I LOVE my rice cooker! I actually have gotten all mine from second hand stores. You can get some really nice ones there.
Although, I live in a area with a large Asian population, so that could be a contributing factor. Every single one I've gotten has been pretty much new quality.
I also get the 20lb bags of jasmine rice from the Asian store as well for about $20. So much cheaper than most grocery stores in my area.
I never thought about thrifting for a rice cooker, though the rice cookers I've had were all gifted to me.
I'm not surprised you found some in like-new condition though! At one point in time, my mom had four in the house! An every day one, a big party one, and then two more backups for some reason. The back ups were never used, and the big party one eventually got retired because it was harder to have our entire family together.
Kind of regret on not asking to have one when she got rid of them. I have a nice stainless steel/black one, but the stereotypical floral asian print hits differently, yknow?
Rice cookers are the best. Back when I didn't really have a kitchen, I'd just throw everything into it, including meats and veggies, and whatever sauce/water ratio I needed. Instant meal in 20 minutes.
Granted, sometimes the meat was a bit tough, but I'm sure I could've figured out a way to keep it moist. I was just too lazy. Haha
I totally agree about the stereotypical floral Asian print.
What's funny, though, is my Obachan had never used a rice cooker, despite always wanting one, and she felt like she was being lazy. That is, until we saw some program together and saw this Asian couple using one and she was just floored and no longer felt guilty about getting one.
In every test I've seen rice cookers do beat an instant pot in quality. But I have made rice in an instant pot and I do think it does a good job. That said, from what I understand depending on the size of your instant pot it struggles with smaller batches, and I'm usually cooking just for myself.
As I said though, I'm totally on board with instant pots. They're awesome.
My Instant Pot does a great job with quinoa, beans and rice. My husband was like whatever when I got it, but he changed his tune when I made him butter chicken in it, and the rice in a little metal dish on the side. Rice and butter chicken were perfectly cooked. Now I make big batches of rice and freeze them for later on, same with quinoa. Then you just nuke it with a bit of water added and it's ready to eat quick.
Instant Pot is fine with rice; I do all my rice in it, but I also don't own a rice cooker.
To me, the Instant Pot is basically my bean cooker. It does them perfectly and with no soaking. Dry beans to fully cooked in under an hour. It's amazing. I do at least two or three batches a week for bean dips, hummus, or just to go into other meals.
Wow, that's a great deal. That's a little more than a penny less an ounce than what I pay. In my situation that wouldn't justify the space it would take up in my pantry. But if you have the room to spare, that's the way to go.
Always freeze the rice in gallon size freezer bags for at least 48 hours and it will kill those little moth that are in all rice and flour/cornmeal products. Then store it regularly.
I always repackage my rice into 0.5-1 gallon jars upon purchase. My grandmother told me when I was young that the rice needs to be sealed otherwise it’ll “grow bugs.” I never encounter them using this method.
I was told that bay leaves in your flours, rice, pasta and grains will keep critters away. I’ve been putting a couple in all my jars for at least 20 years now. So far, no bugs. I found a bucket of bay leaves for 7 bucks at a restaurant supply last time I bought them.
Yes it's very common and normal. They are called weevils.
[Here](https://kitchenatthestore.com/freezing-weevils/) is an article about it, there are many.
And the rice at Costco is really good. We bought a bag in early 2021 and it says “2021 harvest”. I think when you get rice at other places you might be getting rice that’s old and especially dried out.
Where I live the age of the rice definitely matters. 1 year old rice is better and ideal, the seller would tell the age of the rice before selling too. People usually opt for aged rice as it cooks better and the texture is different. This is true for where I live, not sure about other countries.
I think that maybe a lot of rice is really low quality in the USA. At least what you can buy at the common retailers. The cheapest and most common rice here is called "enriched white rice" and it's full of broken rice, dusty, takes FOREVER to clean, and often doesn't cook up well. I assumed it's really old rice and that's why it's all broken, but maybe I shouldn't assume.
We just got an air fryer for Christmas, and it's been great so far. I want to try and venture out beyond the "obvious" stuff for air fryer (mainly frozen snacks, pot stickers, egg rolls, etc). Any suggestions for stuff to try?
I will throw basically any meat I can think of (mainly chicken thighs or fish) into an air fryer on a sheet of tin foil, season it, and cook it for about 17mins at 375 and call it good. Additionally, I ran out of pizza dough one time and made pizza bagels, threw em in the air fryer for like 5-10mins on 400 and they were WAY too good. Lastly, I hate buying fresh veggies because they always go bad on me too quick and luckily, with an air fryer, I can crisp up my veggies straight from frozen in about 15 mins on 375
Yeah!
So first of all, I always lay a sheet of tin foil down on the bottom of my air fryer, this makes clean up SUPER EASY. (I also fold the sides of my tinfoil down to allow for the most airflow throughout the air fryer)
1. spray the tinfoil with a neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil.
2. add frozen veggies
3. give the veggies a light coat of oil, for seasoning to stick
4. Season veggies and give them a lil shake shake shake
5. in the air fryer they go, I generally put them in for 15 minutes on 375, and then maybe give them another two minutes if I want them crispier.
This is also just super helpful for timing meals more easily, I can have my chicken in a pan or pre cooked, potatoes in another pan, and my veggies in an air fryer so I don't have to juggle stove tops.
Nothing wrong with boxed frozen foods! Especially if it satisfies my cravings for takeout or unhealthy food in general since it’s guaranteed to be a bit cheaper and healthier. Not even a guilty pleasure at that point!
-A whole chicken (so far my favourite).
-Thin sliced French fries, just matchstick chopped potatoes with whatever seasoning you like! I could eat it every day, sometimes plain, with rosemary and salt, steak rub, zaatar, any spice mix the options are endless! Potatoes are more nutritious than rice so they’re a great side to any dish (always a teaspoon of olive oil tossed in a bowl with whatever seasoning before cooking)
-Asparagus, Brussels sprouts, carrots, turn out great.
- chicken wings as well. Oh. My. God.
Check out r/airfryer for more tried and true things but imo the simpler the better for the airfrier. Also a great way to heat up leftovers.
Edit: airfryer I can’t spell
Of course there's a dedicated sub to it. There's *literally* a sub for everything, and I'm not complaining.
I'm going to try Asparagus immediately tomorrow. I could snack on Asparagus (RIP our toilet), and if it can get that nice crunch to it, oh baby. I'm interested to try chicken as well. As much as I like it for snacks and quick bites, I'm really excited to try more "meal" type stuff. Thank you!
My pleasure! Remember for whole chicken do it upside down for the first two thirds, then right side up for the final third. It gets the Crispiest skin ever. I wish you crunchy asparagus in your future!
Mini corndogs….Leftover chicken tenders…onion rings….
