How To Cook Rice On An Electric Stove?
I love to eat rice, but in the beginning, I can honestly say that I did not enjoy cooking rice. How to cook rice on an electric stove was my biggest challenge. The last thing you want is your rice to turn out to be inedible.
When I was a student, I ate a lot of rice, it was cheap and easy to cook. Well, it became easy to cook once I learned a thing or two about cooking rice on an electric stove.
In the beginning I found it very frustrating.
I began to consider investing in a rice cooker and give up on the electric stove I had at the time, but my inner voice didn’t let me give up. Lol
But I convinced myself to keep trying to cook the perfect rice. I have found that cooking rice on an electric stove can be done and it can be done successfully.
If I can do it, then so can you.
While many people have different techniques that they use, I needed a simple and easy way to cook rice that I could remember.
Answering the following questions has helped me to cook rice perfect each time and I hope it helps you too.
Do You Need To Rinse Rice Before Cooking?
Yes, in most cases you need to rinse your rice unless you are making sushi or risotto. By rinsing your rice before cooking, you are removing any starch that is on the surface of the rice.
If you don’t remove the starch, then your rice will become sticky and usually spoil much faster compared to rice that have been rinsed.
Rinse your rice with cold water until the water is clear. Use a fine sieve if needed.
Rinsing your rice will not only make them taste much better but will also prevent them becoming soggy and clumpy.
When you rinse your rice, it doesn’t only remove the starch, but it also removes any debris that may be in the rice.
Rinsing my rice was something that I neglected to do in the beginning. I thought that since it was being cooked in water, there was no need to rinse them.
But once I started rinsing them, I found my rice did not only taste much better, but they smelled amazing.
What Is The Ratio Of Water To Rice?
The basic water to white rice ratio is 2 cups of water to 1 cup of rice.
Before you start cooking rice, always read the cooking instructions on the packaging.
Not all rice are cooked the same way, and the amount of water needed to cook them may vary.
By reading the cooking instructions it will also alert you to whether or not you should rinse your rice.
Adding too much water or not enough water is a recipe for disaster. I found that regular white rice had a water to rice ratio that I could remember easily.
When cooking one cup of rice you need two cups of water. Using the right amount of water will help your rice to be light and fluffy.
If you do not add enough water to the rice the chance of it becoming under cooked or burnt is highly likely. But on the flip side of this is if you add too much water you will end up with soggy and overcooked rice.
The rule of thumb is to double the amount of water to that of the rice. If you need to cook three cups of rice, then use six cups of water.
As with anything there is always a learning curve so once you begin to find your rhythm you will be able to adjust accordingly.
Do You Add Hot Or Cold Water To Rice?
There are many opinions regarding this question.
Some people use cold water and others hot water.
I have a friend who likes to add her rice to cold water and then bring the water to a boil, whereas my grandma on the other hand, always told me to let the water come to a boil first and then add your rice.
From my trial and error, I personally found, my rice turned out much lighter and fluffier when I allowed the water to come to a boil first, before adding in the rice.
The steps I take for regular white rice.
- Bring the water to a boil.
- Add in the rice before the water starts to evaporate and ruin the water to rice ratio.
- Reduce the heat and simmer the rice until the water has been absorbed by the rice.
Do You Cook Rice On High Or Low Heat On The Stove?
You need to use different heat settings at different stages.
This is what I do.
- Before I add the rice, I bring the water to a boil.
- Once the water is boiling, I add the rice and cook on a medium heat until I see it begin to boil again.
- Once boiling, I turn the heat down to low and cover with a lid and allow it to cook until all the water has absorbed.
If the temperature is too high the water will evaporate leaving your rice uncooked.
Use a glass lid, this way you can see what’s happening without having to remove the lid and loose the steam inside the pot.
Is It Better To Cook Rice Covered Or Uncovered?
Keep the lid on while you cook your rice, this helps to create a consistent temperature within the pot. By keeping the lid on as long as possible you allow the steam within the pot to cook your rice making them light in texture.
This was one of the mistakes I made in the beginning, removing the lid to check the rice more times than I should of.
How Long Do You Let Rice Sit After Cooking?
No matter how tempting it gets, do not serve your rice straight away.
You need to let them rest a little while before you dish them out.
I usually let my rice sit for 15 minutes before I plate them.
Another thing to keep in mind is not to stir your rice otherwise they will break up, just fluff them up with a fork (lightly) and you are set to go.
Final Thoughts
Cooking rice is a skill and a technique that does not always come easy at first. Especially for someone cooking rice for the first time. This was me when I was a student many many years ago.
Over the years, I have tried many different techniques. Some have worked and some haven’t. But you don’t learn unless you try. Right!
The questions covered in this article have helped me cook light and fluffy rice and I hope they help you too.
As with many things in life it is all about trial and error. Rice is certainly no different.
By using some of the techniques mentioned here, you can be on your way to making a perfect pot of rice.
I hope this article has given you confidence and some insight on how to cook rice on an electric stove.
If you have any other tips please share in the comments
Happy Cooking!
