I cook rice and pasta in the microwave alll the time. My best hint is to use a large round container so the pasta isn't stacked up too high. My container is atleast 20cm round. My microwave is 1200w and using cold water on the pasta I then cook it for 20 mins. This gets the water boiling. I tend to stop the cooking halfway and give it a good stir. Watch to see if the water is boiling and to check that the water isn't boiling away either. For rice I add enough water to reach abt 1.5/2cm above the rice and by the time the rice is cooked there is no water left. To avoid cluggy or sticky rice make sure you rinse it under water to get rid of the starch - when the water goes clear. Hope all of this helps.