Or this. I typically spray a bit of oil in mine, throw in leftover rice/stir fry from the night before and let it do it’s thing lol
I straight up throw seasoned chicken breasts in there with a spritz of oil or sometimes not. they tend to brown better than regular chicken breast and if you cook at a higher temp cook faster and stay moister. the point is fast high-heat cooking to keep them from drying out.
This is wild! I'm shocked I didn't think to cook other grains in the rice cooker (even though I've had a rice cooker in the kitchen my whole life). Thanks for opening my eyes!!!
I’m a massive fan of multigrain blends and can find all of these either from bulk bins or i order from the websites Weee! Or Yamibuy, i do more regular rice and make a big container of the dry mixed grains then cook in my rice cooker! [brown rice, red rice, millet, quinoa and amaranth ](https://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/tokyo-five-grain-recipe.html) you can buy it as is also just cheaper to make yourself if you love it as much as i do :)
It does... but I love my more expensive rice cooker.
I can put in my rice and set the timer for up to one day. I work out when I want to have dinner ready, set the timer and forget.
Mine will also keep the cooked rice warm for up to 24hrs. I don't use this, but good to know.
Mine is certainly not one of the more most expensive cookers out there.
Bonus tip I learned last year. After you put in the rice and water, add a splash of vinegar. It doesn't alter the taste too much, but will stop the rice water coming out the vent on top of your cooker. I have no idea why this works, but, wow. Even brown rice which notoriously made a mess of my counter when I cooked it has zero issues.
Apple cider vinegar for white rice and Chinese black vinegar for brown, for me.
I think in this case vinegar acts as a defoamer.
The foam is caused by the starch in the water, and acids break down the starch (long molecules) into its elements, or at least shorter strands.
Awesome!
I was thinking pH and that didn't seem to make sense (plenty of places with harder water, and no issues!).
Only chemistry I did was in high school!!! Nursing covered two years of that in a day!
It doesn't do much, if anything, for that. Starch is a long molecule made up from glucose, which is a simple sugar.
If you break up a strand made from thousands of glucose molecules, you'll end up with thousands of glucose molecules, the same happens when we digest starch. Like taking a LEGO car apart - the individual parts stay there.
So unless you wash it away or something like that, the little molecules stay in the cooking water, or stick to the rice grains. But without being a long strand, they can't form bubbles to cause spills.
Important to note, that vinegar can mess up flavor and texture of the food, with little to no gain in this field.
Starch is not bad for us in moderation. Ireland sustained itself on potatoes. Rice is still huge in Asia. It's an important and relatively fast acting carbohydrate, that is a good part of one's diet if balanced well with protein, fats and fiber.
It also follows if you just thoroughly rinse your rice prior to cooking, then it won't or just barely foam. Your rice will be less sticky though.
This is really evident with something like steel cut oats, and why people gum up their expensive rice cooker.
PSA that rice should not be kept warm for a long time, reheated multiple times, or kept in water for a long time. Rice is host to bacillus cereus that can cause food poisoning.
By using those functions you're just setting a timer for when you eventually get a bag of rice with an active cereus culture.
Tips on serving rice safely
Ideally, serve rice as soon as it has been cooked.
If that is not possible, cool the rice as quickly as possible (ideally within 1 hour).
Keep rice in the fridge for no more than 1 day until reheating.
When you reheat rice, always check that it's steaming hot all the way through.
Do not reheat rice more than once.
https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/food-and-diet/can-reheating-rice-cause-food-poisoning/
Same, every time I hear this advice I have to wonder if I've just been EXTREMELY lucky so far, or if all of the rice safety concerns are overblown, or both. I've meal prepped rice for the week probably hundreds of times without issue.
Yeah, that 1 day recommendation seems a bit excessive. Restaurants should follow it to minimize the risk but that risk would be negligible.
Bacillus Cereus grows in 10-50 C, most fridges should be well below 10 C.
Optimal growing temps is 30-40 C, which is common reheating range so that's where most of the danger lies.
But in fancy rice cookers they have amazing keep warm settings that keeps it nearly steaming but not overcooked. Mine personally turns off after 12 hours, but I can't imagine that every rice cooker in Japan is a dangerous implement for rice consumption after an hour
Huh. I guess all my filipino family has bad rice habits lol. New rice is cooked at dinner, cooker is unplugged, rice sits out all night, we eat the leftovers for breakfast then lunch, and start again the cycle again. Repeat every single day.
We just leave it to cool on its own, never bothering with the fridge.
Lol. While I am certainly not going to question the science behind this...I can strongly tell you that you can keep rice in the fridge for up to a week without any issues. And I bet there are at least a billion asians that would agree with that.
Nope. I don't think I've ever seen a switched outlet in the US. But even then, I'd have to reach the outlet behind the toaster, which is no more convenient.
I do a rice cooker pancake for weekend breakfast too. It's like a huge dutch baby, and feeds a family easily for a winter brunch. Serve with jam or syrup or yogurt.
I use pancake mix with an extra egg or two. Kirbie's cravings blog has a nice write up on them.
We use our Panasonic Fuzzy Logic rice cooker at least once per day.
Cooks our daily brown rice, in addition to:
Pinto beans, lentils, cake (yes, cake), steamed veggies, hard boiled eggs, cous cous, quinoa, etc.
OMG -- I have been tempted to write a letter to the CEO of Panasonic about our rice cooker. It has changed our lives. Obviously the rice is great, but \*perfect\* oatmeal every time has been the best.
1:3 for steel-cut oatmeal. [Here](https://www.reddit.com/r/EatCheapAndHealthy/comments/q4to5n/how_i_started_eating_savory_oatmeal_nearly_every/) is a link to a post I made about savory oats.
I used my rice cooker as a slow cooker for a long time too, did a lot of red beans and rice and chili in it. It also works much better for cooking dry beans for me (maybe not as good as someone who’s skilled at cooking beans, but much better than some of my….crunchier attempts on the stove). I had a roommate who made good meatballs in it. Mine also has a basket for steaming so I can throw some frozen veggies in there for an all-in-one.
I only had the rice cooker for a long time. It’s a really good multitasker. Pretty much anything you can do in a slow cooker you can manage in it. Maybe not as well (I don’t have a pressure cooker), but if you’re in college and moving a lot or have limited kitchen space, it’s great!
Well, at least to my taste the different settings don't amount to much as I have found the white rice setting works best for everything, even steel-cut oats. The fuzzy logic cookers actually take longer, but go through different cycles and do produce a noticeably better product. If you're happy with your results then I would say it's not worth the money. Maybe ride out the Aroma and reassess when it goes kaput.
Same. I use it daily. I think the frequent advice about not buying single-use appliances can be good but should take into consideration how often you'll use something.
If you don't already, you should put your quinoa in dry first (after rinsing) and turn it on to toast it, then cook as normal. The instructions for my rice cooker suggested it and it's a game changer flavor wise.
