Air Fryer Cooking: Can You Cook Rice in an Air Fryer
For those who enjoy experimenting with new cooking methods, cooking rice in an air fryer is a bold and interesting experiment, but its effectiveness deserves discussion.
Can I make rice in an air fryer?
Yes, but you need some skills.
The hot air circulation of an air fryer is more suitable for baking or frying. When cooking rice, you need to use a container to lock in the moisture. It is recommended to use a heat-resistant deep bowl or a tin foil box. Keep the ratio of rice to water at 1:1.2, and seal it with tin foil.
First, bake at 100°C for 20 minutes. Then uncover the tin foil to check the moisture. If the rice grains are still hard, add a spoonful of water and continue baking for 5 minutes. Don't open the lid frequently during the process, otherwise the hot air will escape too quickly and the center of the rice may remain undercooked.
The rice cooked in an air fryer has more scattered grains and is suitable as the base for fried rice. If you want to improve the taste, mix the rice with oil before cooking or add half a spoonful of coconut milk. It will have a stronger aroma at high temperatures. If you prefer a soft and glutinous texture, it is still better to choose the traditional method first.
When cooking rice in an air fryer, you can bake vegetables or meat on the upper rack simultaneously. For example, put a few slices of pumpkin when the rice is almost cooked. This allows you to make two dishes in one go, saving time and electricity. Remember to use separate containers and prevent the liquid from dripping onto the rice.
What are the pros and cons of cooking rice in an air fryer?
Practical advantages:
It's extremely convenient when dining alone. You can cook a hot serving of rice in just 15 - 20 minutes without having to use large cookware.
What's most practical is that while cooking the rice, you can roast some vegetables or meat on the upper layer at the same time, saving both time and effort.
Main disadvantages:
To be honest, the texture of rice cooked in an air fryer is indeed less stable than that cooked in an electric rice cooker. The outer part of the rice tends to become hard, while the middle remains undercooked. Sometimes, a hard crust forms at the bottom. The operation is also rather troublesome; you need to check and stir it from time to time, and a slight imbalance in the amount of water added can lead to failure.
Cleaning is the most vexing part. The rice sticking to the bottom of the bowl is particularly difficult to wash off.
An air fryer can hold a maximum of 2 cups of raw rice. If you put more, the cooking will be uneven. So, it's more suitable for one or two people. It's not very appropriate for large families.
What type of rice works best in an air fryer?
I would highly recommend using long - grained rice, such as basmati rice or jasmine rice. These rices have a dry texture and are less likely to stick together after absorbing water, maintaining distinct grains under high - temperature hot air. You can also give brown rice a try, but it needs to be soaked for an additional 30 minutes and increase the amount of water to a ratio of 1:1.5.
Use short - grained rice and glutinous rice with caution
Sushi rice or rice from Northeast China is high in starch and tends to become sticky during cooking, unless you deliberately prefer a soft and glutinous texture. If you only have short - grained rice, wash it three times with clean water before cooking, drain it, and then mix it with a few drops of oil, which can slightly reduce the stickiness.
Leftover rice is also a great option
In fact, an air fryer is more suitable for reheating leftover rice. Spread the overnight rice evenly on tin foil, spray some water on it, bake it at 180°C for 5 minutes, flip it over and bake for another 3 minutes. The result will be looser than when reheated in a microwave, almost as fresh as just - cooked rice.
There are significant differences in the water absorption of different brands of rice. It's safer to conduct a small - scale test initially. For example, if you use one cup of rice with 1.2 cups of water and find that the rice is too hard after baking, adjust the ratio to 1:1.3 next time. Keep a record of each data point and gradually find the most suitable ratio for your air fryer and rice.
Should rice be pre-soaked before cooking in an air fryer?
No special tools are required. You can cook rice in an air fryer using the heat - resistant containers you already have at home.
If you don't have a suitable container on hand, you can also fold baking paper into a square box. Laying a layer of paper can prevent the rice from sticking to the pan, and it's also convenient to invert when taking it out. Remember to spread the rice grains evenly and not pile them too thick, otherwise the middle part is likely to be undercooked.
Should rice be pre-soaked before cooking in an air fryer?
If it is ordinary long - grained rice, soaking for 15 minutes is sufficient. Soaking allows water to penetrate the core of the rice grains in advance, making the rice cook more evenly during high - temperature baking. Especially for brown rice or old rice, soaking for more than 30 minutes can reduce the difference in hardness between the inside and outside of the rice grains.
Short - grained rice or glutinous rice is sticky by nature. Soaking these types of rice will cause more starch to leach out, and they are prone to clumping together after baking. These types of rice are more suitable for cooking directly without soaking. However, the amount of water should be reduced by 10% compared to that used in an electric rice cooker to prevent the rice from being too wet.
If you don't have time to soak the rice before cooking it on the spur of the moment, you need to add half a spoon more water. Halfway through baking, uncover the tin foil, quickly pour a small spoonful of hot water, and use chopsticks to stir the rice to make the grains heat evenly. The key is to keep it sealed to avoid rapid evaporation of water.
How do you prevent rice from drying out in an air fryer?
The key to preventing the rice from drying out lies in locking in the water vapor.
It is recommended to put the rice in a deep heat - resistant bowl. Fold the tin foil around the edges up twice to create a rim, and make sure the tin foil covering the top is firmly pressed down. When checking the seal, gently press the surface. If there is any looseness, immediately strengthen the edges.
Adjust the amount of water dynamically
New rice absorbs less water. Add water in a ratio of 1:1.1. For old rice, increase the ratio to 1:1.3. After 10 minutes of baking, observe the bottom of the bowl. If there are no water stains at all, quickly spray three or four fine misty drops of water on the surface using a spray bottle.
Leverage external humidity for better results
Place a small dish of lukewarm water at the bottom of the air fryer. Use the hot air circulation to carry the steam. Keep the water temperature at around 60°C to avoid boiling and splashing onto the rice container. This method is particularly effective for brown rice.
Let it ripen by cooling down
After the baking is finished, don't open the air fryer immediately. Unplug the power and let it stand for 8 minutes. The residual heat will cause the water to flow back to the dry parts. Once you open it, immediately fluff the rice from the bottom up with a rice spoon to allow the hot air from the bottom to reach the surface.
Emergency softening solution
If the rice is already on the dry side, while it's still hot, stir in shredded cheese slices or beaten egg liquid. Use the residual heat to make the ingredients blend. When reheating, set the temperature to 150°C, cover it, and bake for 3 minutes. The texture will improve significantly.
