Why You Need a Rice Cooker

This is a larger version of the rice cooker I got, but lots are available with more functions etc

#ricecooker #barrylewis #gadgets

[Terycek]

Barry, I am not sure you know how the pot works - it has magnet that keeps it in cook mode, until the temperature gets higher than 100°C, which only happens when the water cooked off. That is when it switches to warm mode. There is no timer. So you really don't need to worry about the pot burning because the water is gone. :)

[ivydaphne]

As someone from Asia, I love rice cookers haha. Another thing you can do with a rice cooker is using the steam to reheat food. So sometimes while I cook my rice below, I place leftovers in a tupperware or foil and put that on top of the steam basket. It retains the moisture & sometimes better than reheating in a microwave. Multi-purpose and energy saving :)

[danceswithsheep]

I bought a Panda rice cooker early this year and every time I use it I shed a tear over taking so long to take the plunge. I also made fried rice for first time using the panda rice recently and just having that tremendously fluffy rice lifted my usual recipe to new heights.

[XXusernameunknownXX]

Short answer: YES.
I have a Japanese rice cooker and my rice always comes out perfect. It's really hard to mess it up.

[TheAgentPrime]

You shouldnt have to worry about rice burning in (most) rice cookers as the heating element also has a sensor checking the temp on the bottom of the bowl. The idea is water can only get so hot and keeps the bottom of the bowl cooler before it all gets absorbed or steamed at which point the sensor notices the heat goes above a certain range and shuts off.

But I do love my rice cooker. Got one of the japanese brand ones that sing to you when you start it and when it finishes the rice.

[CarlGorn]

Suggestion: Use your rice cooker to make (as authentic as possible) recipes for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean rice porridge, also known as congee, okayu, and juk, respectively.

[shiliela_rhymes_with_delilah]

I've got a smaller one and I love it. I've made rice on the stove before but I love that I can just fill it and leave it to do everything while I get other stuff done. It's got the steamer basket but I haven't tried it yet.

[twocvbloke]

On the technology side, these things are deceptively simple, as they work just like a kettle, the switch pushes a bimetallic strip which connects the element, then as the steamy stuff happens the temperature inside gradually rises, and when there's not enough water left in the pot, it gets much hotter and the bimetallic strip bends and disconnects the power, and that's that, all that food made by what is basically a big kettle... :P

[TheCindyhoashi]

I think you should have put cheesecake in a small pan. Put a small rack in the cooker with a couple cups of water. Cover cake so condensation doesn’t drop on it.

[MarilynAlmodovar]

My mum's from Puerto Rico, for years, she bad mouthed rice cookers, so I only bought one after I turned 40 lol. And it's been the best gadget for my kitchen. You can cook so many things with it and the rice, is amazing. Nice to see you trying other things. :)

[aliceosako]

Rice cookers are well worth the money, especially if you cook rice regularly.

I don't currently have a rice cooker _per se_, but I find that a pressure cooker (specifically an Instant Pot Duo) does nicely for the same purposes, though a dedicated rice cooker would certainly be faster, given the time the IP takes to get up to pressure. If I had the space for both, I would definitely get a rice cooker as well, though.

[SkyFellowship]

We bought a mini one due to being disabled and it's one of the best ways to make a hot meal for yourself safely

We just use a bunch of one pot recipes in it and make quick curries or spiced rice with nuts and corn

It's amazing

[Sykos]

I think you made a technically perfect Burnt Basque Cheesecakes, Barry. You tried putting either in the fridge to set before tossing?
and if they're not set, you could maybe leave them for an hour or until the machine is entirely cool so carryover heat hopefully finishes the job. Like pies the heated sugar in the dessert is still "cooking" until its cold again

[Silentgrace]

Just a heads up for the future, Barry, those “easy cook” bags of rice probably have parboiled rice in them. Which they theoretically should work in a rice cooker so long as you follow the instructions on the bag rather than any measurement guides, they’re more so good for a quick fix than necessarily the best option for your rice needs.

[ogrejd]

Yes, definitely worth it, even if you just use it as a pot that's not going to heat the kitchen in summer. Hell, before the price of ground beef went through the roof, I'd use it for Hamburger Helper: brown (with the lid on) the meat, drain, dump in the Hamburger Helper pasta, powder and a little more water than the package says for the stove top and set it to Cook (lid on, of course). Still heat up canned soup in mine regularly. Can't remember the last time I made rice, though... :P

edit: As for how much water to use, just use however much it tells you on your bag of rice. Stovetop or rice cooker, the amount of water is the same.

Also, never open it while it's still cooking. That ruins rice quite easily. No need to stir until it's gone to Warm (which it'll do when the pot temperature goes over 100C) and sat there for a few minutes.

[Jesslath]

you can also cook the rice in stock (you can use stock with with in it, as it can help season the rice); put whatever ingredients you want on top and press the start button. Once the rice cookers sounds telling you it's done, open it and mix everything together and that's a simple meal

[jellycatfish]

Yes to a follow-up video please! I have a Japanese Zojirushi rice cooker and it's a staple in my kitchen, it's always on my counter. I've never made anything in it aside from rice though, it's like I'm scared to ruin food. There is no steaming basket, only the pot. I once tried to made coconut rice with coconut milk in it and it was a disaster. it's hard to find the correct ratios for cooking recipes in a rice cooker because everyone says different things 😢

[kflowersmith]

We have a two-tier rice steamer but also use it to steam vegetables such as beans, broccoli, and cauliflower. We’ve had it for several years and it still works perfectly.

[bradasstv]

Barry, have you ever tried a pressure cooker? I got one this past year and only used it 2 or 3 times so far. Ribs in them were great. Only thing is they freak me out with the pressure and the release of air. Could make a funny, yet slightly terrifying video if you haven't tried one yet lol

[Drinkyoghurt]

Take it from someone who eats rice pretty much every day since forever, a rice cooker will change your life. Recently I got myself a smart rice cooker which can also do cake and all the other stuff, but the most amazing feature is the preset timer. I can set a timer for the rice to be done at 6PM and load it up in the morning and I'll come home to a perfectly made batch of rice in the evening and all I have to do is cook the mains.

A few more tips:
- Add a bit of sunflower/rapeseed oil to the bottom of the bowl when cooking rice for easier cleanup and better texture (subjective)
- Add Turmeric, garlic powder, a pinch of salt (or vegetable/chicken/beef stock) and a bay leaf to your rice water for bright yellow and aromatic rice
- Make double the amount of rice that you need and refrigerate the leftovers. Cold leftover rice is the basis for egg fried rice.
- Never use a metal utensil in your bowl (or any non-stick cookware)