Tips to Make Perfect Instant Pot Basmati Rice
To me, how you handle the rice before and more importantly after it’s done cooking is really important. Everyone will tell you about the cook times and water ratio but there is more to it than that: Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week! By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Minstry of Curry The name “basmati” comes from the Sanskrit words “vas” meaning fragrance and “mati” meaning having, so together, “basmati” can be translated as “the one with aroma.” This aromatic quality is one of the defining characteristics of basmati rice, and it is often described as having a nutty and floral scent. Basmati rice is commonly used in dishes like biryani and pulao. Its distinct aroma and texture have made it a favorite ingredient for special occasions and celebratory meals. Plain steamed Basmati Rice is also a good meal prep idea as it can be served with curries, and lentils or can be used in fried rice recipes. I use the Kohinoor Extra Long Grain Basmati Rice that I buy from Indian grocery stores. I love the extra long-grain variety that cooks really well for Biryani and Pulao dishes. A few other good brands are Zafrani Reserve and Dunar. I have tried the Royal Basmati rice from Costco and found that it lacks aroma and overcooks easily. I usually soak the Basmati rice when I am making Biryani or Pulao recipes as these dishes traditionally have a drier texture than the cooked rice. For plain Basmati rice soaking is not necessary and if you do decide to soak, do not soak it for more than 20 minutes. Oversoaking makes these rice grains soft and easy to break resulting in a mushy texture. In this method, rice is cooked in a separate pot inside the main insert. The rice pot is placed on top of a short trivet over water or on a tall trivet that is placed over a dish such as chicken curry or spinach dal that cooks simultaneously in the main pot.
Rinse the rice well and drain all the water out Use a 1 to 1.5 rice-to-water ratio, and add salt (optional) Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot insert Place the rice pot on the trivet and put the trivet with the rice pot inside the Instant Pot insert Close the Instant Pot with the pressure release valve to sealing and Pressure cook (Hi) for 5 minutes followed by a 5-minute natural pressure release Quick release the remaining pressure and open the Instant Pot
Notes on Pot-In-Pot Method If you are cooking Basmati rice with other dishes, the pressure cook time can vary from 4 to 10 minutes, with a 5 to 10-minute pressure cook release. For example, to cook PIP rice with Chicken Curry, the pressure cook time is 8 minutes followed by 10- minutes of natural pressure release. While for the easy spinach dal, the pressure cook time is 5 minutes followed by 5 minutes of natural pressure release.
Rinse the rice well and drain all the water out Add rice, water, and salt (optional) to the Instant Pot Close the Instant Pot with the pressure release valve to sealing and Pressure cook (LO) for 5 minutes followed by quick release Quick release the remaining pressure and open the Instant Pot
Notes When using a lesser amount of rice, make sure to take out the inner pot soon after it’s done cooking. If the pot sits longer in the stay warm mode, the rice may overcook, dry out or start sticking to the bottom of the pot.
For exactly 1.5 cups of Rice use a 1:2 rice-to-water ratio For more than 2 cups of Rice use a 1:1 rice-to-water ratio
Why is it hard to find a perfect Instant Pot Basmati rice recipe
Given there are so many different brands of white basmati rice with varying thicknesses of grains and ages of the rice; it becomes hard to give the exact rice-to-water ratio and the cook times. Also, each of us has a preference for how well cooked, soft/dry we like our rice. I am going to give you some more variations to try but remember you may need to experiment. Please let me know what works for you and the brand of rice you use.
Recipe Variations
Rice needs different cooking times, depending on the other ingredients and type of rice.
Tips for Biryani, Pulao, and Khichdi:
For biryani dishes, it is best to soak the extra-long-grain basmati rice for 20 minutes. This removes some of the starch and also helps the rice cook so that it’s fluffy and long. With this method, a 1:1 rice-to-water ratio works well, as the biryani dishes also have marinated chicken or vegetables that release plenty of liquid. For seasoned rice recipes, like Cumin Rice it’s best to rinse the basmati rice a few times and then drain. If you do not have time to presoak the rice, use a 1:2 rice-to-water ratio on low pressure for 5 minutes with a quick release. Transfer the inner pot to a trivet on your counter to stop further cooking to prevent the rice from getting mushy. Allow the rice to cool a bit and then gently fluff up with a fork or silicone spatula. For traditional khichdi and Pongal, short-grain rice works well with a 1:3 rice-to-water ratio. Depending on the short-grain rice variety and the consistency you prefer, adjust the water ratio. I like the low-pressure Rice setting for dishes like these, which should be cooked soft. Tip: If the rice for biryani or pulao looks slightly undercooked when the cooking cycle is complete, gently fluff the top layer and close the lid for an additional 5 minutes on Keep Warm.
Often served with a dal or curry, basmati rice makes a gluten-free meal.
