Rice cookers

[Debade]

Rice cookers are simple and makes great rice. They last a long time. It made our rice last night with the push of one button.

 

[vickster]

Rinsing does reduce arsenic, but only minimally. White rice has less arsenic than brown rice.

Can a rice cooker make tender brown rice in less than 3 weeks...if so I’m sold!!

 

[bitsandbobs]

Can a rice cooker make tender brown rice in less than 3 weeks...if so I’m sold!!

Worked for me last night in 20min or so! (Not a huge fan of brown rice tbh)

 

[Reynard]

Can a rice cooker make tender brown rice in less than 3 weeks...if so I’m sold!!

Make life easier for yourself. Ditch the brown rice and use bulghur wheat instead - especially the coarse one if you can get it. All it needs is soaking and occasionally cooking on the hob.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Can a rice cooker make tender brown rice in less than 3 weeks...if so I’m sold!!

You are switching the hob on, right?

 

[vickster]

Make life easier for yourself. Ditch the brown rice and use bulghur wheat instead - especially the coarse one if you can get it. All it needs is soaking and occasionally cooking on the hob.

I used to get the Ebly wheat for salads but it’s expensive and may not even be available anymore (seemed to be a Waitrose exclusive in some stores, going back a few years), I like brown rice but cooking it is an arse and takes forever, I like meals to be done and dusted in 30 minutes (I sometimes buy the cooked micro sachets but they’re hardly inexpensive either!)

 

[vickster]

You are switching the hob on, right?

Ohhh

 

[Reynard]

I used to get the Ebly wheat for salads but it’s expensive and may not even be available anymore (seemed to be a Waitrose exclusive in some stores, going back a few years), I like brown rice but cooking it is an arse and takes forever, I like meals to be done and dusted in 30 minutes (I sometimes buy the cooked micro sachets but they’re hardly inexpensive either!)

I use Tesco's own brand - or, as has often been the case in the last year, whatever they've had in. Think I pay somewhere around £1.15 for a half kilo packet. Worth having a squizz in any Turkish or middle eastern shops you have nearby.

 

[vickster]

I use Tesco's own brand - or, as has often been the case in the last year, whatever they've had in. Think I pay somewhere around £1.15 for a half kilo packet. Worth having a squizz in any Turkish or middle eastern shops you have nearby.

Good point, there’s a big one locally...have to wait until I’m vaguely mobile again however!

 

[Oldhippy]

I've used one for many years since I discovered them living in Japan. Just replaced old one with a cookworks from Argos. Twenty quid and does what it says on the box.

 

[Dan77]

The wife uses a rice cooker daily. Cheap ones are fine. Absolutely no need for an expensive one.

 

[Eziemnaik]

Up until now I've always cooked rice in a pot over a gas flame, like some kind of savage. And actually it doesn't turn out bad, I've used Ken Hom's absorption method since about 1991 and no complaints from the family so far, barring some discarded rice occasionally when the quantities / temperature were maybe a bit off. But I am hearing really good things from other home cooks about rice cookers. Namely that you get guaranteed perfection every time no matter the quantity, that you can even prepare ahead of time and have it ready and hot for when the main meal is ready (or when you get in from work), that they have other uses (porage, soups, slow cook dishes), and that the rice texture is always better than you can do in a pan, even for a competent cook.

Do any CycleChatters use a rice cooker? Any thoughts on what brand, features etc? The main one I'm considering is Yum Asia's "Sakura" but I'm interested to hear about others.

https://www.yumasia.co.uk/conventio...a-multifunction-rice-cooker-with-ceramic-bowl

When thinking about perfect rice everytime keep in mind different batches of the same rice will cook differently, ditto for more//less washed hydrated rice, ditto for different altitudes.
I am a fan, there is a reason why there is one in every Thai/Japanese/Chinese household but it may take a couple of efforts to perfect the technique.

 

[Arrowfoot]

In case anyone is wondering a rice cooker starts about £20 and cheapest one does the job each and every time. You can set it up and go for ride for hours and come back to a warm pot. The pot is also the storage vessel and when all done, it is easy to clean.

Give it a go. You wont regret it.

 

[RoubaixCube]

A technique my dad uses. Is you can blend different brands/grains of rice but make sure the rice is submerged in at least an inch of water. So like a pointy finger tip. Either it will come out a little fluffy and sticky - in which case add less water or it will be a bit more 'firm' and less sticky.

Then you just add or decrease water to get the rice to your own personal taste. You dont want the rice to be too hard but you dont want to make congee out of it either.

 

[Profpointy]

For what it's worth my old flatmate's fiancee (subsequently wife) had one which she used a lot. She was (racially) Indian from Malaysia and a very very good cook for Indian, Malay, and Chinese traditions, and for that matter, European. I can't imagine she'd have bought one if she'd not found it genuinely useful, as I can't recall anything else you might call a kitchen gadget, so it not a gimmick

That said, I just use the pan on the stove, with the "absorption method" with the lid on and it works for me, but she was a much better cook than me, but still unsure if it's worth the space on my kitchen worktop.