What is a rice cooker, its differences from a multicooker

Almost everyone knows what a slow cooker is, but little is known about a rice cooker. Meanwhile, she appeared more than half a century ago and is the progenitor of a slow cooker. In Asian countries, it is considered an essential appliance in the kitchen. What about Russian houses? Do our mistresses need a rice cooker when there is a more advanced analogue of it. As it turns out, a slow cooker is not always able to replace its ancestor in the kitchen: its settings and programs are inferior to a rice cooker.

How a rice cooker differs from a multicooker

Despite the fact that the rice cooker is a close relative of the multicooker, these two household technical devices still have a set of differences:

1. The multicooker is multifunctional and suitable for preparing many dishes in many ways. It stews, bakes, fries, boils, including soups, steamed, most models of the middle and highest price segment are equipped with the “yogurt” function, etc. The rice cooker is profiled for the preparation of cereals.
2. Unlike her cousin, a rice cooker can cook different types of rice and cereals. For example, sticky for sushi, crumbly for pilaf, harder, fully prepared, etc. At the same time, cereals do not burn and do not stick, and without any efforts from the hostess.
3. On the Internet it is easy to find multicookers much cheaper than the simplest rice cookers. This is due both to the low prevalence of the latter in Russia and the world, as well as to the quality of the body, bowl, the durability of the electronics and the accuracy of the preparation. purity.bigbadmole.com/en/ magazine recommends that its readers focus not only on cost, but also on consumer reviews and technical specifications. A good slow cooker usually costs at least 4 thousand rubles (for 2019), high-quality rice cookers are slightly more expensive.
4. Rice cookers are very compact, for example, on one tab of rice for set rolls, or on a family of two to three people. Crock-pots are usually dimensional, at least 2 liters, and most - 3.

What a rice cooker can do

Externally, the rice cooker resembles a slow cooker - the same saucepan with buttons. A small, “marching” model holds only half a liter, the average reaches 3-5 liters, and a large professional model - up to 8.

Principle of operation

The basic mechanism of preparation does not differ from the traditional one: water covers the rice and is partially absorbed by it under heating, partly leaves with steam. The rice cooker keeps the finished dish warmed up to 12 hours.

Tip
Choose a rice cooker with a removable inner lid and non-stick coating. This will facilitate maintenance afterwards.

How to use the unit

If the device was purchased in Russia and in a reliable store, then instructions in Russian are attached to it. Following the instructions of the guide, products are laid, water and other ingredients are measured.

The simplest models have only two functions: Cook and Warm, i.e., “Cooking” and “Heating”. In them, the consistency of the dish depends entirely on the proportions of the products.

General rules:

1. If you need to get friable rice, it must be washed to clean water, only then sent to the rice cooker. Buckwheat of the highest category is not necessary. Legumes are recommended to fill with water at room temperature for 3-12 hours, depending on the type and variety.
2. The ideal proportions for friable rice and buckwheat are 1 to 2. To get the baby porridge, I’ll “smear” them with 0.5-1.5 part water above normal.
3. A common recipe for a rice cooker is to lay cereals, water and 1-2 tbsp. l oil (for side dishes) and turn on the appliance.
4. Mixing only makes sense if a uniform structure is needed. Pilaf mix categorically is not recommended.
5. Also, rice cookers are perfectly cooked for a couple. To do this, a little more than half is filled with water in the bowl, a grill insert is installed (included), lubricated with oil, spread products and start cooking.

In a rice cooker you can also cook barley, millet, barley and wheat. All of them are rather capricious, and the device will cook them perfectly.

Small review

Resource Author purity.bigbadmole.com/en/Having studied the model range, I chose several of the most successful devices.

Korean brand Cuckoo It has established itself quite well in the market and produces professional rice cookers of large volume. The main advantage is keeping the food warm (at 40 ° C) using 3D heating.

Chinese Xiaomi  controlled mechanically and remotely - from a smartphone, equipped with simple and touch buttons, able to maintain the desired temperature for up to 24 hours.

Japanese model IndokorIn addition to the usual functions, it has one more: it provides for steam removal and condensate intake into the measuring tank that comes with the kit. Also this miracle pan has a cooking indicator.

A rice cooker is not required in the kitchen arsenal, but it is much easier to cook perfect rice for sushi and rolls, Uzbek pilaf, paella, Biriani rice and other excellent cereal dishes. In addition, in tandem with a multicooker, the appliance will allow you to cook both the first and second at the same time while you are doing your business.