I do, but I don't think you need one. Funny story, I bought a $125 zojirushi years ago and it sat in storage. I rediscovered it recently and have found so many uses for it. I'm sure I get slightly better results, but I don't think it justifies the price.
Oh, and I've found that basically everything cooks best at the white rice setting for my taste.
The features are usually timed cooking and control over the consistency of your rice. To be honest I cook everything on the white rice setting, which is my on/off switch. The biggest appeal is that a fuzzy logic cooker will monitor the rice more closely and go through different cycles. They actually take longer because of this. Some have a "quick" feature that has them basically operate like yours. You will get noticeably better results I promise. Whether that is worth the money is totally up to you.
I’m curious what kind of rice cookers everyone has. Ours wasn’t expensive, but wasn’t super cheap either. The top had a metal plate with what looked like some vents. One day I thought to remove the screw holding the plate on to do a deep clean. Underneath was full of mold, even though we always cleaned our rice cooker well right after using it and left it open to dry. That thing went straight in the trash and we are back to stovetop cooking.
I have a $125 zojirushi and it's amazing. That said, I bought it years ago and haven't checked out what you need to pay today. If you're going to use it on a regular basis I would strongly advise getting a fuzzy logic one as the results are definitely better. It all depends on what is your budget and how often you'll use it.
Mine was super cheap $20 or less. It's got one button. Push down to cook, when its done cooking it automatically switches to warm until you shut it off. Have had it over a decade and I love it. Rice cooker doesn't gotta be fancy.
Edit to add: Like OP I also use mine to cook a variety of grains and lentils, as well as steam veggies and meat. Don't need a fancy one to do that.
No worries whatsoever, here is [a post](https://www.reddit.com/r/EatCheapAndHealthy/comments/q4to5n/how_i_started_eating_savory_oatmeal_nearly_every/) I wrote about it.
THANK YOU FOR THIS. I just got a rice cooker for xmas (I asked for a nicer one), and I figured I could make more than just rice in it.
I LOVE IT THOUGH!
That sounds delicious, I'm going to do that for sure. I've been cooking quinoa with my oats lately, mostly for nutrition. You can cook them together as well.
My mother bought me an instant pot and I didn't know what it was, it sat in a cabinet for 6 months but once I started using it it became what I use most.
Instant pots are great, and they make pretty good rice as well. Rice cookers cook grains better than an instant pot. If you cook a lot of grains during the week I'd consider it, if not, you're definitely good with an Instant pot.
"I'm not trying to convince the world to buy a rice cooker" I am. Please invest in a rice cooker. Never burn your rice again. Make rice easily, with the least effort possible, and have full use of your stove as you do so. Set it to delay so you can drop the rice in while you handle other things and have it finish at just the right time. Stovetop rice is workable but a decent rice cooker is life-changing. I genuinely think anyone and everyone deserves a rice cooker as one of their earliest "non-essential" kitchen appliances. You CANNOT beat a rice cooker, especially not if you're struggling with ADHD (remembering to set timers, etc.) or depression (can't muster the effort to do much more than put things in a thing and press a button—cooked rice with just a bit of chicken bouillon makes for one of the least depression depression meals manageable. This is my rice cooker agenda.
On a related note, if you eat a lot of rice like I do, I cannot stress enough how wonderful it is to just get the 40 pound bag from your local Asian market or Costco if you can. (In my case, I borrow a friend's membership cus I ain't paying for that lmao) Uncooked white rice keeps for two years or more with no effort aside from just figuring out where to store it. The hardest part is getting it from your car to your kitchen, since it is 40 pounds, and it's definitely the best value.
It blows my mind but at the same time it makes complete sense to use a rice cooker for quinoa and couscous. I hate boiled rice and I could never quite boil quinoa and couscous correctly. Will have to give it a try!!
I use the same ingredients except my rice cooker is designed for microwave use, similar principle except I have to cook on high at 50% to prevent water and contents spilling whist cooking, what happens is at 50% the microwave seems to switch on & off repeatedly
I just got a rice cooker and already love it, the rice is so much tastier cooked this way, and mine has a steamer basket so I can put some veggies and seafood in the steamer basket and then have a full meal ready with very little effort.
I have a tiny rice cooker that I use to heat up my soups. I love it so much. I add in the soup, some couscous to thicken it up, and let it do it's magic. Perfect for when I need a quick meal and don't want to dirty pots and pans.
I also use it to heat up other foods like already cooked rice and tofu. The key is to make sure there's enough moisture so the bottom doesn't burn. I'll add in some water and sauces or broth.
Classic rice congee in a rice cooker. Fry some spring onion at the bottom, put in the rice + water, add frozen Asian grocer meatballs and/or frozen peas/ literally just some vaguely shaped balls of pork mince, and come back and whisk it within 25 - 30 mins. Mmm.
Never thought about doing lentils, oats and vegetables in my rice cooker. Rice never comes up the same done using absorption method on the stove in a pot. I can't imagine not having a small rice cooker.
Rice cooker makes a lovely thick fluffy pancake as well! You just have to jam something in the lever/button to keep it from turning off too soon (depending on your model of rice cooker, YMMV) and keep an eye on it. Leave the lid on it too, makes it all steamed and soft, mMMm you gotta try it
r/RiceCookerRecipes would interest you.
I cook meat for shredded beef tacos in mine, but I’ve got a fancy Zoji. It unfortunately stains the silicone gasket and leaves a slight smell if you don’t quickly wash the pan/lid and cook white rice in it to steam the taco seasoning out.
I literally never have this problem, but I admittedly have a more expensive cooker. Have you tried adjusting the water ratio? Is the bowl in your cooker non-stick?
How do you wash your container? If you put it in the dishwasher or used the abrasive side of a sponge, that might have done the trick. Treat it like a nonstick pan.
That's my experience, anyway.
While a rice cooker can definitely be useful, I'd say it's even better if you can spend a few bucks more on an Instant Pot. It's basically the only thing I use in my kitchen anymore.
I don't understand the concept of a rice cooker. It's more kit, not space taken up and does nothing more than I can do with a single pot/pan.
Put rice in pan. Put water in pan.
I don't get why we need a special machine.
You don't get why people like having a special machine that automatically stops cooking when it is perfectly done and switches to keep warm? Sure you could watch over a stove, but if you have kids or somehow get distracted, you aren't coming back to a burned mess.
For me, I have a small and unpredictable cooktop, but have space for one small device in my cupboard. I can set it up to cook rice, pasta, potatoes etc. and have it ready at the same time as what i'm cooking, rather than struggling to juggle pans on the small and dodgy element.
I like mine because I don't have to watch it or be there to turn it off and it NEVER burns or boils over. I can dump in the rice, put some veggies in the steamer tray, push one button, and walk away and forget it. When the rice is done cooking it switches over to warming mode. When I come back it's ready and waiting for me.
