Rice is considered a staple food no matter which part of the globe you are in. It is definitely one of the essential foods that you need to survive.
Rich in carbohydrates, Rice has certain nutritional value and should be included in daily meals. But plain white rice can get really monotonous sometimes, isn’t it?
Rice is such a versatile dish, that you can literally do anything out of it. But all of this depends on one thing – how well is the rice cooked? Is it too raw? Is it too soggy?
We know making rice may sound very simple, but making sure that you get the perfect grains of not-so-hard-not-so-soggy rice could be tricky for some.
This is where a Rice Cooker comes in handy. A rice cooker helps you get the perfect grains of rice with just a click of a few buttons.
Choosing a good rice cooker for your kitchen is a significant step to making good rice as you really don’t want to use a rice cooker that overcooks your rice, or makes your rice stick to the base of the oven.
As much as buying a good rice cooker is important, it is also important to know certain facts; how to cook in a rice cooker, how much time is required, water-to-rice ratios, and many such things.
In this article, I have tried to put down all the information needed to use a rice cooker for a beginner.
Should You Buy A Rice Cooker?
Contents
A rice cooker is a must for someone who consumes it daily, and it is always short on time to make them themselves.
Before buying the rice cooker you should definitely ask yourself certain questions to which only you know the answers.
If you feel cooking rice is hard for you or if you are having an issue with not getting the perfect grain of rice on your plate every day, then you should buy a rice cooker.
It can relieve you from the hassle of rice cooking. It cooks rice automatically and gives you that perfect white grain that you have been yearning for.
Not to forget, look at the space criteria, as a rice cooker needs much space to store. The price of the rice cooker should also fit into your budget as rice cookers can be quite expensive to buy.
If you meet all these criteria, then it is definitely worth investing in a rice cooker as it would last you enough.
How Do Rice Cookers Work?
One needs to put the rice and water in the desired ratio in the pan inside the cooker, and then turn the device on. The machine takes its own time to cook.
It has a heating element that starts to heat up and the water starts to boil at which the steam starts cooking the rice.
The sensor tells the thermostat or heating element to revert to warm until the steaming stops. And finally, the thermostat turns off when the water has been fully absorbed.
Rice Cooker - From Basics To Complicated
The range of a rice cooker varies from low to high. The low-priced ones obviously have fewer features and the high-priced ones are definitely superior.
There are different types of rice cookers which are below-
Warm Cookers
These are rice cookers that are really low-priced. They are definitely durable and can last you for years. These kinds of cookers are the best for students living alone or for someone who has moved out recently for work.
Smart Rice Cookers
There is a reason why these rice cookers are called smart rice cookers. They detect the level of water and rice themselves and automatically adjust the level without you worrying so much.
The smart rice cookers also have settings where you can cook different types of rice dishes, like porridge. It is very much implied that these rice cookers are very much costly than regular cookers.
Pressure Multi-Cookers
Multi-function cookers do several functions. It is a slow cooker, a pressure cooker, and also at the same time, a rice cooker.
So it is definitely an all-in-one investment which would serve you all your purposes. It is efficient and convenient to use as well, they occupy less space in your kitchen space, and so on.
Capacity Counts
Capacity is definitely the most important thing to look at when purchasing a rice cooker. The capacity of a rice cooker tells you how much rice can it hold or how much rice you can cook at once.
Small rice cookers cannot cook much rice at once and are perfect for those who live alone and cook in small quantities.
If you plan to buy a rice cooker to cook for your entire family, then you require a large-capacity cooker.
There is also a mention of the fact that if you are a student who consumes rice for the entire day, then also you might need a bigger rice cooker.
How To Use A Rice Cooker To Make Rice - The Basics
If you are using a rice cooker for the first time, it can get a little challenging for you to get used to it. Follow these steps to ace your first-time usage of a cooker.
- To start off, measure the correct amount of rice (how much you want to cook) and keep it aside
- Rinse the water until it is washed properly.
- Drain the water and transfer the rice from the bowl to the inner pan of the cooker.
- Then you need to add water to the rice cooker pan as per the ratio.
- Place the pan inside the cooker and let it cook after plugging in the device.
- You will get to know when the rice is done as the light will be turned off.
- To get the perfect smooth grains, let it cool for 15 minutes before serving so as to absorb any kind of moisture.
- Serve it with a wooden spoon. The best part is that the rice won’t get cold after long hours as they have a warming setting.
Hot Tips
Whenever you are planning any meal with rice, always make sure to cook it first. Cooking it at the last would be a mistake. Let the rice cook in the rice cooker while you prepare the side dishes.
Always see your rice cooker as if it is a combination of a slow cooker and an electric skillet. It can be used for plenty of other purposes like streaming and making soups.
Many people are not aware of the fact that the top of the rice cooker can be used for steaming a lot of food. It serves as a steaming rack.
Other Foods That You Can Cook With A Rice Cooker
Many people have a big misconception that you can only use a rice cooker to cook rice. But there is plenty of other stuff that you can cook with a rice cooker.
Oatmeal is made in a rice cooker simply by combining oats and water. You need to soak the oats in water overnight, and then in the morning use the rice cooker to cook the oatmeal.
It takes about half an hour to cook it. you can also cook meals like barley, millet, etc in the rice cooker. Not only that but high-protein quinoa could also be prepared in the rice cooker.
Resources For Cooking With A Rice Cooker
Some rice cookers have recipe booklets and a guide provided with the appliance, which lets you have a more clear idea about how to use them by making different recipes and other dishes using it.
It is always advised to make the most out of your rice cooker, so we highly recommend buying a cooker that has a recipe book or a separate recipe book dedicated to dishes only with rice.
Conclusion
Rice cookers are an essential cooking appliance these days, found in almost every household. A good rice cooker can change your whole taste in rice.
Rice cookers are used for cooking a variety of rice like white, brown, long, short, and medium-grained rice. It can even be used for making different grains like quinoa and oatmeal.
There are plenty of well-branded rice cookers available in the market nowadays, with good features. Some cookers come with racks and baskets that allow steaming.