Rice is considered a staple food no matter which part of the globe you are in. It is one of the essential foods that you need to survive. Rich in carbohydrates, Rice has specific nutritional value and should be included in daily meals.
But plain white rice can get monotonous sometimes, isn’t it? Rice is such a versatile dish that you can 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. On the other hand, choosing one of the best rice cookers is also one of the most crucial parts.
A rice cooker helps you get the perfect grains of rice with just a click of a few buttons.
You don’t want to use a rice cooker that overcooks your rice, or makes your rice stick to the cooker’s base!
As much as buying a good rice cooker is essential, it is also essential 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, we have tried to put down all the information needed to use a rice cooker for a beginner.
Uses Of A Rice Cooker
Contents
The primary use of a rice cooker is to cook rice easily and quickly, and also to keep it warm till the time it is consumed. But this is not the end of it. It can also be used to make Quinoa and oatmeals, boil grains, boil vegetables, make fluffy pancakes and even delicious soups. A rice cooker can also be used to make a cake, and the best part; in just 30 minutes. It can boil eggs, make mac and cheese and all other types of pasta. Some rice cookers can also make a pizza.
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 which 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.
Ease Of Use
Rice cookers are a savior to the GenZ generation! Rice cookers make cooking rice so much easier. There is always a risk of overcooking the rice so that it becomes sticky, and of the rice remaining uncooked. The easy functionality of the rice cooker is the reason as to why it is so popular. If you are living alone and have not yet mastered the art of rice making, a rice cooker is bound to make your life simpler.
Additional Features Of Rice Cookers
There are certain basic features which the rice cooker should possess. One of the most important is the Automatic shutdown feature. It is a must for all the rice cookers to have this feature so as to switch off the appliance on its own once the cooking is done. The keep warm feature allows the cooker to keep the food warm. Coming to additional features, some rice cookers come with steaming trays. These trays make it easy for you to steam any vegetables and even dimsums!
8 Steps To Use The Rice Cooker to Cook Rice At Home
There a few steps which one should follow to cook the rice at home :-
- First, measure the amount of rice you want to cook
- Then, rinse the rice nicely to get rid of any dirt or dust particles
- Drain the water and let the rice dry nicely
- Next, put the rice into the pan given inside the rice cooker.
- Put in the desired amount of water needed for the corresponding quantity of rice.
- Press “start” and turn on the device to let it cook.
- In order to get the nice and fluffy rice, do not open the lid immediately once the indicator tells you that the cooking is done. Wait for 15-20 mins.
- After waiting for that amount of time, carefully open the lid and voila! Your perfect rice is ready and is waiting to be served.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The water to rice is the amount of water needed to perfectly cook the rice. A one to one ratio means one cup water for one cup rice; 1:1. Different types of rice will have different ratios. The information manual of the rice cooker is to be checked for the appropriate ratio. In general, these are the measurements to be followed.
Long grain white ratio – For this type of rice, 1 cup rice and ¾ cups of water is suited.
Medium grain white rice ratio – Generally 1 cup rice and ½ cup water is suited for this.
Short grain white rice – Again, 1 cup of rice and ½ cup water should be perfect.
Brown rice – For cooking brown rice, 1 cup rice and 2 ¼ cups of water is generally suited.
Quinoa – To cook Quinoa, rice and water should be mixed in a ratio of 1:2.
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.
First put the rice into the inner pan of the rice cooker after thoroughly rinsing it. Then add the water according to the specified ratio of the type of rice.
There will be a light which will be on throughout the cooking process. The moment the cooking is done, the light will turn off. This is the indication that the rice is cooked.
Rice cookers are relatively easier to use. It can get a bit tricky in the initial days, but over time one will realize how easy and hassle free it is! So to answer, yes, a rice cooker can be used by anybody to cook rice. It is also very beneficial for students staying away from home for attending universities and people who have moved out of the house for jobs.
Yes, you can but you don’t need to open your cooker to see whether the rice is done or not when cooking in a rice cooker. It will automatically send you an indication when the rice is cooked.
You don’t need to turn off your cooker manually. Rice cookers are built in such a way that after the cooking is done, even if the switch is not turned off, it changes to a “keep warm” feature. So it avoids or rather saves your rice from getting burned.
Cooking rice in a rice cooker is simpler and easy. Generally, the time for cooking different quantities of rice is different. For cooking a large quantity of rice, the rice cooker takes about 25-35 minutes.
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 oatmeals. There are plenty of good branded rice cookers available in the market nowadays, with good features. Some cookers come with racks and baskets that allow steaming.