How to cook different types of Rice in a Rice Cooker

Before looking at different types of rice, always remember to rinse your rice under running water before transferring it to the rice cooker. This washes away the excess starch and helps make the rice less sticky. Second, let the rice rest after cooking for at least 10 minutes with the lid on before serving.

Now if we look at different types of rice and the different amounts of water each type requires it is important to remember that sometimes this may require a little experimentation before you get the perfect texture, so don’t be afraid to try slightly different amounts of water yourself. Only by trial and error will you get to the point where you can ensure the perfect final texture, be it for fluffy or sticky rice.

Below are some tips for making perfect rice that is full of flavour and ready to go, right out of the rice cooker.
Here are the main ratios between the rice and water but make sure though when using rice cookers, that you use the
measuring cup that specifically comes with the rice cooker in order to get the correct ratio according to the rice cooker you’ve bought. Reading the manufacturers instruction booklet is important in this regard as each rice cooker will be slightly different.

The main types of grain include:
• Long Grain
• Medium Grain
• Short Grain

With each type of grain, there are specific type of rice:
• White Rice
• Brown Rice
• Wild Rice
• Black Rice
• Jasmine Rice
• Basmati Rice

Consequently, each type of grain and flavour of rice requires slightly different ratios of water:

• Long grain white rice should have 1 ¾ cups of water for every 1 cup of rice.
• Medium grain white rice should have 1 ½ cups of water for every 1 cup of rice.
• Short grain white rice should have 1 ¼ cups of water for every 1 cup of rice.
• Long grain brown rice should have 2 to 2 ¼ cups of water for every 1 cup of rice.
• Jasmine rice must have 1 ¼ cups of water for everyone 1 cup of rice.
• Wild rice should have 3 to 4 cups of water for everyone 1 cup of rice but this can only be regarded as a guide
because wild rice can vary greatly.
• Basic rice is of course the easiest to cook, however, the more flavourful varieties such as Jasmine or Brown Rice will need some trial batch cooking to get them right.

Knowing the different types of rice and the ratios for water for different grains of rice is important to all the basic
rice cooking. However, using the measuring cup that comes with the rice cooker can often ensure the correct ratios because the rice cookers manufacturer will have designed it to operate accordingly. If you have lost the original cup which came with the rice cooker when you bought it you may need to experiment with a different measuring cup and try various batches before getting the correct ratios again.

Finally, always read the manufacturers instruction before using any type of rice cooker and trying different types of rice. For example sticky rice needs a different amount of water than fluffy rice.

There are plenty of recipes on the internet for whatever you fancy trying so make sure you have fun and explore the options with your rice meals. However, for now have a look at the Kitchen Genie Rice Cooker & Steamer – 10 cup which is our most affordable family sized model.