Cost of rice cookers...
Asians use rice cooker to cook rice. Now, purchasing a rice cooker can be expensive. A good one can cost up to $200 ~ $300!!! But I did find an oster rice cooker at walmart for around $10! It's like the one in the picture except it's red, and it cooks 10 cups of rice. While brands like Salton and Kenwood might be cheaper, I only recommend either Japanese brands (Hitachi) or Oster, because many of the other brands tend to burn the rice.
Now what's the difference between the rice cookers...
There are mainly 2 types of rice cookers, automatic and traditional.
Automatic Vs. Traditional
Automatic rice cookers are used only for cooking rice. There is a pot inside the rice cooker where you put the rice and water, put it into the rice cooker, press the button, and that's it.
Traditional rice cookers are more flexible as in they can also work as a steamer, slow cooker, etc. The only difference is that you have to add water into the rice cooker before you put the pot in, so there's water outside the pot as well.
How to cook rice with a rice cooker...
It really depends on the type of rice you are cooking. Typically the measurements are: 1 cup of rice add 1 cup of water
Now Jasmine rice (long grain) is less sticky than Calrose rice (short grain), it takes a little less water. Brown & wild rice require presoaking for 1/2 a day before cooking.
How to cook rice with a rice cooker...
It really depends on the type of rice you are cooking. Typically the measurements are: 1 cup of rice add 1 cup of water
Now Jasmine rice (long grain) is less sticky than Calrose rice (short grain), it takes a little less water. Brown & wild rice require presoaking for 1/2 a day before cooking.
- Put the amount of rice you want into the pot
- Wash it under tap water (fill the pot with water, wash, then pour out starchy water)
- Measure the amount of water you need and pour into the pot.
- Put the pot into the rice cooker and press the button. If it's automatic, dry the outside of the pot before placing it in. If it's traditional, fill the rice cooker with 1 cup of water before placing the pot in.
- When the rice is cooked, the button will click and the light will go from red to orange. Let it sit for another 5 mins before opening the lid.
If you add a few drops of oil and vinegar to your rice (before cooking), your rice would turn out sticker and more chewy.
