How to Cook Brown Rice in a Rice Cooker

If rice is a familiar dish in your weekly meal, you probably don’t want to waste time cooking rice with pots and pans, but will invest in a rice cooker. This reliable appliance will help you to forget the trouble of cooking rice the old-fashioned way; All you need is to measure the rice, add water and let the rice cooker handle the rest. However, when cooking brown rice, it is extremely important to measure the correct ratio of rice and water. The key here is to add a little water to ensure the cooked rice will be spongy, soft and delicious.

Table of Contents

Ingredient

2 cups brown rice (washed)
3 cups of water
A little salt (optional)

Finished product: 1-2 servings

Measure and wash the rice

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Measure the amount of rice you want to cook. The simplest way is to measure the rice in full cups. For example, a meal for two will require about 2-3 cups of rice, and a meal for a large group will require 6-8 cups. Measuring equal amounts will make it easier to determine the amount of water needed to have the perfect rice dish. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Using a dry cup while measuring the rice will help you avoid wondering about the quantity.
For best results, you should only measure the amount you need to eat. Reheated leftover rice will not be as hot as when freshly cooked.

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Clean the rice with cold water. Place brown rice in a basket or sieve and place under running water, then shake the basket/sifter. This will wash away the starch so that the rice doesn’t stick when it’s cooked. Continue until the water is clear. ^{[2] X Research Source}

You will see the rice water running down looking like diluted milk. This is completely normal.
Shake the basket/sifter to remove excess water before cooking the rice.

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Put the rice in the rice cooker. Pour the cleaned rice into the rice cooker and spread it out on the bottom of the pot. When you have to cook a lot of rice at once, remember to spread the rice properly so that the rice is cooked evenly. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Do not add more rice than the maximum capacity of the rice cooker. If you need to prepare rice for a large meal, you can cook rice several times.

Cook rice

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Add the right amount of water. The general rule of thumb when cooking brown rice is to add 50% more water. So, if you used to use one cup of water for every cup of rice, you would now use one and a half cups of water for the difference in texture. Because brown rice is harder than white rice, it also takes longer to process. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Unlike white rice, brown rice grains still have the natural bran layer. As a result, brown rice hardly absorbs water and takes a long time to cook to the ideal temperature. ^{[5] X Research Sources}
The amount of water that you add to the rice is directly related to the cooking time. When all the water has evaporated, the temperature inside the rice cooker will increase, signaling the cooker to automatically turn off the power. ^{[6] X Research Sources}
Although not necessary, soaking brown rice for 20-30 minutes before cooking also helps the rice to cook faster. If you decide to soak the rice, just use one cup of water for each cup of rice. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

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Turn on the rice cooker. Make sure the rice cooker is connected to the power source and ready for use. Next, you press the “cook” button and just wait. The rice cooker will take care of the rest automatically! ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Most rice cookers have only two modes: “cook” (cook) and “warm” (heat).
If the model you are using has more features, be sure to adjust the settings correctly before cooking rice. See the manual for which setting to use. ^{[9] X Research Source}

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Leave the rice in the pot for another 10-15 minutes. After the rice is cooked, you need to wait a while for the rice to reach the correct texture. Continuing to close the lid of the rice cooker for a few more minutes will give the rice time to absorb the remaining steam and gradually reduce to an edible temperature. Keep the lid of the rice cooker closed while waiting. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Undercooked rice will often be hard and difficult to eat.
Don’t skip this step. You’ll want to scoop up the rice when you’re hungry, but the delicious taste and texture of the rice will be worth the wait. ^{[11] X Research Source}

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Fry the rice before serving it out. Loosen the rice from the outer edges to the inside with a wooden spoon or plastic spatula. Use the edge of the rice pulverizer to spread the lumps of rice. You now have your brown rice cooked all the way through, ready to go with braised vegetables, sautéed meat or fried fish. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Do not use metal utensils to loosen or stir the rice. This will cause the inner layer of the rice cooker to be scratched. ^{[13] X Research Source}
Wooden ladle (called shamoji in Japanese) is very useful for those who cook rice regularly. This modern version of the traditional Japanese utensil is made from flexible plastic and is suitable for loosening and shoveling rice. ^{[14] X Research Source}

Cleaning the rice cooker

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Open the lid of the rice cooker. This both reduces the temperature inside the pot and makes it easier to clean the pot when needed. However, because the heat is continuously emitted, the leftover rice in the pot will dry out, making cleaning a bit difficult. ^{[15] X Research Source}

Do not touch the rice cooker while it is still hot. Wait for the pot to cool down before rinsing it out. ^{[16] X Research Source}
As soon as you finish the meal, the rice cooker has cooled down.

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Clean the dry rice. Push the edge of the rice spatula (or just use your fingers) around the sides and bottom of the rice cooker to clean any clinging dry rice. Throw the dried rice in the trash. Try to clean the dry rice by hand so that you can just clean the pot afterwards. ^{[17] X Research Source}

Rice cookers are often coated with a non-stick coating to shorten cleaning time.
Again, you should not use hard or abrasive tools and pot scrubs. The effect of these tools can cause damage to your rice cooker.

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Wipe the inside of the rice cooker with a wet cloth. A towel soaked in warm water will remove the remaining starch along with the thin film or small pieces of rice. Let the rice cooker dry, close the lid and put it neatly for the next use. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

If you need a strong cleaning solution to clean large stains, you can scrub the rice cooker with a soft bristle brush or the green side of a dish sponge. ^{[19] X Research Source}
To be on the safe side, you need to disconnect the rice cooker’s electrical connection before putting water in or around the cooker.

Advice

A standard rice cooker costs an average of US$50 (about VND 1,200,000), but saves you a lot of time and effort to have delicious brown rice even in the first time. first.
Choose a rice cooker with a mode specifically for brown rice.
To make the rice softer, more pliable, you should add a little kosher salt or sea salt before cooking.
Cover the rice cooker while eating to prevent the unused portion of rice from drying out.
Remember to clean the inside and outside of the rice cooker after each use.

Warning

Failure to properly clean brown rice can cause the rice to become mushy and lumpy.
Eating rice left at room temperature for too long or reheating many times can lead to food poisoning. ^{[20] X Trusted Source National Health Service (UK) Go to Source}

Things you need

Electric cooker
Basket/sieve
Dry measuring cup
Wooden spoon
Plastic dredge
Wet wipes or sponges