Instant Pot Basmati Rice

Perfectly cooked basmati rice done in the instant pot

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Instant Pot Basmati Rice

A step by step fail safe guide to make perfect fluffy basmati rice in the Instant Pot every single time.

Prep Time20

Cook Time4

Course: Sides

Cuisine: Indian

Servings:

Calories: 225kcal

Equipment

1 six quart Instant Pot
1 Tall trivet
1 tall stainless steel container ( 2 quart capacity)

Ingredients

1 cup Basmati rice
1.25 cups water
1 tsp Kosher Salt or adjust to taste

Instructions

Prep Work

If you are cooking a small quantity of basmati, then I highly recommend doing it using the pot in pot method. This method is ideal for cooking 1 to 1.5 cups of rice.
Follow these steps to prep the rice before cooking-
Measure the rice into a large bowl. Add water to this and rinse thoroughly. Rub the rice gently into the water using your hands to wash off starch.
Drain the washed rice into a colander and strain to remove all the water used for washing. Now, add the washed rice to a bowl. Soak the rice in twice the quantity of water for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, strain the soaked rice in a colander and get rid of any excess water.

Method 1-using pot in pot method

Insert the inner pot into the Instant Pot. Add 1.5 cups water. Place a tall trivet into the inner pot.
Now, place a tall container on the trivet. Add the soaked and drained rice to the container. Measure fresh water and add to the rice. Using a spatula, give it a gentle stir.
Ensure that the sealing ring has been fitted properly into the Instant Pot lid. Close the instant pot and turn the VALVE to SEALING.
Plug in the Instant Pot, press PRESSURE COOK- HIGH PRESSURE and set the timer to 4 minutes. Allow the cooking cycle to complete.
Once the cooking cycle has completed, do a quick pressure release after 10 minutes ( 10 minutes QPR) by turning the VALVE to VENTING.
Open the lid and let the rice sit for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, gently run a silicon spatula along the sides of the pot and fluff with a fork.

Method 2- Cooking directly in the inner pot

Cooking Basmati in the inner pot works beautifully if you are cooking more than 1.5 cups of rice.
Insert the inner pot into the Instant Pot. Transfer the soaked and drained rice into the inner pot.
Measure fresh water according to the quantity of rice and add it to the inner pot. Add salt at this stage if you prefer. Gently stir everything.
Ensure that the sealing ring has been fitted properly into the Instant Pot lid. Close the instant pot and turn the VALVE to SEALING.
Plug in the Instant Pot, press PRESSURE COOK- HIGH PRESSURE and set the timer to 4 minutes. Allow the cooking cycle to complete.
Once the cooking cycle has completed, do a quick pressure release after 10 minutes ( 10 minutes QPR) by turning the VALVE to VENTING.
Open the lid and let the rice sit untouched for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, gently run a silicon spatula along the sides of the pot and fluff with a fork.

Notes

Always rinse the rice 2 to 3 times to get rid of starch. This step helps in preventing the rice from clumping up.
Soak the Basmati rice in twice the quantity of water. For example, every 1 cup rice has to be soaked in 2 cups water.
Use a kitchen timer to prevent over soaking.
Pot in pot method works great for 1 to 1.5 cups Basmati rice.
If you are cooking more than 1.5 cups rice, then you can do it in the inner pot directly.
For al dente rice, use 1.25 cups water for every 1 cup of rice.
Softer grains of rice need 1.5 cups water for every 1 cup of rice.
If you happen to soak the rice for longer than 20 minutes, then you will need only 1 cup water for 1 cup rice.

For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes

Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.

Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Nutrition

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