White Rice - Sensor Cook

I have to admit, I was skeptical.  Really, any kind of decent rice made in the microwave?  Well, I made some last night, and it was the BEST EVER!  I am officially retiring my rice maker!

I made some extra, which is what you see here, as I wanted to make some fried rice tomorrow, and cold rice works best for that.  The rice was fluffy and light -- no crunchy rice, no soggy rice, no clumpy rice -- just perfection!

The owner's manual gives these directions:

Add 1 cup of cold water for 1 cup of rice. 

Use a large glass pyrex bowl. 

Cover with vented (1 inch vent) plastic wrap. 

Rice doubles in volume during cooking. 

After the cooking time is over, stir before 

standing time, and then salt or add herbs and butter.

For this meal + leftovers I used 3/4 of a cup of rice and 3/4 of a cup of chicken stock.  This is the process I used:

2 hours before mealtime:

1.  Measure 3/4 c white rice into bowl.

2.  Cover with a lot of water.

3.  Let soak until time to cook.

At mealtime:

4.  Drain rice.

5.  Return to bowl.

6.  Add 3/4 c. cold chicken stock.

7.  Cover with clear wrap.

8.  Cut 1 inch slit in center with a sharp knife.

9.  Put bowl in upper oven.

10.  Select SENSOR COOK, then RICE.

11. Be patient.  It takes about 10 minutes, though I admit I didn't time it.  At some point it beeped and told me there were 4 minutes left.  

12.  Stir and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes.

I was using the rice as a base for a shredded pork topping, which was spicy, so I didn't add any butter or salt and pepper, but I would if this were a side dish.  

Why do I soak my rice before cooking?  I heard on a cooking show that arsenic is found in rice, and found this article:  "Should I worry about arsenic in rice?"   Any amount of rinsing and soaking helps, so I try to rinse and soak whenever I remember.

This article outlines a number of methods of cooking rice including microwaving:  "How to cook rice: Rinsing, soaking, and microwaving"   Important in this article was the point after cooking in the microwave, that you should let the rice rest for 5 minutes before using.  I think this is the "Standing time" referred to, but never defined, in the Samsung Owners Manual.