Why do people use rice cookers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe something is wrong with me. I follow the directions, rinse, use a timer, let it sit, but it always comes out mushy. I’m otherwise a great cook. I’ve learned to do a basic basmati ok, but only if I’m making less than 2 cups dry. More than that and it starts to get inconsistent. I don’t have a rice cooker, I just do my best and don’t make it often. But I can see why others get them. Also good point PP makes about it freeing up the stove top

What are the directions you follow?

Perfect basmati rice:

Rinse rice (or not; I typically am too lazy and cook it unrinsed)
Rice in pot with water - 1 cup rice, 1.5/1.75 cups water
Bring to boil, let boil a minute, reduce heat to low and cover tightly
15-20 minutes later remove cover and fluff with rice spoon, preferably - if you overfluff the rice you will break the grains and make it mushy


A note about rinsing rice: if the rice is clean there is no real need to rinse, rinsing only reduces the arsenic content negligibly, and it will wash away a lot of the nutrients. I have tried both ways over the last few years that I've become a curry hound, and I don't notice any appreciable difference in taste nor in the texture of the finished rice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Persian rice does not take 10 minutes to make. And persian rice cookers make the tahdig or crispy rice at the bottom of the pot effortlessly.

Wait…you can do
That in a rice cooker?! There is a Persian rice cooker? Please share

Here is a link https://www.amazon.com/PARS-Automatic-Persian-Rice-Cooker/dp/B00SQPQKCS?th=1

You can buy it for less at the Persian gift shop next to Yekta in Rockville.

Equal amounts of rice and water, a bit of oil and salt. Select how crispy you want your tahdig and walk away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe something is wrong with me. I follow the directions, rinse, use a timer, let it sit, but it always comes out mushy. I’m otherwise a great cook. I’ve learned to do a basic basmati ok, but only if I’m making less than 2 cups dry. More than that and it starts to get inconsistent. I don’t have a rice cooker, I just do my best and don’t make it often. But I can see why others get them. Also good point PP makes about it freeing up the stove top

What are the directions you follow?

Perfect basmati rice:

Rinse rice (or not; I typically am too lazy and cook it unrinsed)
Rice in pot with water - 1 cup rice, 1.5/1.75 cups water
Bring to boil, let boil a minute, reduce heat to low and cover tightly
15-20 minutes later remove cover and fluff with rice spoon, preferably - if you overfluff the rice you will break the grains and make it mushy


A note about rinsing rice: if the rice is clean there is no real need to rinse, rinsing only reduces the arsenic content negligibly, and it will wash away a lot of the nutrients. I have tried both ways over the last few years that I've become a curry hound, and I don't notice any appreciable difference in taste nor in the texture of the finished rice.

PS - I cook rice, potatoes and pasta in distilled water only, never tap water. I have hard water and most municipal water is hard to some extent due to all the chemicals used in the treatment process. I've found it makes a world of difference cooking with distilled rather than tap or even 'spring' bottled water - which is just from someplace else's tap.

[Anonymous]

I have an old South Carolina/lowcountry rice steamer. It's fabulous. Rice is perfect texture. Even better than the electric rice steamers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do you need to understand or approve of what other people do in their own kitchens?

You sound argumentative!

She was asking and like me, will learn from the responses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Asians use rice cookers because there is a standard for perfectly cooked rice that rice cookers consistently meet

I think it’s less about standard for perfectly cooked rice, I am sure they’ve also perfected the method on a stovetop, and more a factor of quantities of rice that are bring prepared. If you ate as much rice op, and cooked it so often, you’d also invest in an appliance.

[Anonymous]

Because they eat a ton of rice (Asian) and want to be able to put it in and forget it.

My zojirushi I can program ahead of time. It is nonstick and never burns. I have often burned rice in a pot so prefer the rice cooker.

[Anonymous]

Another Asian who uses the rice cooker most of the time. I like it because I can turn on the rice cooker and then go and do something else, like make the main course. It makes it much easier to get everything to come out at the same time to serve hot and ready. I'm often juggling or timing 3-4 things to come out at the same time and one less thing to have to pay attention to that will be ready when I need it, is a plus.

Also, when I make fried rice (which my one son loves), the rice from the cooker has just the right moisture when cooked. Cook it, put it in a ziploc bag in the freezer and the next day it is ready to make fried rice. So, I can put the rice on, then we sit down to dinner. After we clean up from dinner, it's ready to freeze and I don't have to stand over the stove watching it.

[Anonymous]

Because rice on the stovetop absolutely defeats me.

And I'm a good cook. But I can't seem to get rice right with a pot of water on the stove.

Always a humbling moment.

[Anonymous]

For some reason I have better luck with jasmine rice so that is all I buy. I have a small kitchen and do not eat enough rice for a rice cooker though it would be nice to know the rice would be great every time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We wake up to freshly made hot steel cut oats every single morning. And we make rice about 2-3 times per month. For the past 20 years.

Do you use your rice cooker to make the oats?

Can an Instapot function as a rice cooker?

I have used mine to make rice, but still prefer my rice cooker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Persian rice does not take 10 minutes to make. And persian rice cookers make the tahdig or crispy rice at the bottom of the pot effortlessly.

Wait…you can do
That in a rice cooker?! There is a Persian rice cooker? Please share

Here is a link https://www.amazon.com/PARS-Automatic-Persian-Rice-Cooker/dp/B00SQPQKCS?th=1

You can buy it for less at the Persian gift shop next to Yekta in Rockville.

Equal amounts of rice and water, a bit of oil and salt. Select how crispy you want your tahdig and walk away.

I swore I would never buy another kitchen appliance, but this looks so awesome. Thank you!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe something is wrong with me. I follow the directions, rinse, use a timer, let it sit, but it always comes out mushy. I’m otherwise a great cook. I’ve learned to do a basic basmati ok, but only if I’m making less than 2 cups dry. More than that and it starts to get inconsistent. I don’t have a rice cooker, I just do my best and don’t make it often. But I can see why others get them. Also good point PP makes about it freeing up the stove top

If you rinse you need to take out a tablespoon of water from the package directions. Or I do at least.

[Anonymous]

Instant pot rice isn't good. I am in the market for an electric rice cooker. Anyone have recommendations?

[Anonymous]

Oh, no. You don't understand why 4.75 billion people use a rice cooker...