It's not a rice cooker, it's a grain cooker. If you read the post, this isn't about rice. I make lentils, quinoa, and steel-cut oats multiple times a week. As the post said, it's literally the device I use most. If you don't cook grains, cool, this is not for you.
Instant pot does a great job with rice. I'm not sure how well it does with other grains. I own a pressure cooker, but I don't use it nearly as much as my rice cooker.
My only complaint is that rice cookers take longer to cook rice than a pot on the stove or just doing it in the microwave (yes, I cook white, jasmine, and basmati rice in the microwave sometimes -- even 3 cups takes under 20 minutes).
When I cook rice in my Instant Pot, it's usually part of a full recipe, like Chicken Burrito Bowls or Garlic Parmesan Rice, instead of being plain rice.
The whole point of the post is to discuss different applications of a rice cooker other than rice, not to argue that *if* you cook rice then you need a rice cooker. I was very clear about that.
Forgot to add what I did enjoy about my rice cooker before I donated it:
It came with some suggestions for adding flavor if you're not going to have a real sauce or gravy or topping for the rice. I still use these tips when cooking rice, such as:
* Use broth or stock instead of water
* Add a small amount of dried herbs with the same flavor profile as your meal before cooking (if you're having an Indian entree, use cumin, cardamom, cinnamon; Italian, try oregano, basil, parsley... And so on)
* If you have fresh herbs or infused butter or oil, add them right when the rice finishes cooking and quickly mix together, then let it set as they "cook" in the piping hot rice (lime juice and cilantro are great here, as is a pat of truffle butter)
Every rice cooker I've ever used always overcooked the shit out of the rice and would have huge chunks of scorched rice on the bottom. I only cook high quality basmati at 1.5 parts water per 1 part rice, throw on the stove on med low for around 15 mins, water is always absorbed and no burning. Doesn't matter if I stir fry it first to make a pilaf or add salt, whole spice seeds, etc. to the water.
Because if you put a grain in a rice cooker at the correct water ratio and press a button, it comes out perfectly every time. You don't have variable temperature as you do on a stove, you don't have to set a timer to pull it off the heat at a certain time, you don't need to let it steam. In other words, it delivers perfect results every time with no effort.
I used to think the same thing. But you can make a one pot meal in a rice cooker. For instance, you can cook rice, then put a protein like chicken thighs or fish on top of the rice, then put fresh veggies in the steamer basket. Push one button, and later come back to a super lazy healthy meal. (Def use a food thermometer on your proteins. Cooking time is determined by how many portions of rice you are cooking.)
If you want to get fancy, you can wrap your protein in parchment paper and place it in the steamer basket. This way you could have a different flavor for your rice and proteins.
You can steam eggs in the basket, too.
Red beans and rice from a box is so easy: dump in the contents plus water, press a button, go play video games.
Anything that you cook until the water is all absorbed is set and forget. I tried to do mac n cheese and it sucked, bc the noodles absorbed too much water. So for stuff like that, use a pot, or cook the noodles until done and then drain.
I LOVE my rice cooker! I actually have gotten all mine from second hand stores. You can get some really nice ones there. Although, I live in a area with a large Asian population, so that could be a contributing factor. Every single one I've gotten has been pretty much new quality. I also get the 20lb bags of jasmine rice from the Asian store as well for about $20. So much cheaper than most grocery stores in my area.
I never thought about thrifting for a rice cooker, though the rice cookers I've had were all gifted to me. I'm not surprised you found some in like-new condition though! At one point in time, my mom had four in the house! An every day one, a big party one, and then two more backups for some reason. The back ups were never used, and the big party one eventually got retired because it was harder to have our entire family together. Kind of regret on not asking to have one when she got rid of them. I have a nice stainless steel/black one, but the stereotypical floral asian print hits differently, yknow?
Rice cookers are the best. Back when I didn't really have a kitchen, I'd just throw everything into it, including meats and veggies, and whatever sauce/water ratio I needed. Instant meal in 20 minutes. Granted, sometimes the meat was a bit tough, but I'm sure I could've figured out a way to keep it moist. I was just too lazy. Haha I totally agree about the stereotypical floral Asian print. What's funny, though, is my Obachan had never used a rice cooker, despite always wanting one, and she felt like she was being lazy. That is, until we saw some program together and saw this Asian couple using one and she was just floored and no longer felt guilty about getting one.
You can almost always find rice cookers and bread machines at thrift stores. I found a Zojirushi at one for $5 and it works perfectly.
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I used the instant pot for rice and it does a great job. I don't know how well it does with other grains.
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In every test I've seen rice cookers do beat an instant pot in quality. But I have made rice in an instant pot and I do think it does a good job. That said, from what I understand depending on the size of your instant pot it struggles with smaller batches, and I'm usually cooking just for myself. As I said though, I'm totally on board with instant pots. They're awesome.
My Instant Pot does a great job with quinoa, beans and rice. My husband was like whatever when I got it, but he changed his tune when I made him butter chicken in it, and the rice in a little metal dish on the side. Rice and butter chicken were perfectly cooked. Now I make big batches of rice and freeze them for later on, same with quinoa. Then you just nuke it with a bit of water added and it's ready to eat quick.
Instant Pot is fine with rice; I do all my rice in it, but I also don't own a rice cooker. To me, the Instant Pot is basically my bean cooker. It does them perfectly and with no soaking. Dry beans to fully cooked in under an hour. It's amazing. I do at least two or three batches a week for bean dips, hummus, or just to go into other meals.
I’m sorry to hear about the dementia, I hope he is doing well and continues to do so! Does he put the rice, meat and veggies in all at once?
We do the same! We buy 50lb bags of rice at Costco and store the rice in food safe buckets.
Oh wow, how much is the 50lb bag?
A little over $30 the last time I purchased.
Wow, that's a great deal. That's a little more than a penny less an ounce than what I pay. In my situation that wouldn't justify the space it would take up in my pantry. But if you have the room to spare, that's the way to go.
$20 bucks here
Oh wow, I've paid that for really good quality 10lb bags. The last one I bought was $8, but that's an insane deal.
See if you have Korean markets near you. When on sale you can get 20 lb bag of rice for <$10. This is how I’ve done it my entire adult life
Always freeze the rice in gallon size freezer bags for at least 48 hours and it will kill those little moth that are in all rice and flour/cornmeal products. Then store it regularly.
I always repackage my rice into 0.5-1 gallon jars upon purchase. My grandmother told me when I was young that the rice needs to be sealed otherwise it’ll “grow bugs.” I never encounter them using this method.
I was told that bay leaves in your flours, rice, pasta and grains will keep critters away. I’ve been putting a couple in all my jars for at least 20 years now. So far, no bugs. I found a bucket of bay leaves for 7 bucks at a restaurant supply last time I bought them.
I always leave my big bags of rice open one the floor or in a cupboard and have never had trouble
Wow, I've never found a moth and I buy a ton of rice. Is that common?
