

My mom cooks in a vessel directly.She cooks rice and water together and drains off excess water which is also quite healthy since all the starch gets drained.

Hi Cindhuja,

My mom cooks rice using this method occassionally. She calls it the "Ilupachatti cooker" meaning "Kadai cooker".

Here is how it is done...

She fills a kadai with adequate water and in another vessel, you add rice and water as usual. The rice:water proportion is the same as we keep in cooker (ofcourse depending on the type of rice)

Then keep this vessel with rice & water inside the Kadai with water. Here the kadai becomes the bottom of the cooker. Close the vessel and kadai with a big lid (stainless steel or heat resistant glass material)

Keep the heat between medium & high.

In around 10-15min rice is ready! Even I've followed this method a couple of times and rice comes out perfect.

Cheers
Krithika

hi all,

Thanks for ur ideas. Will try them. Especially krithika's was interesting, will let u know the feedback.

Hi Cindhuja,

Did you try cooking rice using the "Kadai Cooker"? :)

Do let us know which method you finally chose?

Cheers
Krithika

Originally Posted by Cindhuja

hi all,

Thanks for ur ideas. Will try them. Especially krithika's was interesting, will let u know the feedback.

Hi,
In my family we have never used pressure cooker to cook rice..only for ven pongal we use it.Method is we have a pot(aluminium) of different sizes.Fill the pot with water..no exact measurement..to the rim or less.Once water boils add rice.When it brews sim and wait till rice is done.Then strain the excess water by placing in a vessel with the pot closed with a plate. I wonder if u could imagine it.Once all water is drained..transfer to hot pack.Parboiled rice is used.Sona masoori can also be used.it gets cooked in a jiffy.