Microwaved rice, it’s not fluffy
In the student dorms I'm limited to a microwave. So I microwave the rice, put in a colander and drain it. But the rice is not fluffy, tried different rices but it just doesn't texture right.
What am I doing wrong?
Best Answer
People have a difficult time as it is, to make rice fully. The microwave isn't going to make it easier. A rice cooker is advised.
Here is what I would do (if I were stuck on a food-less island with only a microwave). And no, I'm not going quote any chef-books. Rice is one of those things you ask a grandmother or at best, an eastern cuisine chef.
Different types of rice will require changes to the timing below. Basmati and wild types take longer.
- Wash the rice in cold water to rinse out the starch. You should start to see clear water in the bowl when you've rinsed enough times. This will take some of the sticky out of the rice.
- Soak the rice in cold water for about 1.5hrs.
- Place the rice in a bowl and add enough cold water to cover the rice plus one inch.
- Nuke until the water is boiling but not much longer this should be about half of the suggested cooking time. The rice should still be somewhat uncooked and hard at this point.
- Drain in a colander, rinse rice with cold water.
- Put rise in a bowl and Cover with a cotton cloth. put in the microwave on low (say 10% power) and run for 5-10 minutes (or more if the instructions asked for long cooking time). The cotton cloth will absorb the excess steam and low power should allow the rice to get fluffy. The flatter the bowl (shallower rice) the easier to get fluffy rice.
You may have to experiment with timing a bit. I feel confident if you rinse the starch out first and finish with steaming on low with the cloth at the end, you should see results that put a sneaky smile on your face.
P.S. All bets are off if you're using something like minute-rice or uncle-ben's. Try with honest and real rice grains.
Pictures about "Microwaved rice, it’s not fluffy"
Why is my rice hard when I microwave it?
If your rice grains are too hard, this means there is not enough water in your rice. In this case, you can still fix your rice. Add about one tablespoon to your rice and microwave for two-minute intervals until it fully cooks. You can add more water if need be depending on how dry the rice is.How do I make fluffy rice in the microwave?
Microwave on medium-low, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Do not stir the rice at any time during the cooking process. Season with salt and fluff with a fork just before serving.What is the ratio of water to rice in the microwave?
Rice to water ratio \u2013 1 cup of rice to 1.5 cups of water for rice cooked on the stove. Increase to 2 cups of water per 1 cup of rice for oven and microwave.Are microwave rice cookers any good?
If space in your kitchen is limited, a microwavable rice cooker is a good alternative to an electric version. This model is large enough to cook four servings of rice and can also be used to make couscous, quinoa and other grains. After a few attempts, the finished results were very good.How to Cook Rice in the Microwave And Make It PERFECT EVERY TIME
More answers regarding microwaved rice, it’s not fluffy
Answer 2
I'd suggest trying one of those microwave-able rice cookers if this is something you're going to be doing often.
Cook's Illustrated did a review on microwave rice cookers, and they gave this a "Recommended with Reservations" rating:
Progressive International Microwaveable 6-Cup (Cooked) Rice Cooker Set
According to the review (which I'm not sure if you can read without a subscription), they got decent rice but had to fiddle with the cooking process a ton. Their final suggestion is 5 minutes on high, 15 minutes on 50% power, then followed by a 5 minute rest.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Helena Lopes, anna-m. w., Tamara Martina, Karolina Grabowska