What's the benefit of using a rice cooker over just using a boiling pot of water??

aphex

Moderator<br>All Things Apple
Moderator
Jul 19, 2001
38,572
2
91
My wife and I usually just boil some water and throw the rice in for 20-25 minutes. What's the benefit of going to a rice cooker?

Also, I never realized you were supposed to wash rice before cooking it. Is this common knowledge or something?
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,369
6,195
126
i cook my rice a lot different than most people do, and using a rice cooker wouldn't work for the way i cook it.
 

Ramma2

Platinum Member
Jul 29, 2002
2,710
1
0
I've been contemplating getting a small 3 cup one to keep here at work, so I can eat fresh rice at lunch.

Bout 25$ on Amazon.
 

Gibson486

Lifer
Aug 9, 2000
18,378
1
0
you can time it and everything if you get a good rice cooker.

Cleaning rice is pretty common knowledge. However, I have seen people not clean it. Maybe uncle bens does not need to be cleaned. I have no idea.
 

MiniDoom

Diamond Member
Jan 5, 2004
5,305
0
71
Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
Do a search, there are a number of lengthy threads covering this subject.

what is this "search function" you speak of? :p
 

Arkitech

Diamond Member
Apr 13, 2000
8,356
4
76
Originally posted by: purbeast0
i cook my rice a lot different than most people do, and using a rice cooker wouldn't work for the way i cook it.

How do you cook it?
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,380
8,509
126
iirc, you should simmer rice, not boil it. simmer is just below a boil. somewhere around 200 degrees.
 

Descartes

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
13,968
2
0
It's just easier, imo. It keeps it hot and fresh during dinner and for an extended period thereafter.

We always clean ours, but we buy them in the big bags that you get as international markets. All kinds of interesting things can find their way into these bags. I don't think you need to wash rice that comes from a sealed container, but I could be mistaken.
 

torpid

Lifer
Sep 14, 2003
11,631
11
76
The benefit is you just plop the ingredients in, then you have plenty of time to use the search function on ATOT.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,369
6,195
126
Originally posted by: krunchykrome
Originally posted by: purbeast0
i cook my rice a lot different than most people do, and using a rice cooker wouldn't work for the way i cook it.

how is that?

first i put some onions in the pot sliced up and some oil (like to coat the bottom) and i let the onions get soft and heat up.

then i put in the rice and i constantly stir it up while it is heating the rice all over for about 5-10 minutes till al lthe rice is slightly covered in oil and it is starting to brown slightly from the heat.

then i add in the water and keep the top off till it boils, then i put the top on it till the water has all steamed out.

i only use jasmine or long grain brown rice, but for brown rice i need to put water in like 3 times.

my (now) fiancee taught me this when i first met her and i have never cooked rice differently since. it tastes so much better than just steaming rice. i do not even like normal steamed rice because its so damn plain tasting.

and i think there is a name for cooking rice this way but im not sure what it is.
 

ghostman

Golden Member
Jul 12, 2000
1,819
1
76
I believe rice used to be covered in talc powder, so people wash it off. I believe they use starch or something nowadays that don't need to be washed first, though some people still do.

I've always used a rice cooker. With the new cookers, it never burns and it never sticks. Plus, we eat rice at least once every day.
 

krunchykrome

Lifer
Dec 28, 2003
13,413
1
0
Originally posted by: purbeast0
Originally posted by: krunchykrome
Originally posted by: purbeast0
i cook my rice a lot different than most people do, and using a rice cooker wouldn't work for the way i cook it.

how is that?

first i put some onions in the pot sliced up and some oil (like to coat the bottom) and i let the onions get soft and heat up.

then i put in the rice and i constantly stir it up while it is heating the rice all over for about 5-10 minutes till al lthe rice is slightly covered in oil and it is starting to brown slightly from the heat.

then i add in the water and keep the top off till it boils, then i put the top on it till the water has all steamed out.

i only use jasmine or long grain brown rice, but for brown rice i need to put water in like 3 times.

my (now) fiancee taught me this when i first met her and i have never cooked rice differently since. it tastes so much better than just steaming rice. i do not even like normal steamed rice because its so damn plain tasting.

and i think there is a name for cooking rice this way but im not sure what it is.

sounds like you need your own cooking show :p
 

Perknose

Forum Director & Omnipotent Overlord
Forum Director
Oct 9, 1999
46,683
10,132
146
Re: washing your rice first.

Over the years I have heard many different takes on this;

Some say you shouldn't wash your rice at all since it washes away many of the nutrients.

Others say you should simply let it sit covered in water first for a brief time, then pour the water off, and repeat this up to a total of three times.

Still others say you should turn a high pressure fire hose on those dirty little grains, and take no prisioners, 'cause there's cooties in there. :p

I've also been taught in the past that "light roasting of your rice" before you add water and boil it method, though the "onions first" part is a new wrinkle to me. Sounds good, though.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,369
6,195
126
Originally posted by: krunchykrome
Originally posted by: purbeast0
Originally posted by: krunchykrome
Originally posted by: purbeast0
i cook my rice a lot different than most people do, and using a rice cooker wouldn't work for the way i cook it.

how is that?

first i put some onions in the pot sliced up and some oil (like to coat the bottom) and i let the onions get soft and heat up.

then i put in the rice and i constantly stir it up while it is heating the rice all over for about 5-10 minutes till al lthe rice is slightly covered in oil and it is starting to brown slightly from the heat.

then i add in the water and keep the top off till it boils, then i put the top on it till the water has all steamed out.

i only use jasmine or long grain brown rice, but for brown rice i need to put water in like 3 times.

my (now) fiancee taught me this when i first met her and i have never cooked rice differently since. it tastes so much better than just steaming rice. i do not even like normal steamed rice because its so damn plain tasting.

and i think there is a name for cooking rice this way but im not sure what it is.

sounds like you need your own cooking show :p

it's a lot easier than it sounds and tastes SSSSSOOOOOO much better. it's just the way that her family has always cooked rice, and i've been to a ton of nicaraguan dinners and stuff w/her family (and over in nicaragua too) and that's just how they do it.