rice cooker that's bad at cooking rice

[Trustmeimadoctor]

I bought a cheap rice cooker a few years ago as I'm no good at cooking it on the hob

Anyway I've never had stellar results with it but last night I used 1 cup of rice and filled it to the 1 mark with water (I did rince it) but it came out in a ball pretty much and was unusable no fluffy individual grains to be seen

I thought they were pretty much idiog proof but seemingly not!

As far as I can tell pretty much all of them operate on the same principle so in theory spending more shouldn't make a difference so what am I doing wrong?

[HustleRussell]

I presume the 1 mark supposed to correspond to the correct amount of water for 1 cup of rice?

What sort of rice was it?

I have great success with rice on the hob but it does involve weighing the rice and the water and then watching like a hawk!

[Trustmeimadoctor]

The watching likd a hawk is my issue

Ooh squirrel...


See
It was white long grain I'm sure it said was from a gusto meal.

As far as I understand it yes 1 full measure of rice you then fill with water upto the 1 mark and that's what I did maybe the grading on the pot is way off it seems to do a bit better with brown rice

[nd0000]

Ours has a tendency to do that if you are making a small amount, or put a bit too much water in, or don't rinse the rice enough.

[ZedLeg]

We have one of these and it's a doddle

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cuckoo-Electric-Heating-C...

We usually use Japanese rice as that's what we like, equal quantity of rice and water. Wash the rise until the water runs clear before you put it in the cooker, leave it to soak until it's not translucent anymore. Once it's cooked stir it to get the rice off the bottom and shut the lid again until you're ready to eat.

[Motorman74]

I just do it in the microwave.

Prepare rice - rinse etc.

1 cup of rice, 2 cups of water in a pyrex bowl with a lid - 13 minutes in a 1000W Panasonic combi-thing microwave, perfect rice every time.

[WelshRich]

HustleRussell said:

I presume the 1 mark supposed to correspond to the correct amount of water for 1 cup of rice?

What sort of rice was it?

I have great success with rice on the hob but it does involve weighing the rice and the water and then watching like a hawk!

I’ve never understood why instructions/recipes state this method. I cook rice like I cook pasta, loads of water and just drain the excess when the rice is ready (obviously not if it’s a risotto or similar in which case the hawk eyes come into play)

Am I missing something?

[ZedLeg]

WelshRich said:

HustleRussell said:

I presume the 1 mark supposed to correspond to the correct amount of water for 1 cup of rice?

What sort of rice was it?

I have great success with rice on the hob but it does involve weighing the rice and the water and then watching like a hawk!

I’ve never understood why instructions/recipes state this method. I cook rice like I cook pasta, loads of water and just drain the excess when the rice is ready (obviously not if it’s a risotto or similar in which case the hawk eyes come into play)

Am I missing something?

As Uncle Roger says, if you have to drain your rice you fked up.

Rice shouldn't have any water sitting in it when it's fully cooked.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

Was going to quote uncle roger

[deckster]

WelshRich said:

I’ve never understood why instructions/recipes state this method. I cook rice like I cook pasta, loads of water and just drain the excess when the rice is ready (obviously not if it’s a risotto or similar in which case the hawk eyes come into play)

Am I missing something?

It does seem like people are making something very simple a lot more complicated than it needs to be, although as you say it's important to use a lot of water. I will add a step of rinsing the cooked rice with clean boiling water to remove excess starch. But that aside it's really not a difficult process.

[ZedLeg]

I'm going to need to show my partner this thread, they'll be horrified. They used to be a chef in a Japanese restaurant

[WelshRich]

ZedLeg said:

I'm going to need to show my partner this thread, they'll be horrified. They used to be a chef in a Japanese restaurant

Were they sacked for fannying about with the rice cooker?

[QJumper]

I used to use a rice cooker, as I couldn't get it right on the hob, but have figured it out now.

I use basmati rice (Tilda, as it happens) and don't bother to rinse it first. Then 2 to 2.5 times water to rice in a saucepan or saute pan with a lid, and cook on the smallest ring, at the lowest heat setting, for around 20-25 minutes....without removing the lid to check, till at least 20 minutes. Comes out perfect every time, with no excess liquid.

[HustleRussell]

ZedLeg said:

I'm going to need to show my partner this thread, they'll be horrified. They used to be a chef in a Japanese restaurant laugh

WelshRich said:

We’re they sacked for fannying about with the rice cooker?

Being seen with rice in a colander would get you the boot in an instant

Rice cooker is the way the entire continent of Asia are doing it. Usually an ancient white plastic one with a pink 'hello kitty' motif.

Edited by HustleRussell on Friday 14th April 15:49

[Trustmeimadoctor]

WelshRich said:

ZedLeg said:

I'm going to need to show my partner this thread, they'll be horrified. They used to be a chef in a Japanese restaurant

Were they sacked for fannying about with the rice cooker?

A rice cooker should be the simplist way you stick it in and press a button in theory that's it and it keeps it warm

Will try less water. I could cook more rice but that would be a waste I'm only doing about 130g for 2 people

[Cotty]

Motorman74 said:

I just do it in the microwave.

Prepare rice - rinse etc.

1 cup of rice, 2 cups of water in a pyrex bowl with a lid - 13 minutes in a 1000W Panasonic combi-thing microwave, perfect rice every time.

I do mine in the microwave but use one of these. Don't think you can buy them now.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B06XDLH1S4/ref...

[Trustmeimadoctor]

Update did brown rice tonight same amount of rice slightly less water on quick setting and tonight slight bite do 100x better need to do white rice again and see what happens

[Mobile Chicane]

Zojirushi.

Job jobbed.

[AlexC1981]

ZedLeg said:

WelshRich said:

HustleRussell said:

I presume the 1 mark supposed to correspond to the correct amount of water for 1 cup of rice?

What sort of rice was it?

I have great success with rice on the hob but it does involve weighing the rice and the water and then watching like a hawk!

I’ve never understood why instructions/recipes state this method. I cook rice like I cook pasta, loads of water and just drain the excess when the rice is ready (obviously not if it’s a risotto or similar in which case the hawk eyes come into play)

Am I missing something?

As Uncle Roger says, if you have to drain your rice you fked up.

Rice shouldn't have any water sitting in it when it's fully cooked.

But why? I am genuinely so confused. I also use plenty of water and throw the excess water away when the rice is cooked.

[ruggedscotty]

Watch those rice cookers.... and keep the cat away...

I had to throw away half the rice this evening