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Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Choose A Rice Cooker For Perfect Rice

/ On : 12:59 AM

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By John McKain

One of the most useful small appliances that you will ever buy is a rice cooker. A rice cooker can do much more than cook rice and is useful in both the kitchen and the dorm room.

Rice cookers can cook rice of course, but they can also cook other hot cereals, steam vegetables, cook deserts and even cook stews and soups. While not all rice cookers can do all of these tasks, many are able to do most of them.

The best rice cookers are made in Japan. There are other models that may be less expensive from other countries, but you will enjoy using the Japanese rice cookers the most.

Rice cookers come in several sizes, some cooking over fourteen cups of rice at one time. You should choose the cooker that corresponds to the amount of rice you normally would cook. Large cookers can be used to cook smaller amounts, but they work best when three quarters to all the way full. Be careful not to overfill a rice cooker.

Remember that a Japanese cup is only six ounces. Most Americans are more used to an eight ounce cup. To adjust recipes, remember that rice cooker cups are approximately three fourths of an American cup.

The Japanese home prefers a five cup rice cooker.

If you want easy clean up from your rice cooker, choose the one with a non-stick pan. This non-stick pan is great for rice. Rice just does not stick to it and slides out leaving a clean pan. A quick rinse and you are ready to cook again.

There are several types of rice cookers available. Choose the one that meets your needs and budget.

Some models are either on or off. The good thing is that they automatically turn off. They may not have an indicator light, but simply turn off when all the water is absorbed into the rice. These cookers are very versatile and can do a good job at cooking rice.

The next in price range of rice cookers both cook the rice and then turn to a keep warm setting. They do not have an off setting so be sure to unplug the unit after use so that you do not create a fire hazard.

The most expensive rice cookers offer fuzzy logic. They have different settings for soup, brown rice, texture of rice and some even offer the setting for sushi rice.

Some of the newest models of rice cookers offer induction heating. They make perfect rice every time and compensate for variations in water or rice measurements and for different types of rice.

If you want a rice cooker that is also a steamer, be sure to look for the plastic steamer tray. This tray allows you to make perfectly steamed vegetables very quickly.

Do not forget that a rice cooker is perfect for a college student who is living in the dorm. They can cook their own meals in a small rice cooker and avoid the expense of the college cafeteria as well as all the unhealthy fast food. Be sure that they are stocked up on rice, canned soups and top raman for quick meals. - 24553

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