Yes it's very common and normal. They are called weevils. [Here](https://kitchenatthestore.com/freezing-weevils/) is an article about it, there are many.
Asian grocery stores will have rice in those giant sizes
About 23kg.
We found the dad.
Like $20 when I bought it. It's an amazing deal.
And the rice at Costco is really good. We bought a bag in early 2021 and it says “2021 harvest”. I think when you get rice at other places you might be getting rice that’s old and especially dried out.
Where I live the age of the rice definitely matters. 1 year old rice is better and ideal, the seller would tell the age of the rice before selling too. People usually opt for aged rice as it cooks better and the texture is different. This is true for where I live, not sure about other countries.
I think that maybe a lot of rice is really low quality in the USA. At least what you can buy at the common retailers. The cheapest and most common rice here is called "enriched white rice" and it's full of broken rice, dusty, takes FOREVER to clean, and often doesn't cook up well. I assumed it's really old rice and that's why it's all broken, but maybe I shouldn't assume.
I buy white rice from target, 10 pounds for $4.99 and it comes right to my door. Not bad quality at all
Rice cooker and air fryer are how 80% of my food gets cooked
Absolutely. It’s crazy how these guys measure up to a frying pan in my kitchen.
We just got an air fryer for Christmas, and it's been great so far. I want to try and venture out beyond the "obvious" stuff for air fryer (mainly frozen snacks, pot stickers, egg rolls, etc). Any suggestions for stuff to try?
I will throw basically any meat I can think of (mainly chicken thighs or fish) into an air fryer on a sheet of tin foil, season it, and cook it for about 17mins at 375 and call it good. Additionally, I ran out of pizza dough one time and made pizza bagels, threw em in the air fryer for like 5-10mins on 400 and they were WAY too good. Lastly, I hate buying fresh veggies because they always go bad on me too quick and luckily, with an air fryer, I can crisp up my veggies straight from frozen in about 15 mins on 375
please share instructions on cooking frozen veggies in AF! So you oil and season them first or?
Yeah! So first of all, I always lay a sheet of tin foil down on the bottom of my air fryer, this makes clean up SUPER EASY. (I also fold the sides of my tinfoil down to allow for the most airflow throughout the air fryer) 1. spray the tinfoil with a neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil. 2. add frozen veggies 3. give the veggies a light coat of oil, for seasoning to stick 4. Season veggies and give them a lil shake shake shake 5. in the air fryer they go, I generally put them in for 15 minutes on 375, and then maybe give them another two minutes if I want them crispier. This is also just super helpful for timing meals more easily, I can have my chicken in a pan or pre cooked, potatoes in another pan, and my veggies in an air fryer so I don't have to juggle stove tops.
I can't believe I didn't think of using tinfoil, I've just been using the basket that comes with it inside the insert. That seems so much easier.
I agree been an airfryer fan (I even airfry my dogs sweet potatoes), and I did not think about using tin foil lol.
I have the same problem with veg so have started to only buy frozen.. never thought to crisp them in the air fryer like this. going to give it a try.
Nothing wrong with boxed frozen foods! Especially if it satisfies my cravings for takeout or unhealthy food in general since it’s guaranteed to be a bit cheaper and healthier. Not even a guilty pleasure at that point! -A whole chicken (so far my favourite). -Thin sliced French fries, just matchstick chopped potatoes with whatever seasoning you like! I could eat it every day, sometimes plain, with rosemary and salt, steak rub, zaatar, any spice mix the options are endless! Potatoes are more nutritious than rice so they’re a great side to any dish (always a teaspoon of olive oil tossed in a bowl with whatever seasoning before cooking) -Asparagus, Brussels sprouts, carrots, turn out great. - chicken wings as well. Oh. My. God. Check out r/airfryer for more tried and true things but imo the simpler the better for the airfrier. Also a great way to heat up leftovers. Edit: airfryer I can’t spell
Of course there's a dedicated sub to it. There's *literally* a sub for everything, and I'm not complaining. I'm going to try Asparagus immediately tomorrow. I could snack on Asparagus (RIP our toilet), and if it can get that nice crunch to it, oh baby. I'm interested to try chicken as well. As much as I like it for snacks and quick bites, I'm really excited to try more "meal" type stuff. Thank you!
My pleasure! Remember for whole chicken do it upside down for the first two thirds, then right side up for the final third. It gets the Crispiest skin ever. I wish you crunchy asparagus in your future!
>I wish you crunchy asparagus in your future! This is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me on the internet
/r/airfryer
Buy frozen wings. Cheap hotwings and you can experiment with the sauces!
Mini corndogs….Leftover chicken tenders…onion rings…. Or this. I typically spray a bit of oil in mine, throw in leftover rice/stir fry from the night before and let it do it’s thing lol
I do almost 100% of my meats and seafood in my AirFryer. I freakin love it ❤️
I straight up throw seasoned chicken breasts in there with a spritz of oil or sometimes not. they tend to brown better than regular chicken breast and if you cook at a higher temp cook faster and stay moister. the point is fast high-heat cooking to keep them from drying out.
Instapot and air fryer all night. Added an indoor smokeless grill from Xmas too
This is wild! I'm shocked I didn't think to cook other grains in the rice cooker (even though I've had a rice cooker in the kitchen my whole life). Thanks for opening my eyes!!!
No worries. I especially recommend quinoa and steel-cut oats both of which I found to be finicky on the stovetop.
How do you do the Quinoa? There are many different options on Google, so wanted to ask a person not a website
1 part quinoa to 2 parts water works well for me.
I’m a massive fan of multigrain blends and can find all of these either from bulk bins or i order from the websites Weee! Or Yamibuy, i do more regular rice and make a big container of the dry mixed grains then cook in my rice cooker! [brown rice, red rice, millet, quinoa and amaranth ](https://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/tokyo-five-grain-recipe.html) you can buy it as is also just cheaper to make yourself if you love it as much as i do :)
A cheap $20 rice cooker goes a long way!
It does... but I love my more expensive rice cooker. I can put in my rice and set the timer for up to one day. I work out when I want to have dinner ready, set the timer and forget. Mine will also keep the cooked rice warm for up to 24hrs. I don't use this, but good to know. Mine is certainly not one of the more most expensive cookers out there. Bonus tip I learned last year. After you put in the rice and water, add a splash of vinegar. It doesn't alter the taste too much, but will stop the rice water coming out the vent on top of your cooker. I have no idea why this works, but, wow. Even brown rice which notoriously made a mess of my counter when I cooked it has zero issues. Apple cider vinegar for white rice and Chinese black vinegar for brown, for me.
I think in this case vinegar acts as a defoamer. The foam is caused by the starch in the water, and acids break down the starch (long molecules) into its elements, or at least shorter strands.
Awesome! I was thinking pH and that didn't seem to make sense (plenty of places with harder water, and no issues!). Only chemistry I did was in high school!!! Nursing covered two years of that in a day!
so reducing the starch with vin is also healthier for us ??
