Making Chinese Steamed Rice: Pressure Cooker Perfection

Chinese steamed rice is a simple dish that can be made in a pressure cooker for speed and convenience. The process is faster than cooking rice on a stovetop, and the pressure cooker seals in hot steam to cook the rice evenly. The key to getting perfect steamed rice is to use the right water-to-rice ratio and to release the pressure slowly after cooking to allow the rice to finish cooking.

Rinse the rice under cold water

Rinsing the rice is an important step in the rice-making process. Place the rice under cold running water and gently scrub the rice with your fingertips in a circular motion. The water will become cloudy, so pour it out and continue to rinse until the water runs clear. Be sure to drain the rice thoroughly. This process will help to get rid of excess starch on the surface of the rice, which will prevent the rice from becoming gluey.

Rinsing the rice is especially important if you are not planning to wash the rice. If you are using a rice cooker, it is also important to ensure that the water-to-rice ratio is accurate. Rinsing the rice will help to remove any excess starch, which can affect the ratio and cause the rice to become sticky or gluey.

For Basmati rice, it is generally recommended to rinse the rice before cooking. However, some countries spray vitamins onto rice to make it more nutritious, and in these cases, the rice should not be rinsed. Arborio rice, for example, should not be rinsed because the surface starch is needed to make risotto creamy.

Use the correct water-to-rice ratio

The water-to-rice ratio is critical to achieving the perfect steamed rice in a pressure cooker. Using the wrong ratio can result in rice that is too watery, hard, chewy, burnt, mushy, or sticky. The ideal ratio will vary depending on the type of rice being used, as well as individual preferences for the rice texture.

For example, when cooking white rice, a common ratio is 1 cup of rice to 1.5 cups of water. However, some sources recommend using equal amounts of rice and water, such as 1 cup of rice to 1 cup of water. This ratio can be adjusted to suit personal preferences. If you prefer softer and stickier rice, use more water; for firmer rice, use less water.

It is also important to note that the cooking time and liquid requirements vary for different types of rice. The rice variety, grain size, and age of the rice can all impact the cooking process. For instance, older rice may take longer to cook, while more polished rice tends to cook faster and become mushy if there is too much water. Therefore, it may take some experimentation to find the precise water-to-rice ratio that works best for the specific type of rice being used.

Additionally, the cooking method can also affect the required water-to-rice ratio. The classic method of cooking rice directly in the pressure cooker may call for different proportions than the pot-in-pot method, where the rice is steamed in a separate heat-proof dish placed inside the cooker.

To ensure accurate measurements, it is recommended to rinse the rice before cooking to remove excess starch, which can make the rice gluey. Proper rinsing involves gently scrubbing the rice with your fingertips in a circular motion under cold running water until the water runs clear.

Use the pot-in-pot method for inconsistent heat sources

If you have an inconsistent heat source that is prone to burning rice, use the pot-in-pot method. This method is also useful if you want to cook a dish in your pressure cooker without dirtying the inner cooking pot, or if you want to cook two separate parts of a meal at the same time in the same pressure cooker. It's also necessary for "baking" things like cheesecakes in the pressure cooker.

Here's how to use the pot-in-pot method:

Equipment

You will need a trivet, an oven-safe pan or glass dish, and a sling or retriever tongs. Many pressure cookers come with a trivet, but if yours didn't, you can buy one. You'll also need a low trivet for cooking taller pans and a high trivet for cooking one-pot meals.

As for the cooking dish, most oven-safe dishes will work as long as they fit in your pressure cooker with enough room for the steam to escape around them. Pyrex or other serving dishes are popular, but some people prefer to avoid glass. You can also use a cake pan or a mason jar.

You can make a simple sling by folding a long strip of aluminium foil in thirds lengthwise. Alternatively, you can cut a large silicone pastry mat lengthwise into 4-inch strips. Retriever tongs can also be used to remove the pot-in-pot pan from the hot inner cooking pot.

