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[JasoNsider]

I love rice and have been eating it for years. Up to now I've been making it with an incredibly simple microwave recipe:

1 cup rice
2 cups water
1 tablespoon butter
1 tspn salt

Microwave on high for 5 minutes, stir, then microwave on medium for 25 minutes with the lid on. Presto! It's surprisingly good.

So my question to you is:

a) Do you like rice?
b) Do you have a rice cooker?
c) Why do you have one?

Is the rice perfectly whole yet sticky with a rice cooker? Is it worth the price tag for you?

Oh, and for those who didn't know about the above recipe: enjoy .

 

[Tuvoc]

I got one to make my own sticky rice for sushi....but I never use it

I'd try your recipe, it'd be a waste of time to take a half hour out of my day to make something as plain as that.

 

[levious]

that's gotta be the first microwave recipe that I've read that takes longer than doing it with a conventional stove top... congrats!

- doens't butter make it less sticky?

 

[Hawksley]

Don't have a rice cooker, but thanks for the recipe. Not something I ever thought to look up. :x

Cheers.

 

[Lucky Forward]

I use the 10-minute boil-in-the-bag brown rice.

 

[radios shipping overview]

A rice cooker is incredibly convenient, and it cooks the rice just right as long as you use the right proportion of water to rice (usually one cup more water than rice). I wash the rice, throw it in, and let it cook, and then I can worry about the rest of the meal.

 

[JasoNsider]

Interesting.

I was considering getting one since I love rice so much. I just don't know if the price tag justifies having rice cooked a tad bit better than microwave style.

Thanks Jiji

 

[fennec fox]

Microwave on high for 5 minutes, stir, then microwave on medium for 25 minutes with the lid on. Presto! It's surprisingly good.

Rice from a rice cooker, on the other hand, is genuinely good.

 

[Blackace]

Why a rice cooker?

Because they rock! Mine has a clock!!!

 

[Hooker]

Dude, seriously, get a rice cooker!!


It's easy, and faster than a microwave will ever be. Not to mention it tastes better. Equal amounts of cups of water to rice, salt and done (after washing the rice) Good thing about a rice cooker is what once you've prepared the rice, just pull the button down and you can forget about it. You don't have to look at it anymore until it's ready!

Throw in some dried garlic, chives, curry and some other herbs, bit of olive oil, seasoning (I like something stronger than salt) and it's almost good enough to eat without anything else (note I said almost )

 

[ballhog]

Rice cookers are great, super easy, great rice. If for whatever reason i don't feel ilke using it, I cook my rice in the oven, works great, way better than on the stove.

 

[JasoNsider]

Whoa, that does sound excellent.

See, I wasn't looking at them for speed. I don't care if my rice was to take an hour to cook. I care about the quality of the cook. The rice that I've had from a cooker has been absolutely delicious (and yes, almost good enough to eat on it's own). Time to look into prices.

Thanks!

 

[levious]

you can also steam about anything in them too.

 

[GG-Duo]

i've also used it for hotpot once.

it actually works... though you can't really control the temperature.

 

[yoshifumi]

i use a rice cooker, but only because its the only way i know how to make rice.

 

[norinrad21]

I use a rice cooker too, i can't be bothered with all that microwave crap. i turn it on, relax for 15-20 minutes and its done.

 

[Divine Puncher]

Rice cooker all the way. You can quicly make a pot of rice, then stick the entire cooker in te fridge with the leftovers inside the pot.

Jasmine rice+ rice cooker>>>>>you.

 

[Dice]

Blech, butter and salt on rice is gross. Do you make that using mexican rice, too?

Also real sticky rice isn't easy to make with a rice cooker. For sticky rice you usually have to wash it then cook it a special way, and it ends up sticky to itself but not to your hands. Rice cookers will usually make it sticky in a way that it makes anything it touches sticky.

 

[ballhog]

Yeah, you really have to soak and steam sticky rice.

 

[WasabiKing]

"You set it and forget it!"

I've had a rice cooker in my house since the beginning of my existence, and I can just cook rice while I'm working on cooking other things.

as for sticky rice, it's easy, you just have to use a different type of grain.

 

[Defensor]

If you are not using a rice cooker, you are not really cooking rice

 

[Error Macro]

I've had a rice cooker forever, and I thought I'd use it alot, but I've used it maybe... twice.

 

[sefskillz]

Yea, I sprung for a rice cooker around Christmas time and I'm glad I did. It's awesome. Not just for the consistently excellent batches of rice it produces, but for the VEGETABLE STEAMING TRAY in the top. Steam your veggies at the same time you're making your rice! Sooo good.

 

[JasoNsider]

Damn, sounds like I'm really missing out. I had rice at my Aunt's place and she had a rice cooker. I nearly fell out of my chair when I had the rice .

Rice cooker it is. No more ghetto rice for me!

 

[Blackace]

I have a clock!... A CLOCK in mine!!

