The rice cooker is a great invention that makes life a lot easier. Many of us struggle to cook rice that’s just right. It is indeed an art as well as a science, since you can burn, overcook or under-cook rice.
A rice cooker can be your best friend if you want to cook rice perfectly. This is especially true if you usually cook a lot of food along with rice. A couple of examples are Japanese, Chinese and Mexican food. You need to look for a quality rice cooker that’s just right for you.
How to pick the right rice cooker
Choosing a rice cooker is like picking any other appliance such as a refrigerator. Compare features and capabilities before investing in a rice cooker. You need to be sure that you will be completely happy with what you are getting before you buy it.
Points to consider before choosing a rice cooker:
• The first decision you need to make is about whether you really need a rice cooker.
• This can usually be decided by your lifestyle and how much you will use it.
• Will it be used on a daily basis or occasionally? If it will be used regularly, it’s a good idea to get a rice cooker.
• They say you get what you pay for. This is usually true for everything you will ever buy, and it is especially applicable to kitchen appliances.
• If you get a good rice cooker, you will reap the reward of being able to cook rice that’s done just right.
• You can cook white rice, quinoa or brown rice, all of which are a great addition to almost any meal.
You will come across many rice cooker reviews and some of them can be very useful. Many people like to go through product reviews because it helps them to choose the right appliance.
Some of the attributes of a great rice cooker:
• Easy to use
• Easy to clean
• Has a removable insert
• Has a special implement
• Right for you
Look for an appliance that you can maintain and clean easily so that it’s ready to be used again. Most rice cookers are designed to be easy to maintain.
Removable insert
A removable insert makes things a lot easier. Since a rice cooker usually has to be plugged in, do not immerse the entire unit in water. The removable insert makes the cleanup easier. It might be hard to remove, but it will come out if you persist.
Special implement
Some rice cookers come with an implement that can be used to serve the rice. The removable insert has a non-stick lining, so you need to use a cleaning implement that does not scratch or damage it.
The implement that comes with the rice cooker looks like a flat plastic spoon, which is useful for stirring the rice and serving it out of the cooker. The spoon should not be placed in the rice cooker while the rice is being cooked.
Is it right for you?
The best rice cooker is one that fits your needs, desires and style. You can choose from a wide range of cookers based on your personal preferences.
Style usually isn’t considered while choosing an appliance. However, appliances are made in many cool colors, so you can choose one that matches your home decor.
How to use your new rice cooker
So, let’s say you’ve just bought your first rice cooker. What now? Well, if you’re going to use it right away, go ahead and open the box. It’s okay, the box won’t hurt you, and it is quite easy to use.
Okay, so you’ve gotten the box open, yes? So open it carefully and set aside the instruction manual. Carefully lift out the rice cooker, the lid and anything else that comes with it.
It is recommended that you wipe or wash the insert before using it for the first time. Dry it and return to the rice cooker. The cooker just came out of the box, and I doubt that you would want to put food into something that’s been in a box for who knows how long.
Is it easy to use? Hopefully!
Hopefully, you’ve looked at the instruction manual. If you haven’t, take a look at it. In the instructions, there should be measurements for your rice cooker. If you’re ready to make rice, carefully follow the instructions.
Follow these steps to make rice in your rice cooker:
• Usually, you’ll lock the removable insert until you hear a click.
• Take your rice and follow the measurements given in the manual to make the amount of rice you want.
• Then add the water. This is crucial because you need to add the right amount.
• If you add too much, the rice will become soggy. Add too little and your rice may not cook well or not at all. There is a delicate balance to this.
• Okay, now you have your rice and water measured in the cooker.
• The next thing you need to do is to plug it into an outlet and put the lid on.
• All you need to do is cook your rice. Turn the indicator to cook and let it go.
• Now all that’s left is to cook the other things you want to eat along with your rice.
• That was pretty simple, right? Good. Cooking should be simple.
Congratulations! You’ve just cooked your first pot of rice. Hopefully, it turned out well. If not, figure out what went wrong and try again.
There’s no harm in cooking too much rice as it goes with most meals. Well, maybe not pizza or anything like that. Well, maybe. I don’t think I’ve heard of pizza topped with rice!
Follow these steps to clean your rice cooker:
• After you’ve cooked your rice and served it, you need to unplug the cooker and let it cool.
• Once it has cooled, you may want to take out the insert and wash it.
• Wipe the exterior of the rice cooker if it is dirty and wash the lid and other implements that came with it.
• You need to clean your rice cooker every single time you use it.
• Your rice cooker should give you many years of service if it’s cared for properly.
This is the maintenance that we talked about before. Things work better when they are cared for properly. That includes appliances like rice cookers and nearly everything else you own.
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