Don't get a non-stick rice cooker
 

For years, I have successfully cooked rice in an electric rice cooker
– the classic kind with the removable metal pot. Recently, I made the
mistake of buying a cooker with a non-stick coating on the pot. The
problem with non-stick pots is that the unpalatable rice at the bottom
of the pot no longer sticks to the pot; it sticks to the good rice and
ruins it. The old metal pots were great, because the unpalatable rice
stuck to the pot and could not be removed from the pot until the pot
had been soaked in water. The old metal pots allowed one to scrape
out all of the savory rice leaving all the unpalatable rice in the
pot. With a non-stick pot, one wastes a lot more good rice by leaving
it in the pot so as to not get any of the hard unpalatable stuff in
your food.

"active805" > wrote in message
m...
> For years, I have successfully cooked rice in an electric rice cooker
> - the classic kind with the removable metal pot. Recently, I made the
> mistake of buying a cooker with a non-stick coating on the pot. The
> problem with non-stick pots is that the unpalatable rice at the bottom
> of the pot no longer sticks to the pot; it sticks to the good rice and
> ruins it. The old metal pots were great, because the unpalatable rice
> stuck to the pot and could not be removed from the pot until the pot
> had been soaked in water. The old metal pots allowed one to scrape
> out all of the savory rice leaving all the unpalatable rice in the
> pot. With a non-stick pot, one wastes a lot more good rice by leaving
> it in the pot so as to not get any of the hard unpalatable stuff in
> your food.

Something is wrong with your cooker or with the way you are doing things. We
are on our 2nd nonstick rice cooker and have never had the slightest hint of
the problems you describe. Rice is "palatable" all the way down - there is
never so much as a single grain that is not just fine.


--
Peter Aitken

Remove the crap from my email address before using.

"active805" > wrote in message
m...
> For years, I have successfully cooked rice in an electric rice cooker
> - the classic kind with the removable metal pot. Recently, I made the
> mistake of buying a cooker with a non-stick coating on the pot. The
> problem with non-stick pots is that the unpalatable rice at the bottom
> of the pot no longer sticks to the pot; it sticks to the good rice and
> ruins it. The old metal pots were great, because the unpalatable rice
> stuck to the pot and could not be removed from the pot until the pot
> had been soaked in water. The old metal pots allowed one to scrape
> out all of the savory rice leaving all the unpalatable rice in the
> pot. With a non-stick pot, one wastes a lot more good rice by leaving
> it in the pot so as to not get any of the hard unpalatable stuff in
> your food.

Something is wrong with your cooker or with the way you are doing things. We
are on our 2nd nonstick rice cooker and have never had the slightest hint of
the problems you describe. Rice is "palatable" all the way down - there is
never so much as a single grain that is not just fine.


--
Peter Aitken

Remove the crap from my email address before using.

"active805" > wrote in message
m...
> For years, I have successfully cooked rice in an electric rice cooker
> - the classic kind with the removable metal pot. Recently, I made the
> mistake of buying a cooker with a non-stick coating on the pot. The
> problem with non-stick pots is that the unpalatable rice at the bottom
> of the pot no longer sticks to the pot; it sticks to the good rice and
> ruins it. The old metal pots were great, because the unpalatable rice
> stuck to the pot and could not be removed from the pot until the pot
> had been soaked in water. The old metal pots allowed one to scrape
> out all of the savory rice leaving all the unpalatable rice in the
> pot. With a non-stick pot, one wastes a lot more good rice by leaving
> it in the pot so as to not get any of the hard unpalatable stuff in
> your food.

Fluff the rice with study chop sticks or something as soon as it is
finished. You'll throw out a lot less dried rice that was left during
warming. You are using the right proportion of water, yes? Sort of odd,
since you mention you never had the problem before. Non-stick usually gets
less hot than bare metal. I just rinse the rice thoroughly, add to the
cooker and fill to the appropriate line with water. Gadz, it took me so
long to abandon measuring both, since it was such a long standing habit
using saucepans. I just add to the fill line for how ever many cups of
uncooked rice, and let it do it's thing. But I always fluff it as soon as
the cooking light goes out and switches to warm. In my own kitchen I always
use a saucepan, unless the quantity needed is large.