 

[Dice]

Trying to make rice without a rice cooker is like trying to make toast without a toaster. It just doesn't work unless you have been trained properly.

 

[nitewulf]

im east asian, we eat a lot of rice, in fact rice is our main source of carbs. we used to cook in the old fashiopn way in a pot on the stove, but then moved onto using a cooker. its much more convenient and hassle free. also we have a big family so we dont just cook one cup of rice, it'd be a nightmare to cook for a family using the microwave. from the cooker, the rice comes out very nice and plump, but not sticky, so if you like sticky rice you might wanna use other methods or fool around with the time settings.

 

[cs060mk2]

You should keep in mind that a microwave uses a lot of electricity. If you want to save on electricity bills a rice cooker is probably a good idea since a microwave uses 400 watts or more.

 

[Hooker]

Try 700/1000+ watts

 

[levious]

Try 700/1000+ watts

sounds like that fits into the "400 watts or more" range to me.

 

[NetMapel]

A good rice is a sticky rice. you poor westerners obviously don't know the art of rice-cooking. *Sigh*

 

[golem]

a few weeks ago i got stupid and bought some Uncle Ben's instead of whatever chinese rice i usually walk out with... omg, that shit SUCKS.. couldnt even make it through the bag.. bleh

 

[Malakhov]

How much is a good and cheap rice cooker? I've seen some at insane prices.

 

[Defensor]

If you can, try getting one of those cool square rice cookers. Circle rice cookers have been done

 

[ballhog]

http://www.dealtime.com/xPO-Zojirushi_NS_PC18

This is what I have, works like a charm.

 

[DJ Sl4m]

I can understand the desire for the steaming veggies, but cooking rice on a stove is easy enough.

I use a pot on a stove, it's simple, just don't take the top off till it's time is up.

 

[JackFrost2012]

a rice cooker is the only way to eat rice

also, butter on rice is like, I dunno. mayonnaise on corn flakes. no no no.

 

[GG-Duo]

if you want flavor on your rice - just steam some oily food (for example, BBQ Pork, Salted Fish) on top of the rice with a tray.

The flavor will be trapped in the cooker and make your rice all yummy.

 

[robochimp]

Trying to make rice without a rice cooker is like trying to make toast without a toaster. It just doesn't work unless you have been trained properly.

What? Rice is pretty easy to make on the stove. You dont need any special training,\. Rinse rice(unless its enriched rice) twice as much water as rice(varies somewhat with type of rice), bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover and let cook for 10-15 minutes. There you have now been trained

 

[Stuggernaut]

I have a rice cooker....a microwave rice cooker

I have cooked it on the stove...

I have cooked it in the oven...

And I even have cooked it in my overly pricey traditional rice cooker...

My fav is the microwave rice cooker.

Why?

The rice keeps it's flavor, is NEVER mushy, and cooks uber fast. Best rice cooking method IMO

As an added bonus, you can cook pasta and steam vegetables in them too, perfect texture, color and flavor

 

[Malakhov]

Huh I have that, never used it to cook rice or anything, I always use it as a salad bowl lol

 

[Matlock]

I just use my stove and water.

...and usually spaghetti sauce.

 

[Stuggernaut]

Huh I have that, never used it to cook rice or anything, I always use it as a salad bowl lol

Try it...it's great. Just add a couple extra tablespoons of water to what it calls for, and when it says 13-15 minutes for time, use the higher one.

 

[Upper_Management]

How much is a good and cheap rice cooker? I've seen some at insane prices.

Ditto... what are some good/reasonably priced rice cookers? What price did you get yours for ballhog?

 

[buck naked]

My current microwave has a rice preset, so I just go with that.

 

[Xizk]

You guys have convinced me to get a rice cooker when I get my own place.

 

[GamePnoy74]

Zojirushi rice cookers are the way to go:
http://www.zojirushi.com/ricecookers.html

If you're on a budget, get a basic 3-cup version for about $30:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00004S575/qid=1086897135/sr=1-13/ref=sr_1_13/102-5363782-0677713?v=glance&s=kitchen

Edit: They got crazier models in Japan:
http://www.zojirushi.co.jp/syohin/01kitchencook/01list.html
http://www.zojirushi.co.jp/syohin/zutto/index.html

 

[JasoNsider]

You guys fucking rock

I don't have money to buy a rice cooker just yet but I'm totally buying one the moment I get a chance. Thanks for the links to the buying sites, too.

Btw, the reason I never used stove top method is simply due to burning. People who use stove top have to watch the rice near the end which is something you don't have to do with rice cookers (and microwave for that matter).

 

[AirBrian]

Buy Texmati rice. It's a bit pricier, but so worth it.

http://www.chefsoriginal.com/texmati.htm

 

[Blackcherry]

You guys tempted me to buy one of these machine. But what about rice mixed with peas? Do it taste great like the usual way or even better? (If some of you dont know haitians food, we cook rice with peas a lot)