(Ronnie Rao) wrote in
om:

Hi,

I have had similar problems, and hence had to reduce the usage of rice
cooker unless I have to cook for 4+ people.

I read/heard that a non-stick rice cooker helps a lot, one that has a
coating. Also, once you hear the 'click' sound or when you see that
the rice is done, take the plug off, dont let the rice warm in the
rice cooker, that increases the stickiness of the rice.

I use Basmati Rice always, wash it 3 times and boil it in 6 cups of
water. Once cooked, drain the excess water by passing it through a
strainer. This makes rice less starchy too.

Its a lengthier process, all this because I eat rice only once a week


Ronnie


(Mary) wrote in message
. com...
I have used a wide variety of rice cookers, and have never had rice
cooked as well as the old-fashioned "boil(steam)it in a pot" method.
I have decided that it's just the nature of the beast, and donated
all the rice cookers to a charity sale. Perhaps some folks like the
rice-cooker rice. However, I did put a copy of the "boil it in a pot"
directions in each of the cookers just to be fair. And I always get
out my old pot to cook rice!

Jud McCranie wrote in message
. ..
For years I made rice by boiling it in a pot. Recently my wife
gave me a Krups rice cooker. I've used it 8-10 times, but I always
have a problem of the rice sticking together in large clumps,
especially on the bottom and edges. A thin film of starch also
forms on the bottom. I've tried rinsing the rice first, but that
doesn't seem to help. I've increased the amount of water, and that
seems to help some. But now I'm up to 50% more water than the
instructions say, and I still have a major problem with the rice
sticking together in big clumps. (I started with 2 cups of water to
1 cup of rice, and I gradually increased it to 3 cups of water.) I
use Mahatna long-grain rice.

How can I keep the rice from clumping together?

---
Replace you know what by j to email


I think we are talking different cooking devices here. Some call a steamer
a rice cooker. This can poach a fish or steam veggies as well. Usually
timer controled. Has a water resevoir.

When I talk rice cooker, I mean the removable cooking pot that you put the
rice and water in that sits over top of a heating element inside the
cooker. This element shuts off when the rice is cooked. There isn't any
excess water. You can't poach a fish or produce useable steam with this
device. Basically this thing senses when the temp rises because the water
is gone and shuts down. Doesn't have a water resevoir. This cooker comes in
various sizes, small (makes 1- 4 cups rice) ranging thru large (makes over
30 cups rice or more). Won't cook Wild Rice.

I like to wash my basmati and cook it in chicken stock (from powder) in a
small rice cooker. I also on ocassion chuck in other items to cook with the
rice. Things like sliced mushrooms, sliced onions, cubed chicken and/or
differing herbs and spices (a pinch of cumin is nice). I use 1.75 cups
water/1 cup rice ratio (if you figure in the wet washed rice about a 2/1
ratio). I stir up the rice after it is cooked. There is some clumping but
nothing to write home about. There is also a cooked/brown skin of rice at
the bottom of the cooker...tastes good...


When I just used converted long grain rice (Uncle Ben's), I'd cook it in
the microwave. My microwave was a 750 watt unit and a coffee mug of rice
and 2 mugs of water with a chicken stock cube would cook uncovered in
(IIRC) around 20 minutes on high power unsupervised. And leave me one less
pot to watch or wash.

These days I cook many styles and types of rice...Black, red, bastmati,
plain long grain, brown, jasmine, converted, mid-grain japanese, etc. So I
prefer to use the rice cooker.

--
Once during Prohibition I was forced to live for days on nothing but food
and water.
--------
FIELDS, W. C.