Ninja Foodi Steamed Rice

Tonight I cooked some steamed rice in my Ninja Foodi 15 in 1. I've not used the Ninja rice cooker function previously but I was pleased with the results.

This post shows how to cook steamed rice in the Ninja Foodi 15 in 1 and offers an alternative solution to making steamed rice in a rice cooker. The method is suitable for both white or brown rice.

This is a money saving recipe this winter as you won't be needing to use a gas hob to boil your rice. However don't go out of your way to buy a Ninja Foodi to save on using gas, as that might be a false economy! You can use this method for other rice dishes so if you are looking for inspiration on what to eat with steamed rice you can find out here. This dish works really well with oven baked salmon or even a vegetarian katsu curry dish.

🍜 Ingredients to make steamed rice

There are only three ingredients in this recipe for steamed rice.

• Rice - There are so many variants of rice available but the basic types fall into a few categories, long grain, basmati, whole grain, brown rice being a few examples. In this method I show you how to cook white rice in the Ninja Foodi but the technique can be used for all other rice types too.
  
• Water - When adding water to rice the 2 to 1 method is recommended. This means for every 1 cup of rice you should use 2 cups of water. This method seems to be a fail safe option for all previous times I have cooked rice so stick with it. For some rice types, specifically the wholegrain and brown variety there can be a need to add a little more water as it absorbs into the rice more. Therefore if needing to add more water, do so 1 table spoon at a time.
  
• Salt - Basic table salt will suffice for rice dishes but you can also use coarse sea salt or Himalayan pink rock salt. All varieties offer a slight change in flavour so it really comes down to a matter of taste. When adding, a pinch of salt from a grinder is about one full turn of the grind wheel.

For the full ingredients and amounts, have a look at the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Washing rice

Take some time to wash your rice through before cooking. Depending how the rice is stored from both where it originates and also in any warehouses, it can pick up particles which you want to remove before cooking. You'll see if you rinse rice through that water will start quite cloudy but clear up the more you wash the rice.

👨🏻‍🍳 Instructions to make steamed rice

After you have washed the rice before cooking it then needs to be soaked. This will allow it to begin absorbing some water and make for a tasty rice dish. Before it goes in your Ninja rice cooker the rice should be left to soak for a good 15 minutes once rinsed.

Wash and rinse the rice and then leave to soak while you prepare vegetables and do any necessary chopping and dicing of ingredients.

I served this meal up with a cauliflower katsu curry we had left over from a previous recipe. It was a quick and easy tea and was ready in 10 minutes (after soaking).

Give this one a go to see how easy it is to make steamed fluffy rice in your Ninja Foodie.

🍚 Variations for rice options

There are some additions you can add to the method to give the meal a bit of a twist and mix it up a little.

Flavoured steam - Use vegetable stock or chicken stock as your rice water instead of regular boiling water. This will cook your rice with extra flavourings and make it less plain.

Keep in mind that if you are using this technique, the stock will contain salt so make sure to omit adding extra salt as per this regular recipe.

Spicy rice - Try adding some chilli flakes to the dish to give it a little kick. You can use dried chilli flakes or add in a half teaspoon of cayenne pepper or mild (or hot) chilli powder.

Turmeric - Adding turmeric to food is an eastern method to bring health benefits. Too much is not good for you but in the right amounts (I suggest a quarter to a half teaspoon) it will give you a golden yellow rice which looks amazing.

Pilau rice seasoning - This is a seasoning which can be purchased from the supermarket found in the herbs and spice aisle. Add a teaspoon of this seasoning for a pilau rice ready to serve. This rice works well served with chicken and naan bread.

Soy sauce - For a browner rice with some nice colour and soy flavour, add a tablespoon of light soy sauce for extras taste.

🍽 Equipment

The main piece of equipment in this dish is the Ninja Foodi 15-in-1 air fryer, steamer, instant pot type device. This is one of my best kitchen investments as I can do all kinds of meals in there from breakfast bacon to full loaves of bread. If you don't have a Ninja Foodie then you need to get one.

Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker

In simple terms: a pressure cooker works by trapping steam inside a sealed pot. As the steam builds, so does the pressure. And when you’ve got more pressure, you’ve also got more heat. That means your rice cooks faster and more evenly compared to just boiling it in a pan.

Now, if you’ve got a Ninja Foodi, the pressure cooker mode makes the whole thing a breeze. You put in your rice and water, seal the lid and let the pressure do its job. The steam penetrates every grain, giving you fluffy, perfectly cooked rice without having to hover over the stove.

Don’t skip the natural release at the end. Letting the pressure come down on its own for a few minutes helps the rice settle and stay light, rather than clumping together.

🥗 Serving suggestions

This is a great rice recipe to serve up along side a curry. Try my cauliflower katsu recipe as a dish to eat this with.