Don't buy me that!!

[Alix]

That helps too, but no its because you can't submerge the rice deeply enough to fry it effectively in any pan you have. The deep fryer also has a special mesh basket for the rice. I suppose in theory you could fill your DO with oil, buy the special strainer and do it that way. That would mean finding another pot for the soup etc so a deep fryer is just the best bet IMO. Wanna come over for soup sometime?

 

[Selkie]

I've noticed that a lot of people list Rice Cookers... and as someone who cooks rice in a regular stovetop pot, I understand that. I received an electric one a couple of years ago, but they come in two flavors.

For more than twenty years I've had a stovetop rice cooker. It's a dutch oven sized alum. pot with a large perforated aluminum sheet basket insert. It is GREAT for steaming vegetables, and will hold about 1-1/2 lbs. of ground beef for making made-rights or any other dish with meat that has had all of the fat steamed out of it. And whether cooking, or using it as a steam-warmer, I use mine about once a week on average.

 

[GB]

Wanna come over for soup sometime?

More than you know

 

[GB]

I've noticed that a lot of people list Rice Cookers... and as someone who cooks rice in a regular stovetop pot, I understand that.

My rice cooker is the most used "gadget" in my kitchen. We use it at least once a week and often more. What I love about mine, and why it gets so much use, is that I can set it up in the morning (like a slow cooker) and set what time I want the rice to be ready. So if I want to serve dinner at 6:30 then I tell the cooker that and at 6:30 on the dot it will play its little song letting me know the rice is ready. I do not have to sit around waiting for 20 minutes for the rice to cook, or actually since we use brown rice almost exclusively now it would be even longer. I have two young kids and my commute is an hour without traffic or delays so time is of the essence when I make dinner on the weekdays. My rice cooker allows me to get a part of my meal done ahead of time and not have to worry about it.

 

[Alix]

OK, GB, that makes a good deal of sense. The one I was given didn't have a delay timer. I think I might have used it more if it did. (I'd certainly be making more rice if I had a deep fryer too! )

 

[GB]

There seems there are two levels of rice cookers. You can either get the inexpensive "dumb" models which have no or next to no features. You put the rice and water in and turn it on and it turns off when done. These types usually work very well and do exactly what they say they do, but again there are no extras with them. Then you have the expensive models that have all sorts of settings and features. They will both cook rice, but the expensive models will allow you things like timed cooking and settings for other grains and things like that.

I got my expensive one from credit card points. I would never have bought (or maybe it would be more accurate to say my wife would have never allowed me to buy ) a rice cooker that cost 3 digits, but since it was from CC points it was basically free. Now that I have it though, both me and my wife see the value in it and when this one dies, hopefully not before my kids are out of college, then I will have no reservation about buying another just like it at whatever price they want to charge.

 

[suzyQ3]

I'm with GB on the "expensive" rice cooker (not literally, of course). And I love my Stir Crazy popcorn maker. I use oil, popcorn, and a little salt and get none of the you-know-what that's in microwave popcorn.

What is handy and convenient is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[DaveSoMD]

Is it because the deep fryer has a lid?

The new ones have the heating element in the oil so they are better at temperature control of the oil and maitaining the temp when you drop in the food. REAL good ones have a drain for the oil. (okay I admit I have been doing my deep fryer research in anticipation of this year tax return)

 

[MostlyWater]

There seems there are two levels of rice cookers. You can either get the inexpensive "dumb" models which have no or next to no features. You put the rice and water in and turn it on and it turns off when done. These types usually work very well and do exactly what they say they do, but again there are no extras with them. Then you have the expensive models that have all sorts of settings and features. They will both cook rice, but the expensive models will allow you things like timed cooking and settings for other grains and things like that.

I got my expensive one from credit card points. I would never have bought (or maybe it would be more accurate to say my wife would have never allowed me to buy ) a rice cooker that cost 3 digits, but since it was from CC points it was basically free. Now that I have it though, both me and my wife see the value in it and when this one dies, hopefully not before my kids are out of college, then I will have no reservation about buying another just like it at whatever price they want to charge.

I'm also with GB, although since my kids are older already, we don't need the bigger steamer, which costs less, at least !!!

