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How to Cook Rice in a Microwave
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Recently, my friend told me that as a noob cook, I should feature more back-to-basics cooking/kitchen tutorials which I totally agree. So let me start with a basic survival tutorial for cooking rice using a microwave. For those of us who cook rice regularly, we will most certainly have the trusty rice cooker which makes cooking rice a breeze. But there are people out there, especially those living overseas, who only have a microwave in their living quarters.
See Also: How to Make Grated Ginger Juice
After my friend told me how he cooked ALL his meals (including “steamed” rice) in a microwave oven when he was living abroad, I was inspired to try it out. The great news is that it is possible to cook moist and fluffy rice in a microwave and at almost half the cooking time. This tutorial is for those out there who are surviving only on a microwave, or those who are keen to explore more uses for their microwave oven.
Microwave Rice Cooker
If you cook rice in the microwave oven frequently, you can invest in an inexpensive microwave rice cooker (I got mine from Cold Storage). The design is similar to the traditional rice cooker in that it is tall, has a tight fitting lid and an inner ventilation vent. You can also use any microwave-safe casserole, but be sure that it is a tall one and keep a look out for water spillage which may occur during the cooking process.
My microwave rice cooker consists of an inner detachable ventilation lid and a rice paddle.
Water and Cooking Time Table
This is the water and cooking times which came with my microwave rice cooker and it worked for me one to two cup rice (on high power). Every microwave is different so do tweak the quantities and timings accordingly.
Rice Water Cooking Time
1 cup 1 1/2 cups 9-10 minutes
2 cups 3 cups 10-12 minutes
Printable Recipe & Measurements |
How to Cook Rice in a Microwave (Step-by-Step) |
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Rinse rice in water till the water runs clear/opaque (depending on your preference), discard water. |
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Measure and add water for cooking the rice. |
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Fit the lid on the cooker. For microwave rice cooker, it comes with an additional inner ventiliation lid which provide additional ventilation and prevent spillage. Microwave the casserole, lid on, on high power. For the timings, refer to the table above. |
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Let the cooker sit for a few minutes before opening. Be careful of hot steam when opening the lid. At first glance, the cooked rice on the top layer may look a tad dry, but don’t worry. |
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Stir and fluff the rice with a spatula or fork. You will find that the rice is moist, fluffy and evenly cooked, made entirely in a microwave oven! |
This looks interesting! I just bought similar one earlier and can’t wait to try it. Will start using it instead of rice cooker if the rice turns out well :)
How about cooking in a stainless steel container? I dont really trust these plastic thingies….
It’s not safe to use metal inside microwave oven. You can try with microwave-safe glass bowls, instead.
Hi, anyone knows which cold storage area still has it? Thanks.
Great article. Many thanks to the author for sharing this useful article with us.
Drawing from the insights on Iupilon, it’s noteworthy that while microwave rice cookers, as detailed on Noob Cook, offer convenience and speed, traditional rice cookers can provide more consistent results. The choice between the two may depend on individual needs and circumstances. For instance, microwave rice cookers can be ideal for those with limited kitchen space or need a quick way to prepare rice. However, for larger quantities and more consistent results, a traditional rice cooker may be more suitable.