Rice is a food that can be prepared in different ways to give a breath of life to a dish. Generally, when we cook rice in the home, we opt for microwave rice or boiled rice on the hob. To get an authentic taste or add a new flavour, you may want to consider a rice cooker. These are small appliances you can use in the kitchen which have the purpose of cooking rice. But why choose one? In this article we highlight some reasons why you may want to make the switch to a rice cooker.
Easy to use: Setup and go
Firstly, rice cookers are quite straightforward to use than it may seem. To use, add some water and rice to the bowl and choose the desired setting. This makes it easy for both beginners and experts. It also means no more monitoring the pan on the hob whilst it boils to ensure the water doesn’t overflow.
Timesaving: Quicker than other methods
Whilst not as quick as a microwaveable pouch of rice, rice cookers are usually quicker than cooking rice on a hob. This can cut your cooking time down and give you time to prepare the rest of a meal.
Versatility: Explore a variety of recipes
Unlike using a hob, a rice cooker allows you to explore different recipes to make the perfect dish. In a rice cooker you can add vegetables and seasoning if necessary to make your rice as you desire. With different temperature settings, you can also cook to the temperature you require to get the fluffiest or stickiest results.
Energy efficient: Reduce cost of cooking
If you’re looking for new ways to cut the costs in the kitchen, smaller appliances like rice cookers are an easy way to do this. Using the hob to boil rice can be costly, but powering a smaller rice cooker uses less power. This means you can lower your overall cooking costs.
Easy to maintain: Simple cleaning
Cleaning a rice cooker is also incredibly simple. Most rice cooker pots will have non-stick coating, meaning cleaning can be effortless. This means you won’t need to fight with a sponge to remove tough dirt.
Batch cooking: Assisting your meal-prep game
Depending on the size of rice cooker, you may be able to cook a large quantity of rice in one go. This makes them perfect for feeding the whole family. Alternatively, if you like to prepare dishes in advance, a rice cooker can help you to cook enough rice for multiple meals.
To summarise
Rice cookers are a great option for the modern kitchen, bringing you a simple solution to cook authentic rice whilst saving you time and energy.