If your like my parents you have always boiled your rice in a pot like pasta and then strained it so you have never had a chance to use a rice cooker. If this is you then this is the perfect guide for you as I will show you step by step how to make perfectly cooked rice with minimal effort. No more standing over stove tops with a seive. Lets start with this "How-to" guide to cooking rice with a rice cooker.
Step 1
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Open your bag of rice and measure/ estimate out the amount of rice that you need for your meal/ day. I generally make two cups of rice which lasts me 2 meals. if your a big eater however I would probably suggest a cup and a half for each meal.
Note: Work in full rice cups (180 gram cup) and DO NOT USE A NORMAL CUP TO MEASURE!
Note: Work in full rice cups (180 gram cup) and DO NOT USE A NORMAL CUP TO MEASURE!
Step 2
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WASH THE RICE!! Yes that's right! When cooking rice, make SURE to wash the rice beforehand! Dirt and other things you may not want to eat may still be on the grains. In addition you want to wash the starch off the outside of the grain to prevent them all sticking together and becoming gluey after you cook them.
To Wash:
Japanese method: Pour water into the rice-pot until it just covers the rice. Gently fold and press the rice until the water turns milky. Then repeat until enough starch has been washed off the grains of rice.
My method: Fill rice-pot with hot water, using one hand grab handfuls of rice and kneed. Repeat 1-2 times as you feel needed.
Note: Hot water removes the starch quicker + kneading rubs the starch of quicker. The down side, however, is you run the risk of breaking some of the granules of rice (but seriously who cares!!)
To Wash:
Japanese method: Pour water into the rice-pot until it just covers the rice. Gently fold and press the rice until the water turns milky. Then repeat until enough starch has been washed off the grains of rice.
My method: Fill rice-pot with hot water, using one hand grab handfuls of rice and kneed. Repeat 1-2 times as you feel needed.
Note: Hot water removes the starch quicker + kneading rubs the starch of quicker. The down side, however, is you run the risk of breaking some of the granules of rice (but seriously who cares!!)
Step 3
Place the rice-pot into the rice cooker. Close the lid and hit the orange 炊飯 button. Now.. wait!!
Step 4
FINALLY YOUR RICE IS DONE!! using your rice spoon しゃもじ (shamoji) stir/ fold the rice to break up the "cake" sitting in the bottom of your rice-pot. DONE!! Enjoy
Step 5 - Oops! I accidentally cut the power
Never mind! just press the 切る/つややか保温 button, a light should turn on telling you that it is re-heating the rice.
Useful Vocabulary
米- こめ uncooked rice
ご飯 - ごはん cooked rice
米を研ぐ - こめをたぐ washing or polishing the grains of rice
ご飯を炊く ごはんをたく- cook the rice
ご飯 - ごはん cooked rice
米を研ぐ - こめをたぐ washing or polishing the grains of rice
ご飯を炊く ごはんをたく- cook the rice