Having rice with every meal is a common practice in many Asian cultures. Even my mother-in-law likes to eat rice almost every day. I made this jasmine rice in the Instant Pot, which is an electric pressure cooker. I totally enjoy making rice in the Instant Pot, as you don’t have to stand and tend to the boiling water or check if the rice is cooked. You just add them, set the timer, and come back after it beeps to perfectly cooked rice. In the past, I have mostly cooked basmati rice. But with Thai curries, I was missing the taste of jasmine rice. So, I tried jasmine rice, and it came out perfectly. Check out recipes for Basmati Rice pot-in-pot, Brown Rice, or Cumin Rice in the pressure cooker.
How to cook Jasmine Rice in the Instant Pot?
To get perfect rice, there are two important factors: how much water to add and how long to cook. I like to have rice al dente and separate. I don’t like mushy rice. That said, everyone has different preferences for rice, so feel free to adjust the recipe to your taste. Traditionally cooked jasmine rice in a saucepan needs 1.5 times the water amount than the rice. However, in the instant pot, less water is enough to get perfectly cooked rice.
In the main pot
To cook jasmine rice in the main pot, I use a 1:1 ratio of rice and water. I do not soak the rice; just rinse them well using a mesh liner and add them to the pot with the same amount of water. Cook them on manual or pressure cook setting for 3 minutes and then do 10 minutes NPR, which means release the pressure and open the instant pot 10 minutes after it beeps.
Pot-in-Pot Method
To cook pot-in-pot rice, you need a trivet and a pot you can place on the trivet. If I am preparing only rice, then I use the trivet that comes with the instant pot. If you are cooking the main dish along with the rice, you will need a long legged trivet. Learn more about the instant pot pot-in-pot method with this comprehensive guide! I use jasmine rice in this recipe. However, you could use other varieties of white rice, too. Wash the rice using a mesh liner. Add the washed rice to the cooking pot and add an equal amount of water as the rice is added. If you like, add salt to it. Add 1 cup water to the main instant pot insert and place the trivet in it. Now, place the pot with rice and water on top of the trivet. Set the instant pot on manual mode for 6 minutes with the vent in the sealing position. When the instant pot beeps, do 10 minute NPR or natural pressure release, which means releasing the pressure manually 10 minutes after the beep. Perfectly cooked Jasmine rice is ready. You can use the same process to make rice in Ninja Foodi pressure cooker.
Advantages of the pot-in-pot method to cook rice
You can cook less quantity of rice. You don’t need to wash the large instant pot insert if you are just cooking rice. You can cook in the serving bowl itself. You can cook a complete meal at once and save precious time. With entree in the main insert and rice in a bowl on a trivet.
Enjoy perfectly cooked and fragrant jasmine rice with any of the methods above. Have it with your favorite curry – Kung Pao Tofu, Panang Curry with Tofu, or Panang Curry Chicken.
