Australians’ love of Asian cuisine and the desire for convenience in the kitchen has elevated the rice cooker to the status of one of our favourite kitchen gadgets in recent years.
Fast becoming an essential for rice-loving household, often their role is simply to make cooking rice foolproof, but increasingly they are being used to cook a family meal while everyone is sleeping or at work. Rice cookers generally don’t cook rice any faster than conventional methods, but they don’t require any attention and won’t burn the rice even if you forget about it. They can also be very handy to free up a stove burner, providing you have adequate bench space.
You can pick up a rice cooker for as little as $25. But if you are looking for sophisticated models with timers or those that not only cook rice but double as a slow cooker or even make soup, expect to pay more. The top-of-the line ‘fuzzy logic’ models represent another great leap, complete with programmable settings that promise to cook rice of any variety to perfection – or porridge and slow cooked meals and can cost $200-$300.
There are two main types of rice cookers. The basic type, sometimes called an on/off rice cooker, has two settings, cook and keep warm, and these models automatically switch to keep warm mode once rice is cooked. As well as cooking various types of rice and other whole grains, basic rice cookers can be used to prepare a variety of rice-based dishes and, with a bit of ingenuity or a rice cooker recipe book, dishes such as soups or stews. To get an idea of how flexible a particular model may be, investigate its instruction book and see what kind of recipe ideas it comes with.
Almost all basic rice cookers also come with a steaming rack or basket which can be used to steam an assortment of foods such as vegetables, fish or dumplings - even custards and puddings. Some models allow you to steam foods while the rice is cooking, while others can only steam separately as the steaming rack or basket doesn’t fit above the cooking rice.
For steaming, you need to check the time required to steam particular foods and ensure you remove when they are cooked, because the rice cooker won’t automatically turn off once they are cooked as it does with rice. If the food being steamed cooks more quickly than the rice, opening the lid to remove it may interfere with the rice cooking process.
The multifunction rice cooker
Sometimes called a ‘three-in-one’ or multifunction rice cooker, these tend to have slow cooker functionalities in addition to the rice and steamer functions. They may also have a ‘quick cook’ setting that can cut 10 or 15 minutes from the standard cooking time. Some multifunction rice cookers include a microprocessor and work using a technology known as ‘fuzzy logic’.
Fuzzy logic rice cookers have presets for different varieties of rice, which, in addition to standard white rice, may include brown rice, mixed rice, rinse-free rice, sweet rice (mochi), sushi rice and sprouted brown rice.
Three-in-one models usually have a preset for cooking porridge (originally designed for Asian rice porridges, this works equally well for oat porridge) as part of the slow cooking repertoire. The slow cooker function also allows you to cook a wide variety of dishes with meat or pulses, including casseroles, stews, risottos, bolognaise sauce and curries, as well as vegetable dishes and puddings. Some rice cookers can even bake cakes and potatoes, which may also be possible if rarely attempted with conventional slow cookers.
These models often include a digital display (LCD) with a programmable timer for setting and monitoring the slow cooking or steaming process. Some models also include a clock, delayed start feature, and a countdown to finish time or an alarm to indicate when your dish is done.
Fuzzy logic rice cookers are much more expensive than basic rice cookers and even other multifunction rice cookers (which also have timers for delayed start to cooking and a limited range of rice and slow cooking options). They are generally Japanese-made brands that have a reputation for high quality and longevity.
How rice cookers work
Inside the rice cooker, under the removable inner bowl, there is a heater and thermostat. When the rice cooker is turned on, it operates at full power, quickly bringing the water in the bowl with the rice to boiling point. The temperature cannot go above boiling point until all the water is boiled away. At this point, the thermostat detects the temperature exceeding 100°C and switches the rice cooker into keep warm mode.
After the cooked rice rests on keep warm mode for five to 10 minutes, it should be fluffy and perfectly cooked. Keep warm mode operates at 65°C or above, which means some rice cookers can safely keep rice warm for up to 24 hours. Most rice cookers cut off keep warm mode after four to six hours.
Rice cooker steamers cook food in a basket above on a rack or basket above water inside the inner bowl or in a basket above the cooking rice.
Both basic and multifunction models have the same basic components and method of cooking rice and steaming foods, but multifunction models may be much more sophisticated, including timers for delaying and programming cooking. The slow cooking function can operate on a low temperature for an extended period, making them highly versatile.
'Fuzzy logic’ rice cookers adjust the heat throughout the different stages of cooking according to the various settings for different types of rice. Different soaking and resting times are built into the rice cooking presets to help produce optimal results for various types of rice. The programmable slow cooking options on a ‘fuzzy logic’ rice cooker (including multiple temperature settings) make it at least the equivalent to a modern stand-alone slow cooker.
The appeal of the rice cooker lies in its simplicity. Use a measuring cup to add rice and either measure cold water with the cup or fill to the appropriate level marked inside the bowl. Close the lid and turn it on. When it’s done, it will click over to keep warm mode.
Using the slow cooking function of a multifunction rice cooker usually involves adding solid and liquid ingredients to the bowl, closing the lid and activating the cooking program. Sometimes you start by frying some of the ingredients in the rice cooker or a pan before switching to slow cooking.
Using a rice cooker
There are many recipes available for slow cookers, and even recipe books created especially for rice cookers. Keep in mind that recipes more complex than cooking rice or other grains tend to be designed for either basic rice cookers (or multifunction cookers with limited slow cooking options, such as just a soup or porridge functions that work at one temperature level only) or fuzzy logic cookers (which have more flexible slow cooking options); they generally won’t work for both. Because they’re so much more flexible and sophisticated than other rice cookers, it’s worthwhile spending some time reading the manual for your fuzzy logic rice cooker which will help you get the most out of it.
Other practical advice
All rice cookers are easy to operate, but some have design features that make them more convenient to use than others. For instance, some have an on/off switch so you don’t have to unplug them to turn them off. Many come with a removable cord so you can easily carry them to the table for serving. If you plan to do this, also check the rice cooker has a carry handle or sturdy side handles. Some come with an extra long cord, which is handy for spaces with a limited number of power points.
Get the look
Most models have a white plastic exterior, but there are now several stainless steel models available to co-ordinate with the style of most contemporary kitchens. Rice cookers with glass lids look less bulky than the boxy-looking models with sealing lids, but for models of the same capacity there is little difference in the bench area they take up.
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