Can You Cook Microwavable Rice Without the Microwave?

Most foods marketed as microwavable can be cooked in more traditional ways as well. Microwavable rice is no exception. This is the same type of fast-cooking rice that has been around for decades, long before microwaves were a common appliance in homes. Many people still prefer cooking this type of rice on the stove top rather than in the microwave.

Quick-Cooking Methods

Although many quick-cooking foods are primarily promoted as being intended for the microwave, you generally can cook them either in the oven or on the stove top. In most cases, you'll need to remove the food from its microwavable container to safely cook it in the oven. If you choose to cook it on the stove, you need to place it in a pan.

Quick-Cooking Rice

Rice that you can cook in five minutes has commonly been called "instant" rice, even though it's not really instant. "Quick-cooking" or "fast-cooking" are more accurate descriptions, although the cooking time is significantly shorter than the 20 to 30 minutes required for cooking regular white rice. Cooking regular brown rice takes even longer. Making quick-cooking rice is one of those unusual situations where it's actually faster to use the stove than the microwave. All you need is a stove top and a pan with a lid.

Directions

To make microwavable rice on the stove, follow the measurement directions in regard to how much cooked rice you want. Add the designated amount of water to a pan and bring it to a boil. Then pour the correct amount of rice into the water, remove the pan from the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Allow the rice to stand for five minutes, then fluff it with a fork. Now it's ready to serve.

Processing Method

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You might have wondered how rice becomes quick-cooking. The food-processing company precooks the rice and then dehydrates it, explains Asian Food Grocer. This dehydrating process creates microscopic cracks in the rice grains, allowing boiling water to penetrate the rice and cook it much faster than usual.

REFERENCES & RESOURCES Asian Food Grocer: Instant Microwavable Rice Minute: Our Products