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Measure the water. Most rice cooker instructions recommend cold water. How much water you add depends on what kind of rice you're cooking and how moist you prefer it. There are often graduated marks on the inside of a rice cooker, indicating how much rice and water should be added, or instructions on the package of rice. Alternatively, use the following suggested amounts depending on your variety of rice, but keep in mind you can always adjust these in future if you prefer your rice more chewy or soft:
White, long grain - 1 3/4 cups of water per 1 cup of rice (420 mL water per 240 mL rice)
White, medium grain - 1 1/2 cups of water per 1 cup of rice (360 mL water per 240 mL rice)
White, short grain - 1 1/4 cups of water per 1 cup of rice (300 mL water per 240 mL rice)
Brown, long grain - 2 1/4 cups of water per 1 cup of rice (520 mL water per 240 mL rice)
Sold as "parboiled" (not half-cooked at home) - 2 cups of water per 1 cup of rice
For Indian style rices like Basmati or Jasmine, less water is needed as a drier rice is desired, use no more than 1 1/2 cups of water per 1 cup of rice. Use only 1 to 1 if you washed the rice previously. It is ok to add bay leaves or cardamom pods directly to the rice cooker to enhance the flavor.