Step-by-Step Guide

• Add water to the bottom of your pressure cooker. The amount of water needed will vary depending on the cook time; however, for most things (cheesecake, rice, eggs, veggies), add 1 cup of water to a 6-quart pressure cooker, then place the trivet on the bottom.
• In your oven-safe dish, add your ingredients and stir. Centre the oven-safe dish on the sling, and use the sling to carefully lower the pan onto the trivet. Fold the sling so that it doesn't interfere with closing the lid.
• Lock the lid in place and cook as directed.
• When the time is up, remove the lid and unfold the sling. Use the sling to remove the oven-safe dish from the pressure cooker. (Be careful, as the cooking process can make the sling hot and slippery.)

Tips

• The MOST important thing to remember about pot-in-pot cooking is to add water to the cooking pot BEFORE lowering in the pan! Pressure cookers need steam to cook.
• Use mini mitts to get a good grip on the sling, or retriever tongs to grab the sides of the pan and lift it out.
• If you're brand new to cooking pot-in-pot, start with a few recipes that are already written to use the pot-in-pot method.
• Choose similar ingredients to another pot-in-pot recipe. For example, if you want to make a Snickers cheesecake, start with a Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake recipe and adapt it to your candy of choice.
• Choose foods with similar cook times. For instance, chicken breasts diced into large bite-size pieces cook in 3 or 4 minutes with a 10-minute natural pressure release, which is an excellent match for the cook time of white rice.
• Change the size of the meat. Large cuts of meat require much longer in the pressure cooker than that same cut of meat diced into bite-size pieces.
• Don't be afraid to add time. Since the trivet lifts foods up and away from the heating element on the bottom of the cooking pan, foods occasionally need an additional minute or two at high pressure.

Try adding flavour with chicken broth or vegetable broth

Adding chicken or vegetable broth is a great way to infuse flavour into your Chinese steamed rice. The broth replaces the water that would usually be used to cook the rice and is absorbed by the rice as it cooks.

To make Chinese steamed rice in a pressure cooker, start by rinsing the rice under cold water. Keep rinsing until the water runs clear, this will remove any debris and surface starch, helping to prevent the rice from becoming sticky or clumpy. Drain the rice well.

Next, add the rice and broth to your pressure cooker. The ratio of broth to rice is important to ensure your rice is cooked properly. The recommended ratio is 1 1/2 cups of broth to 1 cup of rice. However, this may vary depending on the type of rice you are using, so it is important to check the instructions for your specific rice.

Once you have added the rice and broth to the pressure cooker, you can add any desired seasonings. For chicken broth, you might like to add some simple seasonings like garlic powder and onion powder, or try something different like Mexican or Indian seasoning. If using vegetable broth, you could try adding some curry powder or smoked paprika for extra flavour.

Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for around 3-5 minutes. The cooking time will depend on the type of rice and the instructions for your particular pressure cooker, so be sure to check these. After the cooking time is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for around 5-10 minutes before opening the lid.

Finally, fluff the rice with a fork and serve. Enjoy your delicious, flavourful Chinese steamed rice!

Use natural release for 10 minutes after cooking

After the pressure cooker has finished cooking the rice, it's important to use the natural release method. This means that instead of manually releasing the pressure, you let it release slowly and naturally. For electric pressure cookers, simply turn off the cooker and let the pressure release on its own for 10 minutes. For stove-top pressure cookers, take the cooker off the burner and let it sit for 10 minutes to finish cooking and steaming. The rice will continue to cook during this time, using the residual heat, steam, and pressure in the cooker. Don't be tempted to skip this step or release the pressure right after the cooking time is up, as the rice needs this additional time.

After 10 minutes of natural release, you can then do a quick release to open the lid. Tilt the cooker away from you when opening to avoid the hot steam. Then, fluff the rice with a fork and it's ready to serve!

Frequently asked questions