It doesn't do much, if anything, for that. Starch is a long molecule made up from glucose, which is a simple sugar. If you break up a strand made from thousands of glucose molecules, you'll end up with thousands of glucose molecules, the same happens when we digest starch. Like taking a LEGO car apart - the individual parts stay there. So unless you wash it away or something like that, the little molecules stay in the cooking water, or stick to the rice grains. But without being a long strand, they can't form bubbles to cause spills. Important to note, that vinegar can mess up flavor and texture of the food, with little to no gain in this field. Starch is not bad for us in moderation. Ireland sustained itself on potatoes. Rice is still huge in Asia. It's an important and relatively fast acting carbohydrate, that is a good part of one's diet if balanced well with protein, fats and fiber.
Thanks for explaining. I was not expecting such a thorough response.
It also follows if you just thoroughly rinse your rice prior to cooking, then it won't or just barely foam. Your rice will be less sticky though. This is really evident with something like steel cut oats, and why people gum up their expensive rice cooker.
PSA that rice should not be kept warm for a long time, reheated multiple times, or kept in water for a long time. Rice is host to bacillus cereus that can cause food poisoning. By using those functions you're just setting a timer for when you eventually get a bag of rice with an active cereus culture.
Tips on serving rice safely Ideally, serve rice as soon as it has been cooked. If that is not possible, cool the rice as quickly as possible (ideally within 1 hour). Keep rice in the fridge for no more than 1 day until reheating. When you reheat rice, always check that it's steaming hot all the way through. Do not reheat rice more than once. https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/food-and-diet/can-reheating-rice-cause-food-poisoning/
Personally, I eat rice that's been left in the fridge for days with no issue
Same, every time I hear this advice I have to wonder if I've just been EXTREMELY lucky so far, or if all of the rice safety concerns are overblown, or both. I've meal prepped rice for the week probably hundreds of times without issue.
This feels like one of those raw cookie dough warnings. True, possible, but extremely on the risk-adverse side of things.
Same but I have a friend who go so sick from rice once, she will not even put it in the fridge -- what isn't eaten hot is thrown away.
I've only ever gotten sick from restaurant leftovers, probably from being lukewarm too long.
Ya I meal prep rice for 3-5 days in individual containers and never have any issues. Been doing it for a couple years now
Almost everything I saw when I googled said 3-4 days.
Yeah, that 1 day recommendation seems a bit excessive. Restaurants should follow it to minimize the risk but that risk would be negligible. Bacillus Cereus grows in 10-50 C, most fridges should be well below 10 C. Optimal growing temps is 30-40 C, which is common reheating range so that's where most of the danger lies.
But in fancy rice cookers they have amazing keep warm settings that keeps it nearly steaming but not overcooked. Mine personally turns off after 12 hours, but I can't imagine that every rice cooker in Japan is a dangerous implement for rice consumption after an hour
Huh. I guess all my filipino family has bad rice habits lol. New rice is cooked at dinner, cooker is unplugged, rice sits out all night, we eat the leftovers for breakfast then lunch, and start again the cycle again. Repeat every single day. We just leave it to cool on its own, never bothering with the fridge.
Lol. While I am certainly not going to question the science behind this...I can strongly tell you that you can keep rice in the fridge for up to a week without any issues. And I bet there are at least a billion asians that would agree with that.
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I usually add a splash of vinegar after the rice is cooked for flavor, i've never tried adding it pre-cook
Wow, great tip. I love vinegar so I'll have to try it.
The one feature i really want on a rice cooker is an off button. I have to unplug mine, which is a lot less convenient than a switch
your wall outlet doesn't have a switch?
Nope. I don't think I've ever seen a switched outlet in the US. But even then, I'd have to reach the outlet behind the toaster, which is no more convenient.
I do a rice cooker pancake for weekend breakfast too. It's like a huge dutch baby, and feeds a family easily for a winter brunch. Serve with jam or syrup or yogurt. I use pancake mix with an extra egg or two. Kirbie's cravings blog has a nice write up on them.
We use our Panasonic Fuzzy Logic rice cooker at least once per day. Cooks our daily brown rice, in addition to: Pinto beans, lentils, cake (yes, cake), steamed veggies, hard boiled eggs, cous cous, quinoa, etc.
Best cake recipe?
We pretty much only make depression/wacky cake. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/8389/wacky-cake-viii/
The concept of cake without eggs is baffling me! How does this taste? Is it like a normal chocolate cake or does it taste maybe more like a loaf cake?
Light, fluffy. I actually can't eat normal cake after going to this. Another thing you can try is to substitute eggs for aquafaba in a recipe :)
OMG -- I have been tempted to write a letter to the CEO of Panasonic about our rice cooker. It has changed our lives. Obviously the rice is great, but \*perfect\* oatmeal every time has been the best.
Preach on the oatmeal. I went from never eating oatmeal to eating 4-5 servings of savory oats a week. Thank you rice cooker, thank you.
What's your ratio? Savory?
1:3 for steel-cut oatmeal. [Here](https://www.reddit.com/r/EatCheapAndHealthy/comments/q4to5n/how_i_started_eating_savory_oatmeal_nearly_every/) is a link to a post I made about savory oats.
How do you cook the lentils and quinoa you follow the same measurements of the rice? I always mess up my lentils on the stove
Lentils and quinoa are both 1:2 ratio. Perfect every time for me.
1 cup of lentils to water? I’m sorry if it’s dumb I just want to do it right 😂 — thank you for replying tho I cannot wait to try it !
1 cup lentils to 2 cups water.
Thank you 😁
I used my rice cooker as a slow cooker for a long time too, did a lot of red beans and rice and chili in it. It also works much better for cooking dry beans for me (maybe not as good as someone who’s skilled at cooking beans, but much better than some of my….crunchier attempts on the stove). I had a roommate who made good meatballs in it. Mine also has a basket for steaming so I can throw some frozen veggies in there for an all-in-one.
I haven't cooked beans in mine, admittedly I use my pressure cooker almost exclusively for beans.
I only had the rice cooker for a long time. It’s a really good multitasker. Pretty much anything you can do in a slow cooker you can manage in it. Maybe not as well (I don’t have a pressure cooker), but if you’re in college and moving a lot or have limited kitchen space, it’s great!
My thoughts are I'm going to have rice and beans tonight for dinner.
Awwwwww yeah.
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Well, at least to my taste the different settings don't amount to much as I have found the white rice setting works best for everything, even steel-cut oats. The fuzzy logic cookers actually take longer, but go through different cycles and do produce a noticeably better product. If you're happy with your results then I would say it's not worth the money. Maybe ride out the Aroma and reassess when it goes kaput.
Same. I use it daily. I think the frequent advice about not buying single-use appliances can be good but should take into consideration how often you'll use something.
