This tutorial shows you the tried and tested method on How to Steam Rice in a steamer for the fluffiest rice ever! No messy spill overs.
Most of us who consider rice as a staple have a rice cooker in the kitchen. However, the rice cooker may not be the best appliance to cook just a single serving of rice. Even the smallest rice cooker which is a 3 cup rice cooker will need you to cook at least 1 rice cooker cup which is equivalent to ¾ US cup of raw rice. Unless you are planning to make fried rice the next day, the leftover may go to waste. That is not a good thing because every grain counts.
Different Ways of Cooking Rice
What if you are not satisfied with the texture of rice cooked in a rice cooker? You have two options. One is to try and cook it in a pot like in this tutorial on How to Cook Rice on the Stove Top. The other is to check out this current tutorial on How to Steam Rice. You can use a steamer on the stove top or use an electric steamer.
The fabulous thing about this method is that you can cook exactly the amount you desire in a bowl, ready to be served and you will get the fluffiest rice ever. I remember years ago I tasted what I thought was the best tasting rice at one of those “Red Tablecloth Restaurants” in Kuala Lumpur and wondered about their “secret”. To my surprise, I saw the server bringing out rice from a multi tiered steamer. I remember thinking how special that was that my bowl of rice has been individually cooked.
A Slightly Longer Cooking Time
Admittedly, steaming rice takes a longer time than cooking the rice in a pot but it is only 5 minutes more. This is because the hot steam causes a gentle simmer of the rice grains in the bowl as opposed to it being boiled rapidly in a pot. Furthermore, there is a soaking time of 10 minutes of the rice grains. That said, the trade off is fluffier rice.
Note: Do not over soak or you will get broken grains of rice.
Serving Size of Cooked Rice
As I have previously discussed in my tutorial on How to Cook Rice on the Stove Top, one serving of cooked rice is about 1½ US cups. For that you need only ½ cup of raw long grain rice. The Chinese regular size rice bowl holds roughly 1½ US cups of cooked rice when packed to the top. Some people can eat up to 2 US cups of cooked rice per meal and there is a larger rice bowl for that. The inner diameter of a regular size rice bowl is 4¼ inch (11cm) while the inner diameter of the larger rice bowl is 4¾ inch (12cm).
Similar Products Used in How to Steam Rice
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Stainless Steel Steamer Cookware
2-Tier Stainless Steel Steamer
Stainless Steel 3-Piece Steamer Set
How to Steam Rice
Equipment
- 1 regular size Chinese rice bowl
- 1 larger size Chinese rice bowl
- A pot
- A steaming rack
Materials
- 1¼ cup long grain rice (divided) (250g)
- 1¾ cup water (divided) (420ml)
Instructions
- Wash and drain ½ cup (100g) rice in the regular size bowl and ¾ cup (150g) rice in the larger size bowl 3 to 4 times.
- Then, fill the bowl with water and allow the rice to soak for 10 minutes. Do not over soak or you will get broken grains of rice.
- After 10 minutes, discard the soaking water.
- Add the ¾ cup (180ml) water to the rice in the regular size bowl and 1 cup (240ml) water to the rice in the larger size bowl.
- The water level will come right up to the top of each of the bowls.
- Place bowls in a steaming rack.
- Prepare a steamer with boiling water over medium high heat.
- Transfer steaming rack onto the prepared steamer.
- Cover and steam for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, turn off stove and allow the cooked rice to sit in the steamer for 5 minutes.
- After the 5 minutes, remove the steamed rice from the steamer.
- Serve the fluffy steamed rice immediately.
- This method is perfect for a single serving of steamed rice in a small steamer.
Video
How to Steam Rice for One
This is the easiest and most convenient method of cooking just one serving of rice. No messy spill overs and perfect each and every time! Do give it a try.
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