Vegetarian Dishes to Serve with Basmati Rice
Mushroom Masala Chana Masala Vegetable Kurma Dal Makhani Chana Saag Garlic Lentils Black eyed peas curry
Non-vegetarian Dishes to serve with Basmati Rice
Chicken Makhani Chicken Tikka Masala Mom’s chicken curry Kadai Chicken Keema Curry Malabar Shrimp Curry Coconut Shrimp Curry Fish Curry
Looking for more rice recipes? Check out this recipe for Instant Pot Jasmine Rice.
Recipe
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title: “Instant Pot Basmati Rice Recipe” ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-01” author: “Esther Mcallister”
Watch How to Make Perfect Basmati Rice
What is Basmati Rice?
Basmati is a variety of long, slender-grained aromatic rice from the Indian subcontinent. This variety has gotten very popular all over the world, with India and Pakistan being the largest exporters of this rice.
How to cook perfect Instant Pot Basmati Rice?
Cooking rice needs perfection in the amount of water and time. With this recipe, you can make perfectly cooked basmati rice. Just soak the rice, then cook it for 4 minutes on high pressure in the instant pot and 5 minutes for natural pressure release. Sounds easy…it actually is! I like to have rice al dente and separate. I don’t like sticky or mushy rice. That said, everyone has different preferences for rice, so feel free to adjust the recipe to your taste. I soaked the rice for about an hour and used a rice-to-water ratio of 1:1. Soaking for 15-20 minutes or not soaking them works, too. Although researchers say that soaking rice overnight helps reduce toxins by 80%. If you have the time, soak them and rinse them before cooking. That said, there have been times when I have forgotten to soak the rice, but they still come out great. If you end up not soaking the rice, then you can increase the rice-to-water ratio to 1:1.25 cup. Traditionally cooked basmati rice in a saucepan needs double the water amount than the rice. However, in the instant pot, less water is enough to get perfectly cooked rice.
Main things to remember for perfect Basmati Rice
Enjoy this perfect basmati rice with any Indian curry, such as Chole Masala, Chicken Curry, and Dal Makhani. This recipe works perfectly if cooking rice in the main pot. If you are doing pot-in-pot (PIP), then you need to cook for additional time. Check out the pot-in-pot rice recipe. Try out the basmati rice, and let me know if this works for you. A simple variation of basmati rice is Jeera or Cumin rice. Want to make Brown Rice in the Instant Pot? Check out the recipe here.
title: “Instant Pot Basmati Rice Recipe” ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-18” author: “Audrey Leathers”
Instant pot basmati rice – How to cook basmati rice in Instant Pot. This is the easiest way I could figure out for cooking basmati rice in Instant Pot perfectly every time.
Instant Pot Basmati Rice
I should admit it took me several attempts to get the perfect grain seperated rice in instant pot especially with basmati rice.I first tried cooking the rice by placing a seperate pot inside and then tried cooking rice directly in instant pot.Each time I would want a better version either the rice was undercooked or it was slightly mushy, at times I even ended up with rice looking perfect but not soft to eat.As I have amma and kids who always prefer soft rice I took time to perfect this.And tada now its a breeze to cook basmati rice perfectly every time. First I tried rice mode and let it to NPR(natural pressure release), adjusted with water but it didn’t work out and I wanted a method where I can manually release it and this works fine both for manual release and natural release.Do try this and let me know how you liked it. Instant Beginners Guide Check out fried rice recipes here Pin If you have any more questions about this Instant Pot Basmati Rice do mail me at [email protected]. In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest ,Youtube and Twitter . Tried this Instant Pot Basmati Rice? Do let me know how you liked it. Also tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and hash tag it on #sharmispassions.
📖 Recipe Card
How to cook basmati rice in Instant Pot:
Measure 1 cup basmati rice. Pin Rinse it well atleast 2-3 times and drain water. Pin Place the instant pot inner pot and add rinsed rice to it.Pin Measure and add water to it.I use 1(rice):2(water) cups ratio.Pin Mix it once.Pin Close with lid. Pin Set to pressure cooker mode in high for 10 mins.Pin Now the instant pot has started.It takes few mins to change from ON to timer and only when then the timer is shown the actual cooking time starts. Pin Inititally the steel button is down. Pin Inititally the steel knob is down and when it starts to cook it automatically goes up as shown.When the knob is up it means cooking is in process/started and when its down pressure is released and you are ready to open the lid.Do not open the lid when the knob is up. Pin Once the timer beeps and comes to 0, immediately release pressure manually.Once timer is 0, it automatically goes to keep warm mode.Pin Press the button to manually release pressure immediately after the timer goes to 0.Be careful as the steam will through the holes near so keep your hands at a safe distance. Pin Steam escaping..Can you see the water bubbles? Pin Now the steel button is in down position.Only when the steel button goes down(indicates that pressure is released) its ready to open so keep an eye. Pin Open and the rice is done. Pin Fluff it gently with a fork. Pin Perfectly cooked grain seperated soft rice ready!Pin Spread it on a place, let it cool down then use it for any recipes.Pin Pin
Expert Tips
Open the lid only after the steel knob goes down. Always keep your fingers at a safe distance while manually pressure releasing. Its not a must to pressure release manually you can leave it to release naturally too.
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