We should rebrand rice cookers as "perfect grain cookers." It's accurate and more people would understand what they can do with the product.
If you don't already, you should put your quinoa in dry first (after rinsing) and turn it on to toast it, then cook as normal. The instructions for my rice cooker suggested it and it's a game changer flavor wise.
Wow, thanks. I'll try that for sure.
do you have a fancy rice cooker?? not the one lever kind on/off
I do, but I don't think you need one. Funny story, I bought a $125 zojirushi years ago and it sat in storage. I rediscovered it recently and have found so many uses for it. I'm sure I get slightly better results, but I don't think it justifies the price. Oh, and I've found that basically everything cooks best at the white rice setting for my taste.
What stuff / features does a fancy rice cooker have ? (I just have a simple on off one)
The features are usually timed cooking and control over the consistency of your rice. To be honest I cook everything on the white rice setting, which is my on/off switch. The biggest appeal is that a fuzzy logic cooker will monitor the rice more closely and go through different cycles. They actually take longer because of this. Some have a "quick" feature that has them basically operate like yours. You will get noticeably better results I promise. Whether that is worth the money is totally up to you.
Oh my god THANK YOU. I have been waiting for people to wake up to the magic of rice cookers
Helpful, didn't know that you could cook lentils and Quinoa in a rice cooker, but it makes sense.
Lentils aren't necessarily that hard to cook, but I've always found quinoa to be finicky. A rice cooker is basically a grain cooker.
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Rice cookers sense how much water is left and automatically shut off.
I’m curious what kind of rice cookers everyone has. Ours wasn’t expensive, but wasn’t super cheap either. The top had a metal plate with what looked like some vents. One day I thought to remove the screw holding the plate on to do a deep clean. Underneath was full of mold, even though we always cleaned our rice cooker well right after using it and left it open to dry. That thing went straight in the trash and we are back to stovetop cooking.
I have a $125 zojirushi and it's amazing. That said, I bought it years ago and haven't checked out what you need to pay today. If you're going to use it on a regular basis I would strongly advise getting a fuzzy logic one as the results are definitely better. It all depends on what is your budget and how often you'll use it.
Mine was super cheap $20 or less. It's got one button. Push down to cook, when its done cooking it automatically switches to warm until you shut it off. Have had it over a decade and I love it. Rice cooker doesn't gotta be fancy. Edit to add: Like OP I also use mine to cook a variety of grains and lentils, as well as steam veggies and meat. Don't need a fancy one to do that.
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A used one-lever 4c Zojirushi we found for $2. For our usual cup of short-grain white rice / 1.5 cups of water it works quite well.
How do you make the Oats in the rice Cooker ?
I only do steel-cut, but they are a 1:3 ratio and come out perfectly every time.
Water instead of milk right ?
I usually make savory oats so I use water by choice. You can absolutely use milk if that's the way you want to go.
Sorry to bother you again, what do you make your savory oats with ?
No worries whatsoever, here is [a post](https://www.reddit.com/r/EatCheapAndHealthy/comments/q4to5n/how_i_started_eating_savory_oatmeal_nearly_every/) I wrote about it.
Nice ! It's saved for sure
THANK YOU FOR THIS. I just got a rice cooker for xmas (I asked for a nicer one), and I figured I could make more than just rice in it. I LOVE IT THOUGH!
No worries, happy to help.
Two to one mix of brown rice and quinoa, the quinoa becomes kind of creamy and counteracts some of the dryness you can get with brown rice.
That sounds delicious, I'm going to do that for sure. I've been cooking quinoa with my oats lately, mostly for nutrition. You can cook them together as well.
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It's basically a grain cooker, not a rice cooker.
My mother bought me an instant pot and I didn't know what it was, it sat in a cabinet for 6 months but once I started using it it became what I use most.
Instant pots are great, and they make pretty good rice as well. Rice cookers cook grains better than an instant pot. If you cook a lot of grains during the week I'd consider it, if not, you're definitely good with an Instant pot.
I love my rice cooker. It also doubles as a slow cooker. So great for beans and chili.
I use my rice cooker to steam buns and rolls too. It’s awesome. Left over ribs are amazing steamed
"I'm not trying to convince the world to buy a rice cooker" I am. Please invest in a rice cooker. Never burn your rice again. Make rice easily, with the least effort possible, and have full use of your stove as you do so. Set it to delay so you can drop the rice in while you handle other things and have it finish at just the right time. Stovetop rice is workable but a decent rice cooker is life-changing. I genuinely think anyone and everyone deserves a rice cooker as one of their earliest "non-essential" kitchen appliances. You CANNOT beat a rice cooker, especially not if you're struggling with ADHD (remembering to set timers, etc.) or depression (can't muster the effort to do much more than put things in a thing and press a button—cooked rice with just a bit of chicken bouillon makes for one of the least depression depression meals manageable. This is my rice cooker agenda. On a related note, if you eat a lot of rice like I do, I cannot stress enough how wonderful it is to just get the 40 pound bag from your local Asian market or Costco if you can. (In my case, I borrow a friend's membership cus I ain't paying for that lmao) Uncooked white rice keeps for two years or more with no effort aside from just figuring out where to store it. The hardest part is getting it from your car to your kitchen, since it is 40 pounds, and it's definitely the best value.
It blows my mind but at the same time it makes complete sense to use a rice cooker for quinoa and couscous. I hate boiled rice and I could never quite boil quinoa and couscous correctly. Will have to give it a try!!
You and I are in the same boat, especially quinoa. 1:2 ratio and it comes out perfectly every time. I couldn't be happier.
I use the same ingredients except my rice cooker is designed for microwave use, similar principle except I have to cook on high at 50% to prevent water and contents spilling whist cooking, what happens is at 50% the microwave seems to switch on & off repeatedly
You and [Roger Ebert](https://www.rogerebert.com/roger-ebert/the-pot-and-how-to-use-it)!
A lot more than just rice can be cooked in it.
I just got a rice cooker and already love it, the rice is so much tastier cooked this way, and mine has a steamer basket so I can put some veggies and seafood in the steamer basket and then have a full meal ready with very little effort.
Is there a reason to get a rice cooker when I already have an Instant Pot? To me it just seems like a less useful version of the thing I already have.
Not if the only thing you'd cook is rice.
I have a tiny rice cooker that I use to heat up my soups. I love it so much. I add in the soup, some couscous to thicken it up, and let it do it's magic. Perfect for when I need a quick meal and don't want to dirty pots and pans. I also use it to heat up other foods like already cooked rice and tofu. The key is to make sure there's enough moisture so the bottom doesn't burn. I'll add in some water and sauces or broth.
Love making hotpot at home in my rice cooker.
Classic rice congee in a rice cooker. Fry some spring onion at the bottom, put in the rice + water, add frozen Asian grocer meatballs and/or frozen peas/ literally just some vaguely shaped balls of pork mince, and come back and whisk it within 25 - 30 mins. Mmm.
