How to prepare rice in rice cooker so it won't become sticky or clumpy, like Indian takeout in the US?

Question

When I get Indian takeout (US), the white rice is not at all sticky or clumpy. Even over the next few days it can be essentially poured out of the container as individual grains. This is unlike the rice in say, Chinese takeout, which is much stickier and in a single mass.

I have a very simple rice cooker. (It has the settings "white rice" and "brown rice".) How can I use this rice cooker, and any necessary preparation/finalization steps or types of rice, to produce rice like I get from Indian takeout? Ideally that can be eaten straight out of the rice cooker, but I'm willing to be flexible if necessary.

Answer 1

First, use basmati rice. Then, rinse your rice very well. Place rice in bowl, fill with cold water, drain, repeat until the water runs clear. I find that using the correct variety of rice, combined with good rinsing, helps keep the long grains separate.

Answer 2

There are many different ways of cooking rice, and you might not want to use a rice cooker if you really want individual grains, as it was developed for cuisines / rice varieties that are stickier.

Although moscafj mentioned basmati, which is a very long grain variety of rice that's from India, and tends to cook up less sticky ... you might also consider "parboiled" rice which tends to not stick together at all. But I suspect that you would have to vary the amount of water used so it doesn't become a big glob.

There's a technique of cooking rice in which you cook it like pasta -- in a large amount of water, and then drain it. This should reduce surface starch and prevent it from clumping. There are variations on this where you boil it part way, drain it, then steam to finish (possibly fluffing it up as it steams to make sure it doesn't develop clumps)

And then there's pilaf / plau / pulao style of cooking rice ... in which you first cook the rice (and possibly some finely diced vegetables, or even meat) in some oil or butter, then add the water, cover, and bake it. This tends to result in more individual grains of rice, provided you don't develop a socarrat / tahdig (the crispy layer of rice at the bottom of the pot, like in paella making).

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If you're really set on using a rice cooker, I would specifically put in less water than it called for, and then check the rice once it switches over to warm, and check to see if it's cooked through. If it isn't, I'd add a little more water and turn it back on. (mechanical switch rice cookers might need a minute or two to cool before you can turn it back to 'cook', due to how the mechanism works).

Once it's cooked through, use a fork to 'fluff' the rice, dumping the loosened rice into a sheet pan, casserole pan, directly onto people's plates, or some other wide vessel that lets you spread out the rice without it being too deep.) If you see any clumps, use your fork to break it up, or clean hands to try to 'rub' grains apart like you would couscous.

Answer 3

The reason why the two types of rice that you mentioned are different in texture is because Indian takeout restaurants generally use white Basmati rice, Chinese takeout restaurants generally use white Jasmine rice. They are different rice varieties that were selectively bred over generations from wild Asian rice. Basmati rice has a lower glycemic index than Jasmine rice, so it contains more simple starches and does not stick together as much as Jasmine rice does.

Indian takeout restaurants do not typically use rice cookers to cook their rice, as Basmati does not cook in the same way that Jasmine does. Instead, it is generally cooked on the stovetop using vegetable oil in the process, shown here.

Answer 4

The process is very simple. Buy long-grain basmati rice. Allow to soak for 10-15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly (water should run clear), then add the water and operate your rice cooker as normal. Make sure to fluff the rice as soon as it's done. This may not be the way most Indian restaurants do it but the results are indistinguishable.