Fluffy rice from a rice cooker?

Question

I love my rice cooker because I can just throw the rice and water in there and not watch it. However, it always comes out sticky. 

How to fluff it up? I've been using long grain rice. Should i use a different type? Do I need to add something like oil? 

There is also a little steamer basket and i love that for veggies, but I'd like to get better rice results. 

If there is another thread on this subject, I'd appreciate it.

Answer

Assuming you've got the amount of water right, and you want non-sticky rice, you might consider converted (Uncle Ben's) rice,which is processed to stay separate. Its not my preference usually, but works well for some things.

Answer

I have not had long grain rice cook up sticky in my rice cooker. I checked my go-to book for rice cooker rice and the authors, Beth Hensberger and Julie Kaufmann say: "The Japanese-made rice cooker was developed specifically to cook the rices most often cooked in their cuisine: medium- and short-grain rices. So long-grain white rice is sometimes a bit of a challenge. . . ."

Here is the paraphrased recipe given for 3-4 servings of American long-grain white rice:

1 C long-grain white rice
1 1/2 C water
1/4 t salt 
1 to 2 T unsalted butter, margarine, olive oil, or nut oil (optional)

The directions say to first put the rice in the cooker bowl and then add water and salt. Close and set. After the rice has cooked, and switched to the Keep Warm cycle, let the rice steam for 10 more minutes. (I put a paper towel between the lid and the cooker.) 

I wonder if you are steaming the rice? If you do and you are still getting stickyness, you might try washing the rice in a couple of washes of water before throwing it in the cooker. 

Information about cooking long-grain rice from The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook, c2002.

Good luck with your new cooker.

Answer

As soon as the cooking cycle says its done stir the rice to fluff it up, then re-cover it and wait another 15 minutes or so before serving.

Answer

I generally prefer sticky rice so I use mostly short grain rice but on occasion when I run out, I have used Carolina long grain white rice and it has come out fine. I agree with others though...rinse it and use a little bit less water.

Answer

I cook basmati rice in a rice cooker and what I do is let it cook (1:2 rice:water) then when it finishes, I turn off the cooker (I don't leave it on warm) open the top and leave the top slightly ajar and let the rice rest for approximately 10 minutes while the steam escapes. Then after the ten minute rest, I stir it with a paddle-spoon. It becomes fluffy. I have found on times when I have been lazy or forgotten to stir the rice, it is clumpy and sticky, and if I stir it immediately after the cooking cycle finishes without allowing it to rest for 10 mins, the kernals break. So this is the method that has worked best for me after some trial and error.

Answer

I had this problem with my basic Cuisinart rice cooker. I tried lots of different things to make the rice dry and fluffy but nothing worked. Finally I invested in a Zojirushi, and now I get perfect rice.

Answer

What kind of rice are you using? Are you rinsing it? Are you fluffing it with the paddle after it's done cooking?

Answer

Thanks for starting this thread. I'm going down to the basement and bringing up my second hand Zojirushi rice cooker for a renewed effort and I'm officially banning Trader Joe's frozen rice from the premises. The posters are answering in advance all the things that went wrong when I first tried using the Zojirushi.

Answer

I just saw this thread after I posted my similar request. Looking at both.

Answer

I lived in Peru for 4 years and my wife cooks mean rice. Rice cookers are not popular yet and rice is cooked in a normal pot - But the principles are the same.
You need to boil a pot of water (normal cooking pot) and add the rice and let it soak for 10 minutes (not on the gas). After 10 minutes you need to drain the water off.
Then add the rice to the rice cooker and the water (the amount of water depends on your preference). Add a piece of onion and a tooth of garlic. Don't add any salt yet!
Start the rice cooker and leave to cook. 
After, sprinkle on salt and some oil and stir lightly. Add a bit of water and cook with the lid slightly open until the water has evaporated. Job done

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Fluffy rice from a rice cooker?

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