rice cooker

[wenrob]

I have this one though the buttons are arranged differently since it's a few years old. http://www.target.com/p/aroma-12-cu...-14263706#prodSlot=large_1_1&term=rice+cooker
I use it for "sticky" white rice (short grain), long grain rice and quinoa. The only reason I replaced my old one was because this one had a brown rice setting.

My stepfather is from Hawaii and he and my brothers eat rice at every meal, everyday. First thing in the morning they put on the rice like most people put on their coffee. Their Aroma rice cooker is probably decades old and still going strong.

I was taught to rinse the rice.

 

[runsandjumps]

I have a 12 cup aroma that we use every week at least. I will get the zojirushi when this one dies. They sell both at costco although I think the zojirushi I about $50 more.

 

[wishesuponastar]

I wonder why I would need a rice cooker? Pot on the stove works well for me, 20 minutes and we have rice. Oh, and for my family of 4, I usually make 1-1/2 to 2 cups rice with 3 or 4 cups of water.

 

[North of Mouse]

I have a 6 cup Rival rice cooker from Walmart-$22

Cajun area-we eat LOTS of rice-cooked rice for 40 years-never rinse

the sectet is using EXTRA long grain rice-short grain gets gooey

Mahatma Long Grain Rice is the BEST!

http://www.walmart.com/ip/15754605?wmlspartner=wmtlabs&adid=22222222222010049286&veh=sem

LA here too - lots of rice - Have had Hitachi cooker for many many years - never rinsed my rice - use long grain - 'never' had sticky rice - can't stand it!

Actually, now, mostly I use a microwave rice cooker - works great, or as pp said steam it on low with a pot and lid on stove - always comes out perfect.

 

[Sabeking]

We always rinse the rice 5 or 6 times. It removes excess starch so it doesn't end up gooey. My husband is Chinese and this is how he learned to prepare it. My friend is Indian and he rinses basmati rice up to 10 times before cooking it.

We have a very cheap, old rice cooker from Chinatown that is ugly but makes perfect rice.

Thank you!!! I wondered what I have been doing wrong. I am going to try rinsing my rice and see what happens.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Much like many others here, I've been making rice in a rice cooker most of my life. We started using one after living in Japan when I was young.

A couple of things:

We always rinse the rice. Always.

We use medium grain. So much better than long grain or extra long grain.

You couldn't pay me to eat microwaved rice.

Our current rice cooker is a Panasonic. We've had it for 11 years. The previous one died after using it for 12 years. (Yep, I've been married for 23 years.)

 

[bcla]

Rinsing the rice??? Have cooked for 45+ years and have not ever did that! Whatever for?? What makes it an important step?

It's a big deal for those cooking Asian style rice. The little pieces of dust make it kind of gelatinous. Of course that kind of rice is a little bit sticky to begin with, but you don't want it "gooey" as someone else mentioned.

 

[bcla]

Much like many others here, I've been making rice in a rice cooker most of my life. We started using one after living in Japan when I was young.

A couple of things:

We always rinse the rice. Always.

We use medium grain. So much better than long grain or extra long grain.

It's a matter of preference. Some prefer long grains like Thai jasmine.

 

[jsmla]

I can second (third?) the Zojirushi! We're also from Louisiana and eat rice several times a week. My model has settings for brown, white or sushi rice as well as one for oatmeal. We've had it for over 5 years and it's by far the best out of the three rice cookers I've used over the course of my life.

-It does all types of rice well-the short grain comes out sticky on the sushi setting and the long grain is light and fluffy on the regular white/brown setting. I had been wanting to switch to brown rice for years but I could never get it to come out right on the stovetop. It cooks perfectly in this rice cooker.

-VERY easy to clean!

-I love the timer function, especially for oatmeal.

We still have our old 10 cup rice cooker, (I wanted a smaller one after we became empty nesters.) but I really never use it any more unless I'm feeding the masses at the holidays. If I cooked for more than just DH and I on a regular basis I would definitely purchase a larger Zojirushi. I was reluctant to spend so much on a rice cooker at first but am sooooo glad we did!

 

[spacemountainmom]

I have the older version of this one. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Black-Decker-16-Cup-Rice-Cooker-White-RC436/7965241

My mil bought it for me for Christmas one year. My first thought was "What the heck am I going to use this for?" I have grown to really love it. I use it for rice and mac and cheese. Try this recipe. http://www.hsn.com/wolfgang-puck-macaroni-cheese_ct-233_xv.aspx

I would like a fancier one, but I am not sure I can justify the expense.

 

[tasha99]

It's a matter of preference. Some prefer long grains like Thai jasmine.

This. For us, rice type is usually determined by what else we're eating. I keep jasmine, basmati, calrose, arborio etc on hand. My favorite is jasmine though.

 

[soniam]

We have a 15+ year old fuzzy logic Tiger cooker. I love it. It even has all of the wording on the machine in English and Japanese. The nicer ones have a delay. I just put in the rice, grains, or pilaf and liquid in the morning and then set it to what time I want it done. It always comes out perfect, especially brown rice. You can also just cook stuff immediately, without the delay. It also has a keep warm feature, in case the rice finishes before you need it or to keep the extras warm until the meal is over.

We used the heck out of it for years. We don't use it as much as we used to, since we have cut back on carbs, but I am thinking about trying quinoa in it. I would like to make it more often.

Has anyone ever used the porridge setting on theirs? I am very intrigued by the idea.