"active805" > wrote in message
m...
> For years, I have successfully cooked rice in an electric rice cooker
> - the classic kind with the removable metal pot. Recently, I made the
> mistake of buying a cooker with a non-stick coating on the pot. The
> problem with non-stick pots is that the unpalatable rice at the bottom
> of the pot no longer sticks to the pot; it sticks to the good rice and
> ruins it. The old metal pots were great, because the unpalatable rice
> stuck to the pot and could not be removed from the pot until the pot
> had been soaked in water. The old metal pots allowed one to scrape
> out all of the savory rice leaving all the unpalatable rice in the
> pot. With a non-stick pot, one wastes a lot more good rice by leaving
> it in the pot so as to not get any of the hard unpalatable stuff in
> your food.

Fluff the rice with study chop sticks or something as soon as it is
finished. You'll throw out a lot less dried rice that was left during
warming. You are using the right proportion of water, yes? Sort of odd,
since you mention you never had the problem before. Non-stick usually gets
less hot than bare metal. I just rinse the rice thoroughly, add to the
cooker and fill to the appropriate line with water. Gadz, it took me so
long to abandon measuring both, since it was such a long standing habit
using saucepans. I just add to the fill line for how ever many cups of
uncooked rice, and let it do it's thing. But I always fluff it as soon as
the cooking light goes out and switches to warm. In my own kitchen I always
use a saucepan, unless the quantity needed is large.

On 18 Aug 2004 17:33:43 -0700, active805 > wrote:
> For years, I have successfully cooked rice in an electric rice cooker
> – the classic kind with the removable metal pot. Recently, I made the
> mistake of buying a cooker with a non-stick coating on the pot. The
> problem with non-stick pots is that the unpalatable rice at the bottom
> of the pot no longer sticks to the pot; it sticks to the good rice and
> ruins it. The old metal pots were great, because the unpalatable rice
> stuck to the pot and could not be removed from the pot until the pot
> had been soaked in water. The old metal pots allowed one to scrape
> out all of the savory rice leaving all the unpalatable rice in the
> pot. With a non-stick pot, one wastes a lot more good rice by leaving
> it in the pot so as to not get any of the hard unpalatable stuff in
> your food.

Hmmm, can't say this is a problem for me, either. I used to
have a regular aluminum insert for a small rice cooker in college. It
worked okay, but rice DID stick to the bottom. Ever since I got a
cooker with a nonstick insert, I've never had that problem yet-- no
sticking and no burning, if that's what you mean by "unpalatable"
rice. For reference's sake, mine's a 10-cup Hitachi, very nice
machine and it gets quite a lot of usage. If it broke down, I'd buy a
new one in a flash.

Ariane

On 18 Aug 2004 17:33:43 -0700, active805 > wrote:
> For years, I have successfully cooked rice in an electric rice cooker
> – the classic kind with the removable metal pot. Recently, I made the
> mistake of buying a cooker with a non-stick coating on the pot. The
> problem with non-stick pots is that the unpalatable rice at the bottom
> of the pot no longer sticks to the pot; it sticks to the good rice and
> ruins it. The old metal pots were great, because the unpalatable rice
> stuck to the pot and could not be removed from the pot until the pot
> had been soaked in water. The old metal pots allowed one to scrape
> out all of the savory rice leaving all the unpalatable rice in the
> pot. With a non-stick pot, one wastes a lot more good rice by leaving
> it in the pot so as to not get any of the hard unpalatable stuff in
> your food.

Hmmm, can't say this is a problem for me, either. I used to
have a regular aluminum insert for a small rice cooker in college. It
worked okay, but rice DID stick to the bottom. Ever since I got a
cooker with a nonstick insert, I've never had that problem yet-- no
sticking and no burning, if that's what you mean by "unpalatable"
rice. For reference's sake, mine's a 10-cup Hitachi, very nice
machine and it gets quite a lot of usage. If it broke down, I'd buy a
new one in a flash.

