Rice Cooker?
#5342 - 04/07/03 03:41 PM
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H2
Reged: 02/28/03
Posts: 161
Loc: Ohio
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Hi all,
I was wondering who here has a rice cooker, and if they like it? My kitchen has it's share of time saving gizmos that I never use, so I thought I would ask what people think of their rice cookers. Are they easy to clean? And what brands do you have?
Also, can you cook sushi rice in a rice cooker? The directions that I have are such a pain:
Wash the rice.
Let the rice dry in a strainer for 30-60 minutes.
Put the rice on med-high until it steams (10 min).
Boil on high 2 min.
Cook on med low 5 minutes until you hear it crackle.
Let the lid remain on 15 more minutes.
Wrap the lid in a clean cloth and replace it for another 15 minutes.
If a rice cooker can turn out good sticky rice for sushi, that would make it worth it for me! 
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-h2
"Soluble fiber not included."
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My rice cooker has a place of honour in my kitchen. I make a batch at least once a week and buy rice in a 20lb bag (seriously!). I've had mine for over 5 years and it's still going strong. Just make sure you clean it really well every time so that no starch sticky is left on the bottom. Otherwise, it will burn and stick permanently. Seriously - for an IBS person, a rice cooker is a staple and a Godsend. Cold rice in the fridge keeps for a week and can be thrown into any casserole etc. or heated up or made into so many things in a hurry. It's convenient and safe to eat. I should mention that my Husband is half Filipino and in their family, "No meal is complete without rice." Needless to say, I fit right in.
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Formerly HanSolo. IBS, OCD, Bipolar, PTSD times 3.
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I had a rice cooker and loved it. Didn't bring it with me when I moved across country because I had so much other kitchen stuff. I like the non-stick ones best - easy to clean.
And for sushi rice - wow, those directions are amazing! I just take 1 cup short grain white rice (calrose brand), put it in the saucepan it'll cook in, rinse it and drain it a couple times under the faucet, then add 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to boil uncovered over high, then turn down asap to as low as the burner will go, cover, and let cook till done (about 15-20 minutes). Eat hot or cold. Sticky and perfect every time!
- Heather
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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I've had my rice cooker for about 10 years or so now. Okay--guess what? I just went and checked, because I store it in the original box & I always see the receipt for it in the bottom, and it says I bought it 4/10/93...10 years almost to the day! LOL How weird is that! 
Anyway, it still works great. I use it all the time. I've never had a problem with it. The brand is Oster. I've made sushi rice in it, as well as jasmine, brown, basmati, etc.--they all came out fine.
I definitely recommend one to anyone that eats a lot of rice! 
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I purchased a new one a few months ago, brand AROMA. It's neat because you cook the rice in the metal bottom and it has a steamer bowl at the top for your veggies. I cook both the rice AND the veggies at the same time that way. I think it was only $15, I got it at Robinson's-May but that style is everywhere, even under different names.
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Hi there!
I would definitely recommend a rice cooker! We literally make rice every day, and like HanSolo, buy the rice in 20lb bags (from an Asian Market...if you want good sticky rice, get the the calrose brand or kokuho rose....about $10 for 20 lbs and sooo worth it!). Just rinse the rice (about 10-15 seconds) and throw it in the cooker with an equal amount of water...and turn it on! Its done in about 15 mins.....It is sooo easy. And since we're both poor college students, we don't have the most expensive rice cooker -- it does the trick though! With a cheaper, non-stick one you just have to make sure and soak the pot after each use...otherwise it's a pain in the rear to scrape the bottom crusty layer out.
If you eat rice alot, then i would definitely recommend buying a rice cooker!
-chemegurrl 
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Heather
"Quod me Nutrit me Destruit"
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Thanks guys! I will definately put this on my list of things I need! And thanks also for the tips on the brands of sushi rice. 
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-h2
"Soluble fiber not included."
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Re: Rice Cooker?
#5504 - 04/08/03 08:53 PM
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jrs
Reged: 03/31/03
Posts: 317
Loc: Aberystwyth, Wales
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It's funny -- for a while there I thought I was the only one who bought the 20lb bags of rice.  Got the last one for $4, don't think that will happen again though.
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Hey guys, I've done some shopping, and boy is there a wide range of products! Everything from a $15 3-cup cooker to the Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy logic rice cooker. I sat myself down on the floor of Bed, Bath & Beyond and read all of their manuals. Except for the Zojirushi (which has settings for different types of rice and a time delay feature) none of the instructions had directions for different types of rice.
I know my Risotto rice calls for a 3:1 water:rice ratio, but other kinds are 2:1. My question is, if the rice cooker gives only one direction for all kinds of rice, how does it know if you want fluffy or sticky, risotto or sushi? Do you adjust the water yourself, and how do you know how much? So confused...  Is it just magic?
Thanks for your patience... Can you tell I am new to cooking?
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-h2
"Soluble fiber not included."
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Hi everyone!
I take it you are all talking about electric rice cookers?
I use a microwave rice cooker that I bought in the US a few years ago. It was about $10 I think, and I just put in the rice, 1 cup to 1.5 cups water then cook it for so many minutes according to how many cups are in it. It comes out perfect every time and I can shove the whole thing in the washing up! The only rice I cook separate is risotto, as you really need to stir it a lot to make it creamy.
BTW, can you cook rice in a slow cooker??
Sarah
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Sarah
Looking for inspiration...
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Hi H2-
Those are actually good questions, and I can understand how overwhelming it can be purchasing a rice cooker for the first time -- like any appliance there's such a wide selection!
I think the amount of water always stays the same for the rice cooker-- The different types of rice will just fluff up more or not depending on grain type/size. I always use one cup of water for every cup of rice (that may just be my rice cooker... I dont know, follow the directions for whichever you buy)....and the rice always turns out, no matter what kind (I have both rose rice and some generic regular brand). You may find that the amt of water may vary slightly from brand to brand of rice, but not too terribly much, and once you catch on you can make the necessary adjusments. Some people get so good they can just eyeball the amount of water, but I don't always get the best results that way --- and I've gotten to where I know the exact measurements using a measuring cup that I need for perfect rice everytime -- just takes practice to develop your own method
I don't know about risotto - I have actually never done that in my rice cooker, only on the stove. I'm surprised the cooker's instructions didn't say anything about it?
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Heather
"Quod me Nutrit me Destruit"
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Good question - I will do an experiment. I just got out my slow cooker and put rice and water in it. I will let you know what happens!
I didn't think about the stirring of the Risotto to make it creamy, duh. Guess there aren't shortcuts on that one.
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-h2
"Soluble fiber not included."
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I know that you lose a lot of heat when you open the lid, but I think I should have stirred it once.  The stuff on the top was really overcooked (kind of coming apart) and the stuff on the bottom was slightly al dente. It is edible, I think I will just make a sauce for it.
I was searching the board, and Sharon had a good recipe. web page
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-h2
"Soluble fiber not included."
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i have a black and decker rice cooker, but i don't have the manual, because my mom gave it to me when their foreign exchange student went back home to thailand.
whatever the rice package says to do as far as ratios, it what i do.
my jamine rice is 3c water/ 2c rice, and brown rice is 2c water/ 1c rice.
so i just go with the regular directions as far as water/rice, and it works.
beth
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Sarah
Looking for inspiration...
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Thanks Beth, that is exactly what I was wondering!
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-h2
"Soluble fiber not included."
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