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Dawn
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Does anyone use one of these? Do they really make rice cooking a snap? We *love* rice, but it seems we never make it because it's takes so long in the pot.
Thanks for any advice. 
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Dawn, mum to 3 boys 
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lapazfarm
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I use one on nearly a daily basis! My dh is Cuban-American and rice is a staple of his diet. Cookers make all the difference in the world! So easy the children can make the rice for me while I do the main dish! No timing, no watching the stove, and it comes out perfect every time. Plus it keeps it warm until I am ready to serve it. I hated making rice before my mother-in-law bought me my first cooker and now I will never go back!
I have tried alot of brands (and worn out many a cooker!) and the one I have found that works and lasts the best, plus is easiest to clean is the Panasonic. I love it.
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Theresa
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momwise
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Dawn,
I'm sure Stef and others have much more to say about the real rice cookers but I have a Black and Decker Steamer/Rice cooker that I love! It does make rice cooking a snap (it can be left alone like a crockpot). I also throw veggies in there to steam after I take the rice out and it's great for reviving dry pancakes, french toast, etc.
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Gwen...wife for 30 years, mom of 7, grandma of 3.....
"If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life." JPII
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JennGM
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I have one and never use it, because it originally made too much. But now we are eating much more rice, so I may revisit this.
But I always make brown rice, and usually cook it in chicken broth. Does anyone do this successfully in their cooker?
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Jennifer G. Miller
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stefoodie
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Hi Dawn, being Asians we cook rice daily, in a rice cooker. Yes, it *does* make rice cooking a snap. Add rice, water, press the "cook" button and it's done in 15-20 minutes.
However, I also have the rice-in-a-pot technique down to a science (having cooked and eaten rice almost daily my whole life!). Add rice to your pot (any size pot -- just as long as you leave room for the rice's volume to double), rinse and drain if you like, then level the rice in the pot. Add water, level the rice again (under the water) and dip your middle finger so that the tip just touches the surface of the rice. The water should come up to the first joint of your finger. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat -- 3-7 minutes depending on your BTUs and how big your pot is; that's the only time you really have to watch the pot. As soon as it's on a full boil, give it a stir (optional) and turn heat down to the lowest setting. Cook for 7 minutes, covered (while you set the timer and go do other things ). Turn off heat and let stand for 7-10 more minutes (set the timer again and do other things  ). Voila! Easy rice by the absorption method. The rice cooker cooks it exactly the same way (high heat first then low heat).
You'll have to make adjustments for the type of rice you're using and the heat of your stove -- how long it brings that pot to a boil. This works for most Jasmine rice, short grain, long grain, basmati, etc. -- for whole grain rice the cooking will be longer and you'll need more water.
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stef
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guitarnan
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I have one...it's great. It's lasted 20 years. It's in a box (well, everything I own is currently in a box  ), so I can't tell you the brand.
If we're going out during the day, I start the rice ahead and it stays nice and warm. Add some crockpot Chinese chicken and we're all set!
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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Christine
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We got one as a wedding gift and I only used it once. We usually eat brown rice and I did not like how the brown rice tasted out of the rice cooker. I cook enough brown rice on the stove top for two nights (actually I cook enough of everything for two nights). This cuts down on my cooking time.
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Christine
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kristina
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Dawn,
This past spring, I found a like new Krups Rice Cooker at a charity shop for $5. I sanitized it and use it on days like yesterday when DH claims that there is no more room on the cooktop because he is making a Garlic Lime Chicken and Zucchini already.  . I told him he could use the rice cooker, kept on a basement shelf. I neglected, however, to tell him that he must use AT LEAST two cups of rice. The one cup turned out glue-y, short and sticky, and it was supposed to be yummy Jasmine rice. Live and learn.
I had read on either epinions or amazon reviews that it is necessary to cook at least two cups for large rice cookers to work properly. When done properly, it is really good. However, even for our large family, that is a lot of rice. We eat ours w/ Bragg's liquid Aminos (soy sauce is too salty) or Earth Balance butter and a shake of cheapy cheese (my ridiculous name for "not fresh grated" parmesan in a green can). With family only willing to eat rice with just those toppings, the salt content is a bit much. So I took the leftover rice and made a non dairy rice pudding. That went mostly uneaten, so I have made our rice on the stove ever since so I would not waste rice. I used to have the attitude that it's "only rice" but I felt so guilty when I heard a tale from a local missionary to Haiti. They said that one of their deliveries of rice spilled so they gathered a few chickens to help pick up the rice. The locals promptly removed the chickens and picked up the individual grains of rice themselves because they were so hungry  .
Sorry this turned into a long boring reply, but that is my current take on rice. FWIW.
ps - Stef, thank you for your rice instructions. I am printing them.
Blessings,
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kristina
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JennGM
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Christine wrote:
| We got one as a wedding gift and I only used it once. We usually eat brown rice and I did not like how the brown rice tasted out of the rice cooker. I cook enough brown rice on the stove top for two nights (actually I cook enough of everything for two nights). This cuts down on my cooking time. |
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Christine, This is EXACTLY my experience. Wedding gift, didn't like the brown rice taste. I also cook "batches" of brown rice for leftovers. It does take a bit longer on the stove, but I've got it to where it's easy, low maintenance and delicious every time. It reheats nicely in the microwave -- yes, I do use one. For my son's allergies, we usually have brown rice or rice noodles cooked for his lunches and dinner.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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lapazfarm
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My cooker does brown rice pretty well. You have to adjust the water amounts for brown vs. white rice according to your cooker's guidelines. My dh doesn't care for brown rice (cultural thing, I guess) so I don't make it often.
