Rice cooker IS optional if you have a microwave. Take a glass bowl - a largish one. Make sure that it has 3n the volume of the rice and water that you put in. Rice will expand 2n. Just to be safe have a 3n bowl. Add water like you regularly add. Put it in the microwave for 25-30 minutes depending on your rice. I live on rice and beans and this is how I make mine. This is a lot less messier than a rice cooker. But I am not sure about the energy considerations. How long on a rice cooker ?