Instant Pot Sona Masoori Rice- step by step guide to cook perfectly fluffy and separate grains of medium grain brown Sona Masoori, an aromatic medium grain rice. Most Indian families prefer this raw rice variety. Easy to cook, flavorful and widely available, Sona Masoori is a crowd-favorite.
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It is one of the most widely exported rice variety. It also happens to be one of the most consumed varieties. In this post, I will walk you through on how to cook brown Sona Masoori rice perfectly in the Instant pot and in the stove top pressure cooker.
From now on, simply say no to mushy brown rice.
Let us admit it. Making the switch from white rice to brown rice is akin to moving a mountain for Indians. Especially for south Indians who eat rice in some form or the other on an every day basis, the texture and taste of brown rice comes as a surprise.
And if your brown rice cooks to a mush, then the struggle is harder. Who does not love beautiful fluffy grains of rice, all separate and cooked to perfection, right?
And this is why buying the Instant Pot has been a game changer for me. Initially, it was a tad bit difficult because you need to get a hang of the timings and settings. But once you do, cooking rice or any staples like beans or dal in the Instant pot is a breeze. It gives you consistent results every time, making it a fantastic gadget well deserving of the counter space in any kitchen.
This post is a step wise guide to cook brown medium grain rice in the instant pot. I have used brown Sona Masoori. Use the table of contents below to navigate easily through the post. If you are in a pinch, scroll up and hit the jump to recipe button to get to the recipe card straight away.
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Ingredients
You only need four ingredients for this. Three, if you leave the water out. I have used 24 Mantra’s organic brown Sona Masoori. Please note that this method works only for brown Sona masoori rice and not for Brown Basmati rice.
While Costco Sona Masoori rice is very popular in the US, 24 Mantra Organic and Dawat Sona Masoori are popular in Singapore.
I have also included instructions on cooking sona masoori rice in the stove top pressure cooker in this post.
Please use a standardised measure to measure the rice and water. Using non standard measuring cups will not give you the same results. Also, measure your rice and water using the same measuring cup. In this post, 1 cup = 250 ml.
White vs Brown Sona Masoori Rice
Like most Indian families, we prefer eating white rice. But over the years, our choices have evolved and we are now aware of various benefits of eating whole grains like brown Sona Masoori. Brown Sona Masoori rice is unpolished, has more fiber and is lower in GI, making it diabetic friendly.
Why oil/ ghee?
We add oil or ghee while cooking brown sona masoori rice to keep the grains separate. The fat in the oil/ ghee prevents the rice grains from sticking to each other.
Ways to make brown rice flavorful and enjoyable
Many people who switch from white rice to brown rice find it difficult in the beginning and eventually give up. But that is because either the rice has not been cooked properly or it lacks flavor. Here are some ways to make brown rice more interesting.
- Add broth (vegetable/ chicken) instead of water to cook the rice. This makes it flavorful. The proportions remain the same but skip the salt.
- Add 1 tbsp Better Than Bouillon to the water while cooking the rice.
- Include herbs! Herbs like mint and basil give a beautiful aroma to cooked brown rice.
- Or try adding whole spices like cumin or bay leaf to flavor the rice.
- Make pilaf or biryani or salads instead of serving it plain.
- Last but not the least, follow this step by step guide to cook brown rice perfectly in the Instant pot every single time.
Accessories you need
For cooking rice in the Instant Pot, you will need a tall trivet, an Instant pot compatible stainless steel pot and the inner pot of the Instant pot.
We will be cooking the rice using the pot in pot method. I personally love this method because we can reuse the inner pot several times without having to wash it. And pot in pot cooking works perfectly well for cooking rice and dal.
Method
How to cook Sona Masoori rice in Instant Pot?
Pot in pot method
Place the rice in a colander. Wash this until water runs clear. Transfer the washed rice to an Instant Pot compatible tall, deep pot. I prefer using stainless steel pots for pot-in-pot cooking.
To the washed rice, add water, salt and ghee or oil. I love the flavor of cold pressed coconut oil in this.
Now, add 2 cups water to the inner pot of the Instant Pot. Place a tall trivet over this. Now, keep the rice pot over the tall trivet.
