Step 1

Place 1.5 cups of white rice into a colander or a bowl and rinse under cold water 4-5 times; drain well. Don’t skip this step as the water rinses excess starch, preventing the rice from getting stodgy and sticky when cooked.

Step 2

Turn the Instant Pot on. Transfer the drained rice into the pot and pour in 2 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt (or chicken or vegetable stock with no extra salt).

Step 3

Secure and lock the lid; make sure that the pressure handle on the top is set to the Sealing position. Select Manual/Pressure Cook button and adjust the time to 4 minutes at HIGH pressure. After a few seconds, the ON sign will come on indicating that the pressure is starting to build (you might also hear 3 beeps on some models). The time of 4 minutes on HIGH works well for thinner Jasmine and Basmati rice; for slightly thicker long-grain or medium-grain white rice, you could do 5 minutes.

Step 4

It will take about 5 minutes for the pressure to build, during which the cooking already begins. Then, the 4-minute timer will begin. Once the timer ends, leave the Instant Pot uninterrupted for 3-4 minutes to release pressure naturally. Then use the steam-releasing knob to let off the remaining pressure (or move the pressure handle to Venting). If you let the pressure release naturally longer, the rice will keep cooking very slowly, however, it will not have any liquid to absorb so it might get a little stuck to the bottom.

Step 5

Carefully open the lid. Use a fork or a spatula to stir and fluff up the rice before serving as a side with your favorite meat or vegetable dishes.