Rice cooker made easy!
Preparing rice with a rice cooker is easy as pie, actually it’s easier than pie! Rice cookers are one of the best kitchen appliances to have because it saves you so much time. It’s up there with a coffee maker as one of the must have kitchen appliances. It costs around $25-$35 for a 25 pound bag of good quality rice. Rice is hands down the best value over all the other starches.
Let me ask you. Can you make spaghetti? I’m not even talking about any different types of Mariana or Alfredo sauce. I mean just cooking water for simple spaghetti. No, you say?! What about this, can you boil an egg? I’m not going to ask you to answer that. But, let me say to you. Preparing rice with a cooker is 10x easier. Why? Because you don’t have to mess with fire (for those that have a gas range), setting a timer, pre-heating an oven, or being unsure if your pasta is al dente. Cooking rice with a rice cooker comes out perfect every time you make it. All you have to do is add some water and push a button. That’s it! Don’t trust me. I’ll prove it!
All you really need is a sufficient rice cooker, acceptable grade rice, water, and your finger. You heard the old saying “A poor musician blames his instrument,” well forget it Try cutting a steak with a dulled steak knife and you tell me if it’s the knife or the guy slicing the steak. And that’s why you would want to invest in at least a medium quality one.
That’s enough gabbing, 3 easy steps to cook perfect rice every time with a rice cooker starts now for you!
Step 1. Add the desired amount of of white or brown rice you want into the rice cooker external pot. RICE FACT: 1 cup of dry white or brown rice after cooking is about 2 medium servings.
Step 2. Make a #1 sign with your forefinger. Then point your finger into the pot so that the tip barely touches the top level of rice. If you prefer stickier rice, add just enough tap water until the water gets up to your first knuckle. Make sure you don’t add too much water otherwise it will become too wet. For fluffier rice, add enough water so that the water level is a bit beneath your first knuckle.
If you are cooking jasmine or basmati, you can stop around the bottom of your first knuckle; if it’s other long-grain rice or brown rice, you can go just over your first knuckle. It doesn’t have to be measured exactly, do your best guesstimate. Because there are many things out of your control, for example, the altitude where you live, the humidity, the quality of the rice, and even the brand of rice there is an ‘exact’ measure. You’ll have to play around with it a few times depending on your situation. But, the great thing about a rice cooker is that you never have to worry about anything burning.
Step 3. Lastly, put the pot in the rice cooker. And make sure the rice cooker is plugged in and push the start button When the rice is done, the rice cooker will automatically stop and be in keep warm mode.