 

[North of Mouse]

It's a big deal for those cooking Asian style rice. The little pieces of dust make it kind of gelatinous. Of course that kind of rice is a little bit sticky to begin with, but you don't want it "gooey" as someone else mentioned.

Have cooked rice for 47 years and never have had 'sticky' rice (can't stand it), 'never' rinsed my rice, and have cooked it many ways - I like the grains to fall apart, not stick together (that's one reason I use long grain rice - never Asian). Have steamed it in a pot on the stove top, microwaved it in a steamer, and used an electric rice cooker. We grew up with rice with many dishes in south LA so I've had lots of practice.

For the person that said they wouldn't eat microwaved rice - you wouldn't know the difference - tastes and looks the same - definitely not 'inferior'!!

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

For the person that said they wouldn't eat microwaved rice - you wouldn't know the difference - tastes and looks the same - definitely not 'inferior'!!

That was me.

I've had microwaved rice.

Blech.

For me, it is inferior. Not something I would eat unless I was a guest somewhere. Then I would only eat it to be polite.

I also would never make rice that didn't stick together. Rice like that reminds me of Minute Rice. Again, something I would only eat to be polite.

 

[Deb in IA]

Have cooked rice for 47 years and never have had 'sticky' rice (can't stand it), 'never' rinsed my rice, and have cooked it many ways - I like the grains to fall apart, not stick together (that's one reason I use long grain rice - never Asian). Have steamed it in a pot on the stove top, microwaved it in a steamer, and used an electric rice cooker. We grew up with rice with many dishes in south LA so I've had lots of practice.

For the person that said they wouldn't eat microwaved rice - you wouldn't know the difference - tastes and looks the same - definitely not 'inferior'!!

I think so too. And so does my dad, who is Chinese, loves rice, and has been eating it for about 85 years!

I wonder if the bad microwaved rice was just not cooked properly.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

I think so too. And so does my dad, who is Chinese, loves rice, and has been eating it for about 85 years!

I wonder if the bad microwaved rice was just not cooked properly.

Because it couldn't be that I just don't like it?

I never understand why people just don't get that not everyone has the same tastes.

I have a friend that will just not give up on making me taste shrimp with grits. Blech. No it doesn't matter how it is cooked or who cooked it. I don't like it.

And I don't like microwaved rice.

I also don't like rice that doesn't stick together.

Why is it so hard to understand?

 

[NotUrsula]

Have cooked rice for 47 years and never have had 'sticky' rice (can't stand it), 'never' rinsed my rice, and have cooked it many ways - I like the grains to fall apart, not stick together (that's one reason I use long grain rice - never Asian). Have steamed it in a pot on the stove top, microwaved it in a steamer, and used an electric rice cooker. We grew up with rice with many dishes in south LA so I've had lots of practice.

For the person that said they wouldn't eat microwaved rice - you wouldn't know the difference - tastes and looks the same - definitely not 'inferior'!!

Ain't that the truth? I could cook rice before I could read. It also baffles me when someone tells me that rice is difficult to cook; I've never had a problem with it unless I forgot to turn it off and ended up burning it. Twenty minutes in a tightly covered saucepan on low heat, 2 parts water to 1 part rice, a dash of oil and a pinch of salt ... not rocket science by any means.

I'll cook sticky rice if an Asian recipe calls for it, but like you I grew up on Louisiana long-grain, and creole/cajun cuisine doesn't work well with sticky types. These days I live in the midwest, and my best bet is Jasmine at my local Asian market. I like black rice with fish, and I get that there as well. Black, like brown, needs to cook a bit longer than standard white long-grain.

Rice cookers are very handy, and I've had them given to me, but when they give up the ghost I usually don't bother replacing them b/c I have a small kitchen with very little space for small appliances. I make rice at least 5X per week, and the only time I really miss having a rice cooker is on Xmas Eve, we need a lot of rice kept warm for that 4 gallons of gumbo that simmers on the stove all day, getting eaten whenever someone shows up hungry.

PS: I also hate grits. Not just the instant stuff, I also dislike the stone-ground gourmet type. Something about the texture of the stuff just puts me off. I'm told that my garlic cheese grits are excellent (I learned to make them while working in a restaurant in NOLA), but I just cook them for others. I don't actually eat them myself.

 

[LBIJim]

I ended up buying the $19.99 Black & Decker model at K-Mart last night. We'll see how well it works. If we like using a rice cooker, maybe we'll upgrade in a few years, but the cheap one seemed to be a good starter model. We make rice two or three times per month.

 

[TAX GUY]

Because it couldn't be that I just don't like it?

I never understand why people just don't get that not everyone has the same tastes.

I have a friend that will just not give up on making me taste shrimp with grits. Blech. No it doesn't matter how it is cooked or who cooked it. I don't like it.

And I don't like microwaved rice.

I also don't like rice that doesn't stick together.

Why is it so hard to understand?

This is me, too. I only like the sticky rice (and boxed pilaf). I've tried the "Uncle Ben's" types but didn't care for them. Just my personal preference.

 

[skylizard]

We always rinse the rice 5 or 6 times. It removes excess starch so it doesn't end up gooey. My husband is Chinese and this is how he learned to prepare it. My friend is Indian and he rinses basmati rice up to 10 times before cooking it.

Yup. My parents always rinsed their rice and so do I. Comes out light and fluffy, not gooey and sticky from all the excess starch.