We usually make 3 cups (well, the measuring scoop is actually 3/4 cups, so that would be 2 1/4 cups) and it turns out just enough for our rice-loving family of 6 or so. Any leftovers go to the dogs and I don't feel bad about it because it is cheaper than that expensive rice formula dog food! 
Another thing: I always add 1 tsp salt and a tablespoon vegetable oil to the pot before turning the cooker on. My Cuban mother-in-law taught me that tip and it seems to really help it turn out well. Sometimes you also have to play around with the water levels. Each cooker I have had has needed a little tweaking over or under the mark on the inner pot, most likely due to hardness or softness of the water source. If you experiment eventually you will hit on the right level.
I also can make yellow rice in my cooker using 1/2 chicken stock and those Vigo or Goya yellow rice seasoning packets, plus some pimientos and peas. Much cheaper than the pre-mixed packets of yellow rice.
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Theresa
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momwise
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My steamer is fine for the brown rice. The only problem is my rice bowl is only big enough for 2 c. dry. That just barely feeds us all plus I need leftovers for dh's lunch. I'm so glad to have these stove top instructions Stef!
Now, does anyone have a really creamy type of Rice Pudding recipe for when there are leftovers? My soy milk version is so dry.
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Gwen...wife for 30 years, mom of 7, grandma of 3.....
"If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life." JPII
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stefoodie
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gwen, my favorite type of rice pudding -- really creamy -- is one where the rice cooks in a custard-type base -- which means milk and eggs (and which we can't have here anymore:() -- if you're interested let me know and i'll post a recipe.
jenn, yes, we cook with different liquids in the rice cooker. chicken stock, thinned tomato sauce, coconut milk and spices, etc.
can't really address the minimum 2-cup issue because we always cook way more than that .
glad some of you can use the stovetop instructions. i've had to do that in between rice cookers. we've had different brands, cheap, expensive, US-made, China-made, etc. my mom's National from Japan has lasted 10+ years but it's too small for us. and everytime our cooker breaks someone gifts us with a new one so i end up not buying -- and i've been wanting a Fuzzy Logic Zo for a while. right now our cooker is a large Oster given to us for our wedding 16+ years ago, and which we used to use only for parties. now there's enough of us to use it 2x a day.
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Dawn
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Thank you all for the suggestions and ideas! We do try to make brown rice so I'm paying particular attention to that advice. Right now we usually make Near East - delicous, but expensive *and* 4yo (on the Feingold diet) can't eat it - so I really want to become good at making "homemade" rice. 
Of course I'm getting ahead of myself, but what about leftover rice recipes? I too would love a rice pudding recipe! (Could be the *perfect* food for a blustery autumn day - o.k. now I am getting ahead of myself!)
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Dawn, mum to 3 boys
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momwise
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stefoodie wrote:
| gwen, my favorite type of rice pudding -- really creamy -- is one where the rice cooks in a custard-type base -- which means milk and eggs (and which we can't have here anymore:() -- if you're interested let me know and i'll post a recipe. |
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Yes, yes Stef.......I just realized I hadn't asked for that recipe. Thank you!
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Gwen...wife for 30 years, mom of 7, grandma of 3.....
"If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life." JPII
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5athome
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I have a 20 c capacity rice cooker from Oster and love it. We only use brown rice. The key for our rice cooker is to make a minimum of 6 c at a time - we usually eat half with the meal and I use the leftovers for lunch the next day to do a Chinese type stir fry.
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stefoodie
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gwen, i am so sorry!!! i was just visiting rebecca's blog and remembered that i never gave you my recipe for rice pudding!! 
anyway, my recipe is very similar to hers, except mine probably takes longer (stirring) because it starts with uncooked rice.
here's rebecca's recipe
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stef
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kathleenmom
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My favorite brown rice recipe is for an oven baked variety that I don't have to watch and comes out beautifully. I usually double the recipe for leftovers and make rice salad or tex-mex for rice that week. Here it is:
Place in 2 qut. casserole dish:
1 c. raw brown rice
1 1/2 c. water
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 Tbsp. butter
Cover tigthly ( I use a casserole dish with glass lid ) and bake at 400 F for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.
Yum!
Kathleen
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JennGM
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I'm inserting a question about brown rice. If I use short, long or medium grain, does that make a difference in nutrition? I really like short grain style. Lundberg.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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cathhomeschool
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I second everything Theresa said (including the salt and oil tip). We make brown and white rice in our rice cooker, and pearl rice on occasion too (when I run out of the others). Jenn, I don't know if the grain makes a difference in nutrition, but my guess would be 'no.' (Not helpful, I know.)
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stefoodie
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nope, no difference in nutrition, jenn. the longer varieties are just less sticky.
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stef
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Rice cooker?