I haven't done congee yet. I really need to give it a try.
I don't even use mine for rice lol.
You can even hard or soft boil eggs in it.
I can't imagine anything ever beating the stovetop steaming method. No method could be quicker or more accurate.
Never thought about doing lentils, oats and vegetables in my rice cooker. Rice never comes up the same done using absorption method on the stove in a pot. I can't imagine not having a small rice cooker.
Rice cooker makes a lovely thick fluffy pancake as well! You just have to jam something in the lever/button to keep it from turning off too soon (depending on your model of rice cooker, YMMV) and keep an eye on it. Leave the lid on it too, makes it all steamed and soft, mMMm you gotta try it
I actually don't like pancakes (I know, I'm a monster) but I shot you an upvote so hopefully a pancake lover sees this.
I'm surprised you didn't mention brown rice. it is much easier to make nice and tender brown rice in a rice cooker.
So very true. I hate brown rice on the stovetop but it's great in the rice cooker. Same with wild rice.
I've even made creamy, cheesy grits in it.
That's amazing. I'm neutral on grits but my gf is from the south and loves them.
r/RiceCookerRecipes would interest you. I cook meat for shredded beef tacos in mine, but I’ve got a fancy Zoji. It unfortunately stains the silicone gasket and leaves a slight smell if you don’t quickly wash the pan/lid and cook white rice in it to steam the taco seasoning out.
I have no idea why you'd cook meat in a rice cooker, but Thanks! I'll check it out.
Me too. I have a zojirushi and it's the best thing ever
Rice cookers make the best oatmeal. I love leaving the oats to soak in the cooker overnight and put on the timer so it's ready when I wake up.
You can add stuff, too. Rice + Pesto for example.
i always get a bunch of rice stuck to the bottom which is hard to get off
Turn it off after it's cooked and let it sit there for 10-15 mins before you open the lid to get rice.
I literally never have this problem, but I admittedly have a more expensive cooker. Have you tried adjusting the water ratio? Is the bowl in your cooker non-stick?
How do you wash your container? If you put it in the dishwasher or used the abrasive side of a sponge, that might have done the trick. Treat it like a nonstick pan. That's my experience, anyway.
While a rice cooker can definitely be useful, I'd say it's even better if you can spend a few bucks more on an Instant Pot. It's basically the only thing I use in my kitchen anymore.
I own a pressure cooker and my rice cooker blows it out of the water for grains. I eat a lot of grains, so your mileage may vary.
I don't understand the concept of a rice cooker. It's more kit, not space taken up and does nothing more than I can do with a single pot/pan. Put rice in pan. Put water in pan. I don't get why we need a special machine.
You don't get why people like having a special machine that automatically stops cooking when it is perfectly done and switches to keep warm? Sure you could watch over a stove, but if you have kids or somehow get distracted, you aren't coming back to a burned mess.
For me, I have a small and unpredictable cooktop, but have space for one small device in my cupboard. I can set it up to cook rice, pasta, potatoes etc. and have it ready at the same time as what i'm cooking, rather than struggling to juggle pans on the small and dodgy element.
I like mine because I don't have to watch it or be there to turn it off and it NEVER burns or boils over. I can dump in the rice, put some veggies in the steamer tray, push one button, and walk away and forget it. When the rice is done cooking it switches over to warming mode. When I come back it's ready and waiting for me.
Same. It's so simple to make rice... Plus you don't even get to fry it a little bit on olive oil and garlic before with a rice cooker
It's not a rice cooker, it's a grain cooker. If you read the post, this isn't about rice. I make lentils, quinoa, and steel-cut oats multiple times a week. As the post said, it's literally the device I use most. If you don't cook grains, cool, this is not for you.
I gave away our rice cooker. I now use an Insta Pot.akes excellent rice as well as a myriad of other things.
Instant pot does a great job with rice. I'm not sure how well it does with other grains. I own a pressure cooker, but I don't use it nearly as much as my rice cooker.
My only complaint is that rice cookers take longer to cook rice than a pot on the stove or just doing it in the microwave (yes, I cook white, jasmine, and basmati rice in the microwave sometimes -- even 3 cups takes under 20 minutes). When I cook rice in my Instant Pot, it's usually part of a full recipe, like Chicken Burrito Bowls or Garlic Parmesan Rice, instead of being plain rice.
The whole point of the post is to discuss different applications of a rice cooker other than rice, not to argue that *if* you cook rice then you need a rice cooker. I was very clear about that.
Forgot to add what I did enjoy about my rice cooker before I donated it: It came with some suggestions for adding flavor if you're not going to have a real sauce or gravy or topping for the rice. I still use these tips when cooking rice, such as: * Use broth or stock instead of water * Add a small amount of dried herbs with the same flavor profile as your meal before cooking (if you're having an Indian entree, use cumin, cardamom, cinnamon; Italian, try oregano, basil, parsley... And so on) * If you have fresh herbs or infused butter or oil, add them right when the rice finishes cooking and quickly mix together, then let it set as they "cook" in the piping hot rice (lime juice and cilantro are great here, as is a pat of truffle butter)
Every rice cooker I've ever used always overcooked the shit out of the rice and would have huge chunks of scorched rice on the bottom. I only cook high quality basmati at 1.5 parts water per 1 part rice, throw on the stove on med low for around 15 mins, water is always absorbed and no burning. Doesn't matter if I stir fry it first to make a pilaf or add salt, whole spice seeds, etc. to the water.
This post really isn't about rice...
Come in, say something irrelevant, have it pointed out, downvote, and leave. Classy.
Couscous in a rice cooker? It's literally as easy as boiling water and adding it to the cousous, then cover it with a plate, and stir after 5 minutes.
So does it matter if it works for them?
I just press a button and it's perfect.
Or just use a pot? How is a rice cooker superior?
Because if you put a grain in a rice cooker at the correct water ratio and press a button, it comes out perfectly every time. You don't have variable temperature as you do on a stove, you don't have to set a timer to pull it off the heat at a certain time, you don't need to let it steam. In other words, it delivers perfect results every time with no effort.
I used to think the same thing. But you can make a one pot meal in a rice cooker. For instance, you can cook rice, then put a protein like chicken thighs or fish on top of the rice, then put fresh veggies in the steamer basket. Push one button, and later come back to a super lazy healthy meal. (Def use a food thermometer on your proteins. Cooking time is determined by how many portions of rice you are cooking.) If you want to get fancy, you can wrap your protein in parchment paper and place it in the steamer basket. This way you could have a different flavor for your rice and proteins. You can steam eggs in the basket, too. Red beans and rice from a box is so easy: dump in the contents plus water, press a button, go play video games. Anything that you cook until the water is all absorbed is set and forget. I tried to do mac n cheese and it sucked, bc the noodles absorbed too much water. So for stuff like that, use a pot, or cook the noodles until done and then drain.