Ariane

I agree with you that the old metal pots were (and are) great but for a
different reason. What you tossed out I turn into a wonderful drink called
shikye.
After taking out your "good" rice, add a pint of water and 2 tablespoons of
sugar to the pot and simmer for a few minutes, scraping the rice from the
bottom. Refrigerate and when cold serve the drink with a sprig of mint or a
slice of ginger, rice and all.


"active805" > wrote in message
m...
> For years, I have successfully cooked rice in an electric rice cooker
> - the classic kind with the removable metal pot. Recently, I made the
> mistake of buying a cooker with a non-stick coating on the pot. The
> problem with non-stick pots is that the unpalatable rice at the bottom
> of the pot no longer sticks to the pot; it sticks to the good rice and
> ruins it. The old metal pots were great, because the unpalatable rice
> stuck to the pot and could not be removed from the pot until the pot
> had been soaked in water. The old metal pots allowed one to scrape
> out all of the savory rice leaving all the unpalatable rice in the
> pot. With a non-stick pot, one wastes a lot more good rice by leaving
> it in the pot so as to not get any of the hard unpalatable stuff in
> your food.

I agree with you that the old metal pots were (and are) great but for a
different reason. What you tossed out I turn into a wonderful drink called
shikye.
After taking out your "good" rice, add a pint of water and 2 tablespoons of
sugar to the pot and simmer for a few minutes, scraping the rice from the
bottom. Refrigerate and when cold serve the drink with a sprig of mint or a
slice of ginger, rice and all.


"active805" > wrote in message
m...
> For years, I have successfully cooked rice in an electric rice cooker
> - the classic kind with the removable metal pot. Recently, I made the
> mistake of buying a cooker with a non-stick coating on the pot. The
> problem with non-stick pots is that the unpalatable rice at the bottom
> of the pot no longer sticks to the pot; it sticks to the good rice and
> ruins it. The old metal pots were great, because the unpalatable rice
> stuck to the pot and could not be removed from the pot until the pot
> had been soaked in water. The old metal pots allowed one to scrape
> out all of the savory rice leaving all the unpalatable rice in the
> pot. With a non-stick pot, one wastes a lot more good rice by leaving
> it in the pot so as to not get any of the hard unpalatable stuff in
> your food.

"GoombaP" > wrote:

>I agree with you that the old metal pots were (and are) great but for a
>different reason. What you tossed out I turn into a wonderful drink called
>shikye.
>After taking out your "good" rice, add a pint of water and 2 tablespoons of
>sugar to the pot and simmer for a few minutes, scraping the rice from the
>bottom. Refrigerate and when cold serve the drink with a sprig of mint or a
>slice of ginger, rice and all.

Glad you brought this up. I have some Asian friends who like the
crusty part as a contrast.

Jay

"GoombaP" > wrote:

>I agree with you that the old metal pots were (and are) great but for a
>different reason. What you tossed out I turn into a wonderful drink called
>shikye.
>After taking out your "good" rice, add a pint of water and 2 tablespoons of
>sugar to the pot and simmer for a few minutes, scraping the rice from the
>bottom. Refrigerate and when cold serve the drink with a sprig of mint or a
>slice of ginger, rice and all.

Glad you brought this up. I have some Asian friends who like the
crusty part as a contrast.

Jay

active805 wrote:
> =

> For years, I have successfully cooked rice in an electric rice cooker
> =96 the classic kind with the removable metal pot. Recently, I made the=

> mistake of buying a cooker with a non-stick coating on the pot. The
> problem with non-stick pots is that the unpalatable rice at the bottom
> of the pot no longer sticks to the pot; it sticks to the good rice and
> ruins it. The old metal pots were great, because the unpalatable rice
> stuck to the pot and could not be removed from the pot until the pot
> had been soaked in water. The old metal pots allowed one to scrape
> out all of the savory rice leaving all the unpalatable rice in the
> pot. With a non-stick pot, one wastes a lot more good rice by leaving
> it in the pot so as to not get any of the hard unpalatable stuff in
> your food.

I am not sure what you are talking about. Most of the old rice cookers
(national) had a perforated metal plate (pot and plate were aluminium)
and the plate was removed. Everything had to be scrubbed to get it
clean as the rice made a mess at the bottom. =


Today most electronic or electric rice cookers (depending on the kind
you have) all have a pot which is entirely coated. All rice is good,
perfectly cooked - at least it is in my electronic one - and not a grain
is wasted.

