There are two ways of cooking white rice, okay, and perfect. If you are a beginner go with the okay method!

Stop whinging about a rice cooker...now! I don't use a rice cooker since all the ones I've seen have non-stick insides, and I believe non-stick coatings to be bad for you and your children. I want my genes to be passed on!

Pressure cooker preferred for the okay method. This is the method taught to me by my mother-in-law who was possibly the worlds worst cook, but the rice worked so I adopted it! I had already failed spectacularly with every other method, so this is the only method I used for many years.

No salt? I have never added salt to the rice,..works fine for my family! Rice is so delicious you don't need salt.

Rice in the Pressure Cooker - The Okay or Chalta hai method

You need
1 measure of rice - preferably basmati or masuri
2 measures of filtered water
A pressure cooker
A colander to strain the rice - a large strainer will do

Steps

1. Wash and clean rice thoroughly.
   Note: In India you must dry clean the rice, picking out stones, fluff etc, and tossing into the air a few times to blow away the dust.
   In all cases, you must wash the rice several times, till the water runs clear. How to wash rice? measure it, put it into a large bowl, fill with fresh filtered water and rub the grains, swirl water round and round, and change water several times.
   
2. Drain rice completely in the colander, ensure that every dripping drop of water has vanished.
3. Place in pressure cooker, and top up with the measured amount of water - exactly and precisely.
   Note:Use the same measure that you used for the rice. For example, if you used your favourite pink cup to measure out one cup of rice, use the same pink cup to measure out two cups of water.
4. Close the pressure cooker, and place on high heat. I hope you are cooking on gas?
5. When the steam from the vent is a steady strong stream, put on the weight, and wait.
6. Depending on the amount of rice, the pressure cooker will come to pressure in a minute or  two. As soon as it hisses loudly, or whistles, turn the heat off, and leave the rice to sit. Allow the pressure to drop completely before opening the cooker. Don't hurry this step - use the time to cut a salad, or make some papads!
7. Once the pressure has completely dropped..that is, there is no pressure at all when you gently push the weight (- not with your fingers please,  you will burn yourself!!!), open the cover, and your rice will be perfectly cooked!

Perfect Rice

You need
1 measure of Rice - Indian Basmati only
1.5 measures of filtered water
A large vessel with a tightly fitting lid
A colander

Steps

1. Wash and clean rice thoroughly.
   Note: In India you must dry clean the rice, picking out stones, fluff etc, and tossing into the air a few times to blow away the dust.
   In all cases, you must wash the rice several times, till the water runs clear. How to wash rice? measure it, put it into a large bowl, fill with fresh filtered water and rub the grains, swirl water round and round, and change water several times.
2. Leave rice to soak for 15 - 30 minutes, or whatever time you have. Drain completely, and place in cooking vessel.
   
3. Heat the measured water to boiling point.
4. Pour the boiling water into the drained rice, and place on the heat.
5. The rice will rapidly come to the boil. When there are little tunnels bubbling upwards through the rice, turn the heat to the lowest possible -  you can even move the vessel to the smallest burner - cover. If you are truly paranoid about tight covers, use a sheet of foil and then cover with the tightly fitting lid.
6. Set the timer to 10 minutes.
   
7. After 10 minutes, turn the heat off, and wait a minute greedyguts..
8. Take off the cover, and turn the rice out into a colander immediately. Or just take it to the table and dish it out to hungry children, random visitors and the like.