Rice / Rice Cookers / Meal Prep

oHUTCHYo

oHUTCHYo

oHUTCHYo

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Two pronged question this really...

I do a lot of meal prep but have always been cautious with rice as know it can cause some nasty illness if not stored correctly. I've avoided it to date. However you see a lot of meal preppers batch up rice for the days ahead. How safe is it really to cook rice and refrigerate for consumption for the next 1-2 days ahead?

Secondly, we used to use a £25 Russell Hobbs rice cooker. The bottom of the rice would burn and the air vent at the top would spew creamy liquid all over (:o). We ultimately got rid and started using the preprepared pouches, however they don't have the clean taste of nicely cooked, delicate rice like you would get in a local Indian restaurant. Are the more expensive rice cookers notably better or is the consensus to stick with the tried and tested absorption method?
 
Cheap rice cooker - It turns on and heats max until it goes off.


Expensive rice cooker - It cooks rice slow, it allows the rice to absorb and cook it properly. It typically take around 45mins.


And yes, the expensive one is better. You do have to wash it to remove some starch and put the correct amount of water in. And once it’s done, it stays good for hours.


I want a Zojirushi one, currently uses something..it takes about 30mins. It’s okay, nothing is burnt but I think there are better. I also have a Tefel one, which is crap, it cooks super quick but the rice is mushy, crisp at the bottom. I rather cook it on the stove and then sieve it.
 
After watching Alex’s quest to master fried rice I’ve started steaming all my rice in a bowl over a pot of water. It’s been revolutionary, perfect grains of delicious rice every time, no more burnt bottom or stodgy stick mess that nobody wants to eat.

His method is in the video description and around 5min into the video.



Maybe this is how most people cook rice? But I’ve always boiled it in a pan after a rinse and it’s never been this good.
Was going to buy a rice cooker but already had a vegetable steamer thing to go over a pan.
 
^JP^ said:
Maybe this is how most people cook rice?
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I would say VERY few people cook rice this way.

Most people use a rice cooker, go to any SE Asian household you will find one. It’s quite useful, more than cooking rice.

If I have left over food, I would put it in together (with a little rack to raise it) to steam it up at the same time.

I can use it as like a hot pan / box to warm up pastries too.
 
I've never seen people sieve rice or rinse rice after it's cooked. Surely if you've done that, it's just a case you put in too much water?

I've always wanted a rice cooker but it's just another gadget taking up space in our small kitchen. I can see the convenience but cooking rice properly isn't too difficult. Rinse rice of choice with cold water a few times (always Basmati for me unless i require a different type of speciality rice) to clean the starch away from it, fill with enough water to just cover the rice, add salt, bring to boil, reduce to a simmer and wait ~12-16 minutes. Check the rice to make sure it hasn't dried out and if it does, add a tiny bit more cold water. Profit.

I say all this... I'd totally own a rice cooker if I had the space, eat rice most days as it is.
 
I batch cook rice maybe twice a week for meal prep and dinners and have to say that whilst I do own a rice cooker and have used it a few times, I much prefer the stovetop way of doing it. I use the boil-5-5 method (Rice in cold water till boiiling with lid on, turn to simmer for 5 mins, turn off heat for 5 mins, done) and never have any trouble. The quality of rice used often makes a big difference, a good quality long grain basmati is all I ever really use unless I'm making Sushi or Congee, though both of the latter will often require their own cooking methods. I batch cook egg fried rice by the KG and whilst a cooker will do the job just as well (providing you buy a decent one as @Raymond Lin suggested) I like the results of pan made more, most likely just because that's how my mom would make it as apposed to any real textural differences. Fried rice always benefits from the rice being kept in the fridge overnight after the initial cook anyway and by that point most long grain rice will be fairly dissimilar unless you've truly mucked up the cooking process.

With regards to safety concerns when it comes to eating days old rice, much of it is overblown. Providing you store and reheat correctly you should never have any problems at all before the 3-4 day mark.

Buy right, store well and cook better as my Nan used to say :)
 
DrToffnar said:
With regards to safety concerns when it comes to eating days old rice, much of it is overblown. Providing you store and reheat correctly you should never have any problems at all before the 3-4 day mark.
Click to expand...

Reheating isn't the issue with rice, as it doesn't kill the Bacteria/spores (bacillus) already present even if you do.

The most important thing is to cool it as quickly as possible after cooking, then store below 5c. As this is generally when it's at a "dangerous" temperature for the longest period and the bacteria will multiply.

Best way to do this is to spread it out on a pan as thin as possible then put into the fridge asap, once cooled it can be boxed up and should last 5-7 days in the fridge.

For example, if you order risotto at a restaurant the rice would have been cooked 90% of the way and then finished to order. It's not feasible for them to stand there stirring for 20+ minutes for each order.
 
I wouldn't say most people use a rice cooker, SE Asia sure, but the rest of Asia, Africa, and South America aren't known for rice cookers.

I always leave my rice to soak or rinse with cold water if i'm in a rush, put it in a pot and fill with water to just above the rice, bring to boil and then reduce to simmer, give it a very quick mix half way through then once it's done turn off the heat, fluff it up with a fork and leave it with the lid on for a bit.

Baffles me that people get food poisoning from rice, i've left it to soak out in the open over night, left cooked rice in a pot for hours on end etc. never had an issue and i have a weak stomach.

That being said I'd love a Zojirushi!
 
from previous discussion these still look like a good option (no brexit premium yet) V
I'd sooner give shelf space to this healthy option than one of those air fryer ninja monstrosities -
not sure if they do porridge too, but that would be a killer app since eat it about 3 times a week

Kemik said:
Went for a Panda Mini Fuzzy Logic Ceramic Rice Cooker for £80 and use it every other day.
Click to expand...

e: saw these do have a delayed start (no app ?) *and* porridge capability
 
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Raymond Lin said:
Most people use a rice cooker, go to any SE Asian household you will find one.
Click to expand...
But isn't that because people in SE Asia do & can eat rice for 3 meals a day. It thus makes sense to have a rice cooker. We have a Zojirushi but it's never come anywhere close to being used enough to justify its price.
 
DrToffnar said:
What?! That's absurd. Might have to plan the next holiday around that :cry:
Click to expand...
Why?
Zojirushi rice cookers are split in two..... those made in Japan and only sold in Japan to Japanese standards and those that are made in China for export to other markets around the world. Not surprisingly Made in Japan are considered far superior.
If you were to buy a 'made in China' Zojirushi in Singapore what warranty would you get? How would you know that the electrics were safe to use in the UK. Then you'd need to lug it back to the UK. Also don't forget you'd need to pay import duty & VAT.
 
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