You don't say the kind of rice cooker you used to have and you don't
mention the new kind of rice cooker you have now and don't like. =


I have an electronic Tiger. I don't understand I can do better. =


To make the middle eastern rice that stick to the bottom of the pan and
turns a nice brown and is what everyone fights for as it is so wonderful
should be made in a cast iron pot among other options, too. Perfect
every time. =


Cheers.

active805 wrote:
> =

> For years, I have successfully cooked rice in an electric rice cooker
> =96 the classic kind with the removable metal pot. Recently, I made the=

> mistake of buying a cooker with a non-stick coating on the pot. The
> problem with non-stick pots is that the unpalatable rice at the bottom
> of the pot no longer sticks to the pot; it sticks to the good rice and
> ruins it. The old metal pots were great, because the unpalatable rice
> stuck to the pot and could not be removed from the pot until the pot
> had been soaked in water. The old metal pots allowed one to scrape
> out all of the savory rice leaving all the unpalatable rice in the
> pot. With a non-stick pot, one wastes a lot more good rice by leaving
> it in the pot so as to not get any of the hard unpalatable stuff in
> your food.

I am not sure what you are talking about. Most of the old rice cookers
(national) had a perforated metal plate (pot and plate were aluminium)
and the plate was removed. Everything had to be scrubbed to get it
clean as the rice made a mess at the bottom. =


Today most electronic or electric rice cookers (depending on the kind
you have) all have a pot which is entirely coated. All rice is good,
perfectly cooked - at least it is in my electronic one - and not a grain
is wasted.

You don't say the kind of rice cooker you used to have and you don't
mention the new kind of rice cooker you have now and don't like. =


I have an electronic Tiger. I don't understand I can do better. =


To make the middle eastern rice that stick to the bottom of the pan and
turns a nice brown and is what everyone fights for as it is so wonderful
should be made in a cast iron pot among other options, too. Perfect
every time. =


Cheers.

In article >,
JJ > wrote:
>"GoombaP" > wrote:
>>I agree with you that the old metal pots were (and are) great but for a
>>different reason. What you tossed out I turn into a wonderful drink called
>>shikye.
>
>Glad you brought this up. I have some Asian friends who like the
>crusty part as a contrast.

I'm not Asian, and I like the rice stuck to the bottom too.

-A

In article >,
JJ > wrote:
>"GoombaP" > wrote:
>>I agree with you that the old metal pots were (and are) great but for a
>>different reason. What you tossed out I turn into a wonderful drink called
>>shikye.
>
>Glad you brought this up. I have some Asian friends who like the
>crusty part as a contrast.

I'm not Asian, and I like the rice stuck to the bottom too.

-A

By unpalatable, I mean that rubbery, crusty layer at the bottom of the
pot. I think it tastes kind of bitter. My rice cooker is a Sanyo.
It's a pretty large one - maybe ten cups. The manual supplied by
Sanyo says, "A thin crust of rice may form on the bottom of the Inner
Pot after cooking. This is normal and can be removed by soaking the
cooled Inner Pot in hot water." I agree that it is normal, I just
wish it would stick to the pot, as in days of yore.

By unpalatable, I mean that rubbery, crusty layer at the bottom of the
pot. I think it tastes kind of bitter. My rice cooker is a Sanyo.
It's a pretty large one - maybe ten cups. The manual supplied by
Sanyo says, "A thin crust of rice may form on the bottom of the Inner
Pot after cooking. This is normal and can be removed by soaking the
cooled Inner Pot in hot water." I agree that it is normal, I just
wish it would stick to the pot, as in days of yore.

In news:rec.food.cooking, Ariane Jenkins > posted
on Thu, 19 Aug 2004 03:37:30 GMT:

> For reference's sake, mine's a 10-cup Hitachi, very nice
> machine and it gets quite a lot of usage. If it broke down, I'd buy a
> new one in a flash.

Do they work well for cooking brown rice and wild rice, both of which have
much longer cooking times?

Damaeus