Sona masoori rice water ratio
If you are cooking the rice in Instant pot using pot in pot method, then you need 1.5 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice. Make sure you use the same measuring cup to measure both rice and water.
To cook Sona Masoori rice in a regular stove top pressure cooker, use 2 cups water for every 1 cup rice.
Cooking time and mode
Ensure that the sealing ring is fitted correctly inside the lid. Now, close the Instant pot and turn the valve to sealing. Switch on your IP. Press PRESSURE COOK – HIGH PRESSURE and set the timer to 20 MINS.
Allow the cooking cycle to complete fully. Now, wait for the pressure to release naturally. It takes roughly 25 mins for natural pressure release. Yes, its a bit too long but the wait is well worth it.
Once the pressure has released naturally,open the lid and gently fluff the rice with a fork. That’s it. Perfectly cooked brown sona masoori rice is ready.
Cooking brown rice directly in inner pot
You can also cook rice directly in the inner pot. To do this, wash the rice in a colander until water runs clear. Now, transfer the washed rice to the inner pot. For every 1 cup of brown Sona Masoori rice, you need 2 cups water if you are cooking the rice directly in the inner pot. Combine the rice water, salt and oil in the inner pot. Mix once.
Once you have added the water, place the inner pot in the Instant Pot. Ensure that the sealing ring is fitted correctly into the lid. Close the IP with the lid and turn valve to SEALING. Now, switch on the Instant pot.
Set the IP to PRESSURE COOK MODE- HIGH PRESSURE- 20 MINS. Wait for the pressure to release naturally. When pressure releases fully, open the lid and fluff the rice gently with a fork.
How to cook Sona Masoori Brown rice in pressure cooker?
Place the rice in a colander. Wash this until water runs clear. Transfer the washed rice to an tall, deep pot.
To the washed rice, add water. Now, to a deep pressure cooker, add 2 cups water, salt and ghee/oil. Mix well. Place the rice pot in the cooker. Ensure that the gasket is fitted properly into the lid of the cooker. Close the cooker. Insert the weight.
For every 1 cup of brown rice, you need 2 cups of water for pressure cooking in the stove top pressure cooker.
Pressure cook the rice on medium flame for 3 whistles. After 3 whistles, reduce the flame to the lowest. And cook for 5 more mins. During this 5 mins, there may or may not be more whistles. It does not matter. Just use a timer to keep an eye on the time.
After 5 mins, switch off the flame and wait for the pressure to release naturally. When the pressure has released, open the lid and fluff the cooked rice with a fork.
Serve hot.
How to cook white Sona Masoori rice in Instant Pot?
For every 1 cup regular polished white Sona Masoori, you will need 2 cups water.Follow the pot in pot method and cook the rice using the RICE PRESET MODE. Wait for the pressure to release naturally.
If your rice is old crop, you may need 2.5 cups water for every 1 cup water.
How to use Sona Masoori rice?
Sona Masoori uses are innumerable. You can use this,like how you would, regular white rice. Pair it with Sambar, Rasam or Kootu. You can also mix this with Thogayals or pickles and enjoy the meal with a Raita.
Other ways to use this aromatic rice is to make Sona Masoori Pilaf or toss them with veggies in a salad. You can also make some variety rice like curry leaves rice with cooked rice.
Recipe Notes
Do we need to soak brown medium grain rice before cooking?
No. You need not soak the rice. Since we are using the Instant pot and cooking on high pressure for 20 mins, soaking is not needed.
Why Instant pot?
Because brown rice cooked in the Instant pot comes out perfectly every single time. Not only this, it is much quicker than the open pan method.
Brown rice for babies
If you intend to introduce brown rice to your baby or toddler, then cook the rice for 25 mins. This will give you softer brown rice, which in turn will make it easily digestible.
Follow me on Instagram or Facebook for regular cooking updates and short videos. Find us on Pinterest for delicious content. Did our Instant pot method for cooking brown rice work for you? We value your thoughts and comments! Leave a comment and tell us how it worked for you. Email us your questions to anusapraj@gmail.com if you need any guidance in making this soup.
