Best home cooked rice, done in the microwave, some tips.

United States
June 26, 2008 2:40pm CST
I cook my rice in the microwave and it turns out perfectly. To cook microwave rice, just put about a cup of parboiled or wild rice in a bowl with chopped onions, cooked chicken thigh and steamed veggies. Cover with water, making sure that water is at least a half an inch or more above the top of the rice. Then cook for fifteen minutes, on high power, stirring once and adding more water as needed. I cook on high and not lower settings. After 15 minutes, you may find that your rice still needs to cook some more. If so, add one half cup water, (or just enough to cover rice) stir and resume cooking in five minute increments until your rice is soft. If you prefer to cut cooking time, then presoak your rice in hot water in a bowl overnight. You don't need instant rice for this. I don't use any special kinds of rice cookers. This is much more affordable than cooking on stovetop as our old oven used lots of energy and money. This way I can leave the dish in the microwave cooking and not fear that I'm going to set the house on fire. After it's done, I let the rice set for an additional five to ten minutes and fluff the rice with a fork during that time. The steam helps complete the cooking. If you have a very high power microwave, you may need less time to fully cook your rice. Mine is low power and small, so everything takes longer to cook. Do you have any easy cooking tips or cooking tips for someone who uses the microwave? Please share.
7 responses
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
26 Jun 08
I do rice in the microwave all the time. It takes 2 cups of water to cook 1 cup of rice. If you're cooking veggies with the rice you may want to add a quarter cup of water. You may also want to cover the dish, so that the steam does not escape, this helps the rice cook better. I bought myself an $8 rice steamer from Walmart a long time ago and use it to steam veggies as well, which keeps the vitamins locked in.
1 person likes this
• United States
26 Jun 08
I do mine in a small ceramic bowl, I can only fit enough water to cover the rice. And, it works out great. In the perfect world, I would definitely use two cups of water! LOL! I have to get some new bowls! Seriously, all mine got broken awhile back. I'm happy to hear that you are having success with the rice cooker. We don't have one.
@onthetop (193)
• United States
26 Jun 08
i do cook rice and some instant stuffs in microwave ... i usually used premixed rice that is come box ... just add water and put into microwave .... i use bowl with lid cover ... one i put liitle more water and set time for 15 minutes .. if you see after 15 minute water stillleft in it .. what i do i just let water as it is in the bowl inside the microwave ... and when i see after 5 more minutes .. all water gone ...and the rice are more soft then earlier ... and even they have better taste too i also cook noodles in microwave just take noodle and prescribed amount of wter and put into microve annd some steamed vegetables and seasing salt .. i to add some ketchep and some additional spice and put into noodles into microwve 5-10 minutes depending upon different noodles ... than after completeing time .. i let them to tender for a minute or two .. then i eat them .. wow what a dish....
• United States
26 Jun 08
Cooking noodles in the microwave is the best idea! I have to cook noodles for my daughter everyday cause she loves them so much. The microwave would save me so much time! Thanks for the suggestion.
• United States
1 Jul 08
The popcorn thing is the best! So yummy!
@onthetop (193)
• United States
27 Jun 08
well i like some more instant things . like baked potatoes , that will ready in just two minutes; popcorns,but mostly rice ....
@SViswan (12051)
• India
27 Jun 08
I never cook rice in the microwave. We have a pressure cooker and I find that's quicker...it just takes a few minutes to have the rice just right. We are rice eaters and have rice daily. And the microwave uses more electricity than the stove uses gas. I don't use a rice cooker and sometimes I do it the old fashioned way...but that doesn't take me more than 15 minutes either (without any veggies or meat in it).
• United States
1 Jul 08
We don't have the gas stove. We use electricity. I am not sure our house is even rigged up to run gas if we got a gas stove. But I'll keep that in mind. I do always worry about my daughter reaching up onto the stove if I were cooking. She is still young. And one can only teach a child so much if they are not ready to learn! Thanks for your kind post. Be well.
@SViswan (12051)
• India
6 Jul 08
I understand....I have an open kitchen and my 19 month old is in and out of the kitchen all the time...he's also trying to reach up to things on the counter. He also tries to fiddle with the knobs on the stove. Like you said, there's a limit to what you can teach a child. All I can do is keep an eye on him all the time.
• Canada
26 Jun 08
That sound like a good idea. I like doing it in the microwave so much better than bothering with a bunch of dishes. I am really not a ocok, so the aster and easier way there is to prepare food, the happier I am.
• United States
26 Jun 08
The microwave and George Foreman grill saved my life! When my stove and oven broke down and I couldn't afford a new one, I thought that I would never cook again. Then I just learned to use those two new resources and I make some really delicioius dishes. I'm not bragging. But I've been told that I cook better now. Here's another tip for the rice. If you have a George Foreman or Sunbeam grill, you can cook the chicken thighs in alluminum foil, right on the grill, so that the chicken fat doesn't run out. Then add one tsp. of the reserved chicken fat to the rice, before cooking. It makes the rice taste very buttery. Best of luck with the dish.
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
3 Jul 08
Hello dear beauty queen. I am glad that you enjoy your way of cooking rice by using the microwave. We use rice cooker to cook rice for each meal. Lately my wife bought one microwave and I would be very happy to give it a try to taste the perfect rice as described. Thanks and enjoy your cooking, beauty queen.
• United States
3 Jul 08
You are so nice for saying such a thing. Please let me know how it turns out. I use a ceramic, microwave safe bowl that is low. You might have to add water several times depending on how much rice you use. Certainly it would be best not to use over 1/3 the size of bowl for the rice, that way the rice could be covered with water and have room to expand. Best of luck! Thanks for dropping by.
@chrislotz (8137)
• Canada
29 Aug 08
That just sounds like too much trouble. I cook my rice on the stove and it turns out good every time. I use two cups of water for one cup of rice and some salt and a tablespoon of butter. I let the water boil first then I add the rice and turn it down to low and let it cook. It takes about 15 minutes and it is done. I think my way sound a lot easier than your way, in the microwave. But what ever works for you is good. I don't really like to use the microwave for cooking and only use it for warming foods up. Or for boiling water for coffee if I am having instant coffee. But for cooking, no thanks, I find that everything comes out rubbery and tasteless. But that is only my opinion.
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
1 Jul 08
I need to start using my microwave more. Your way of cooking rice sounds a whole lot easier than getting out a pot and cooking it on the stove top. I will have to try it your way next time I make rice.