 

[sarah]

Just wait until I invent my liquid temperature increaser (pot to boil water). I am going to make millions.

 

[theages]

I saw on a commercial the other day a gadget which will crack an egg for you! Are you kidding me!?!?? I'm sorry, if you have only cracked a few eggs then maybe, possibly, can I image the need to purchase an egg cracker. But if you enjoy cooking and if your mama taught you anything at all (boys & girls included!) then if you need a tool to crack an egg then get the H___ out!

Some gadgets are on the cutting edge of stupidity/lazyness. I enjoy cracking eggs (I can hold 4 at a time [2 in each hand] and crack 2 at a time [1 in each hand]). Cracking eggs is a basic skill which should be mastered (not hard to learn), not technozized (probably not a real word but it should be!).

 

[sparrowgrass]

I had sizzling rice soup in a restaurant once--never thought about making it.

(off to search for a recipe)

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Just wait until I invent my liquid temperature increaser (pot to boil water). I am going to make millions.

Personally, I love my slow speed hand blender...wire whisk coated with silicon.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

My rice cooker is the most used "gadget" in my kitchen. We use it at least once a week and often more. What I love about mine, and why it gets so much use, is that I can set it up in the morning (like a slow cooker) and set what time I want the rice to be ready. So if I want to serve dinner at 6:30 then I tell the cooker that and at 6:30 on the dot it will play its little song letting me know the rice is ready. I do not have to sit around waiting for 20 minutes for the rice to cook, or actually since we use brown rice almost exclusively now it would be even longer. I have two young kids and my commute is an hour without traffic or delays so time is of the essence when I make dinner on the weekdays. My rice cooker allows me to get a part of my meal done ahead of time and not have to worry about it.

You just talked me into a rice cooker, a top of the line. Now we know where MY tax return is going.

 

[justplainbill]

I'd love to be able to pay MY tax return with rice cookers from the town dump.

 

[GB]

You just talked me into a rice cooker, a top of the line. Now we know where MY tax return is going.

Enjoy

 

[tzakiel]

Wow a good rice cooker is awesome... dunno why that shows up in this thread. If you buy a decent one, it can keep rice warm and ready to eat for 2 days. I guess being married to a Taiwanese-descent wife has made me biased but... damn! These things rock!

Cheap ones just burn the rice after a few hours... look at Zojirushi, those are great!

EDIT: just saw the post above mine. YES! Zojirushi is the only brand I would buy.

 

[suzyQ3]

Wow a good rice cooker is awesome... dunno why that shows up in this thread. If you buy a decent one, it can keep rice warm and ready to eat for 2 days. I guess being married to a Taiwanese-descent wife has made me biased but... damn! These things rock!

Cheap ones just burn the rice after a few hours... look at Zojirushi, those are great!

EDIT: just saw the post above mine. YES! Zojirushi is the only brand I would buy.

I would not advise keeping rice on the warm setting for more than a couple hours. I would definitely not recommend two days. I know that people do it, but they are taking a chance on food poisoning. Rice is cheap. Why not either refrigerate leftovers or make a new batch?

 

[vagriller]

I would not advise keeping rice on the warm setting for more than a couple hours. I would definitely not recommend two days. I know that people do it, but they are taking a chance on food poisoning. Rice is cheap. Why not either refrigerate leftovers or make a new batch?

It depends on how much rice you eat per day. Some time back a Chinese woman I talked to was lamenting the price increase in spring of 2008. I was confused until she said that she and her husband both ate about a pound of rice per day. She bought rice from Sams Club in the largest bag they had.

I surely wouldn't be the one to give a Taiwanese person advice on how to cook and serve rice.

 

[suzyQ3]

I surely wouldn't be the one to give a Taiwanese person advice on how to cook and serve rice.

I really wasn't directing it at any particular ethnicity or culture. BTW, Zojirushi specifically recommends keeping rice on warm no longer than 13 hours. From their FAQs:

Most of our rice cookers are also rice warmers. They keep your rice hot and tasty for many hours (we recommend a maximum of 13 hours).

Personally, I'll stick with my two-hour max, give or take a little. FYI: My Panasonic, which is very similar to Zojirushi, says not to use the Keep Warm function for brown rice, mixed rices, or porridge.