Explore more Instant Pot Recipes
Instant Pot Sona Masoori Rice
Equipment
- Instant Pot 6 qt
Ingredients
For Instant Pot Brown Sona Masoori Rice using pot in pot method
- 1 cup brown Sona Masoori rice
- 1.5 cups water
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp Oil or ghee
- 1 tsp Salt or to taste
For Instant Pot Brown Sona Masoori Rice in the inner pot directly
- 1 cup brown Sona Masoori rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
For pressure cooker brown Sona Masoori rice
- 1 cup brown Sona Masoori rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp oil or ghee
- 1 tsp Salt or to taste
Instructions
How to cook Sona Masoori rice in Instant Pot?
Pot in pot method
- Place the rice in a colander.
- Wash this until water runs clear.
- Transfer the washed rice to an Instant Pot compatible tall, deep pot.
- To the washed rice, add water, salt and ghee or oil.
- Now, add 2 cups water to the inner pot of the Instant Pot.
- Place a tall trivet over this.
- Now, keep the rice pot over the tall trivet.
Sona masoori rice water ratio
- If you are cooking the rice in Instant pot, then you need 1.5 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice.
- Make sure you use the same measuring cup to measure both rice and water.
Cooking time and mode
- Ensure that the sealing ring is fitted correctly inside the lid.
- Now, close the Instant pot and turn the valve to sealing.
- Switch on your IP.
- Press PRESSURE COOK – HIGH PRESSURE and set the timer to 20 MINS.
- Allow the cooking cycle to complete fully.
- Now, wait for the pressure to release naturally.
- It takes roughly 25 mins for natural pressure release.
- Once the pressure has released naturally,open the lid and gently fluff the rice with a fork.
Cooking brown rice directly in inner pot
- Wash the rice in a colander until water runs clear.
- Now, transfer the washed rice to the inner pot.
- For every 1 cup of brown Sona Masoori rice, you need 2 cups water if you are cooking the rice directly in the inner pot. Combine the rice water, salt and oil in the inner pot.
- Mix once.
- Once you have added the water, place the inner pot in the Instant Pot.
- Ensure that the sealing ring is fitted correctly into the lid.
- Close the IP with the lid and turn valve to SEALING.
- Now, switch on the Instant pot.
- Set the IP to PRESSURE COOK MODE- HIGH PRESSURE- 20 MINS.
- Wait for the pressure to release naturally.
- When pressure releases fully, open the lid and fluff the rice gently with a fork.
How to cook Sona Masoori Brown rice in pressure cooker?
- Place the rice in a colander.
- Wash this until water runs clear.
- Transfer the washed rice to an tall, deep pot.
- To the washed rice, add water, salt and oil. Mix once.
- Now, to a deep pressure cooker, add 2 cups water.
- Place the rice pot in the cooker.
- Ensure that the gasket is fitted properly into the lid of the cooker.
- Close the cooker.
- Insert the weight.
- Pressure cook the rice on medium flame for 3 whistles.
- After 3 whistles, reduce the flame to the lowest. Cook for 5 more mins.
- During this 5 mins, there may or may not be more whistles.
- It does not matter. Just use a timer to keep an eye on the time.
- After 5 mins, switch off the flame and wait for the pressure to release naturally.
- When the pressure has released, open the lid and fluff the cooked rice with a fork.
- Serve hot.
How to cook white Sona Masoori rice in Instant Pot?
- For every 1 cup regular polished white Sona Masoori, you will need 2 cups water.Follow the pot in pot method and cook the rice using the RICE PRESET MODE. Wait for the pressure to release naturally.
- If your rice is old crop, you may need 2.5 cups water for every 1 cup water.
Notes
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.
How to store leftover cooked brown rice?
To store leftover rice, transfer it to a fridge-safe container and refrigerate for upto 2 days.When needed to use, allow it to sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Steam for 5 mins in the Instant pot or a regular pressure cooker before using.
How to cook brown rice in Mealthy Multipot?
You can use the same method to cook Sona Masoori brown rice using the 6 qt Mealthy Multipot.
Hello
Can I use the same water measurement in rice cooker for cooking 24 mantra sonamasoori brown rice
Hi Aishwarya, I have not tested this recipe in a rice cooker since I do not have one dear. I m so sorry but I will not be able to tell for sure.