# Rice cooking (w/a cooker), a bit of a dilemma.



## Desmond (Sep 22, 2013)

Hi I am new to this forum. I love cooking curries and other spicy stuff. I have a rice cooker Russel hobs. If I cook for myself I will put about 120 grams of Basmati rice and about the same of water but this is in the form of 80% water 20% coconut milk ( a good quality blue tragon). This takes aprox 4 minutes.

My problem is I am going to do a banquette and I want to do a lot of coconut rice. Inside there are scales showing 10 cups and 1.8 and a symbol. Could be litres? I want to know how long it would take to cook these large quantities. Would half that amount cook in half the time? Is it proportionate?
 
Thanks for your help. I need to know this in advance as I can't experiment with this kind of thing.
 
Desmond.


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## Hoot (Sep 22, 2013)

I am not sure if this will render accurately in all browsers. The symbol for litre looks like a cursive letter "L" with the leading tail shortened.
Does the symbol look like this  ℓ


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## Mad Cook (Sep 22, 2013)

Desmond said:


> Hi I am new to this forum. I love cooking curries and other spicy stuff. I have a rice cooker Russel hobs. If I cook for myself I will put about 120 grams of Basmati rice and about the same of water but this is in the form of 80% water 20% coconut milk ( a good quality blue tragon). This takes aprox 4 minutes.
> 
> My problem is I am going to do a banquette and I want to do a lot of coconut rice. Inside there are scales showing 10 cups and 1.8 and a symbol. Could be litres? I want to know how long it would take to cook these large quantities. Would half that amount cook in half the time? Is it proportionate?
> 
> ...


I would think that the 1.8 refers to litres. 1.8 of a pint would be a bit difficult to manage. As to the cups - an American measuring cup holds 8 fluid ounces of water. (I'm sure someone will correct me there if I'm wrong.)

How many people are you cooking for? Generally speaking, the more people you are cooking for the less per person you need to prepare. Hmm, how can I explain that? If you are cooking for 8 people you would probably need twice as much as you'd serve to 4 people but if you are catering for 28 people you wouldn't need to serve 7 times as much as you would to 4 people because you'd have too much. Prue Leith explains the equation in one of her books but it's at the bottom of one of a dozen boxes in my garage atm. Sorry. I'm sure someone on DC has been a professional caterer in the past but I can't, off hand, remember who.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Sep 22, 2013)

1.8 litres is approximately 10 cups. Put 10 cups of raw rice into the cooker, then fill it to the 10 cup (1.8 litre) mark on the bowl with your water/coconut milk mixture. 

You can download the instruction manual for your rice cooker at Kettles, Toasters, Irons & Kitchen Appliances - Russell Hobbs International

Remember, when all else fails, RTFM!


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## Desmond (Sep 22, 2013)

Hoot said:


> I am not sure if this will render accurately in all browsers. The symbol for litre looks like a cursive letter "L" with the leading tail shortened.
> Does the symbol look like this  ℓ



Yes it looks exactly like that. But is a Cup a standard measure. seems to be arbitrary. This suggests a cup = 180 milli liters, but some websites say between 200 - 250 ml. Filling it up to the 1.8 ltr mark weighs 2.8kg. 1 ltr should weigh 1kg.

Still need to find out how long a full rice cooker would take


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## Mad Cook (Sep 22, 2013)

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> 1.8 litres is approximately 10 cups. Put 10 cups of raw rice into the cooker, then fill it to the 10 cup (1.8 litre) mark on the bowl with your water/coconut milk mixture.
> 
> You can download the instruction manual for your rice cooker at Kettles, Toasters, Irons & Kitchen Appliances - Russell Hobbs International
> 
> Remember, when all else fails, RTFM!


I'm sure I'm going to regret this, Sir Loin, but what does RTFM mean?

Oh hell, it's just struck me!!! Yes, I see.


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## Hoot (Sep 22, 2013)

Mad Cook said:


> I'm sure I'm going to regret this, Sir Loin, but what does RTFM mean?


RTFM = Read The F(use your imagination here) Manual


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## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 22, 2013)

Finely-Tuned


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## Desmond (Sep 23, 2013)

Come on guys -> RTFM 
I have downloaded the manual and as I said previously it does not give any times for cooking rice. It gives times for cooking carrots and fish etc but not rice. Contacted manufacturer and they seem clueless. What I wanted is some people professional knowledge of cooking large amounts of rice i.e. 1kg of rice to one litre of water. I didn’t think it would be this hard a question.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 23, 2013)

If it wasn't that hard of a question, you would have found the answer by now, ya think!  We are a group of foodies, very few professional cooks.  I fill my rice cooker with the required amounts, set and let it go.  I've never timed it, usually start if before I go to bed and it's done when I get up in the morning.


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## Katie H (Sep 23, 2013)

Desmond said:


> Come on guys -> RTFM
> I have downloaded the manual and as I said previously it does not give any times for cooking rice. It gives times for cooking carrots and fish etc but not rice. Contacted manufacturer and they seem clueless. What I wanted is some people professional knowledge of cooking large amounts of rice i.e. 1kg of rice to one litre of water. I didn’t think it would be this hard a question.



Your post got me curious and I pulled out the manual to our rice cooker.  Interestingly enough ours doesn't note any cooking times.  Just turn it on and it's supposed to finish when it "senses" the rice is done.  I never thought about that until now.

I suppose you could cook a small test batch of rice and extrapolate the time for a larger quantity.  Other than that I have no idea.


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## Hoot (Sep 23, 2013)

I have never used a rice cooker other than a pot of boiling water. The  ratio is 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water, which generally yields about 3  cups of cooked rice. It's an old fashioned way to cook rice I reckon,  but it works.


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## jennyema (Sep 23, 2013)

Desmond said:


> Come on guys -> RTFM
> I have downloaded the manual and as I said previously it does not give any times for cooking rice. It gives times for cooking carrots and fish etc but not rice. Contacted manufacturer and they seem clueless. What I wanted is some people professional knowledge of cooking large amounts of rice i.e. 1kg of rice to one litre of water. I didn’t think it would be this hard a question.


 

Why would anyone cook carrots or fish in a rice cooker?


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## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 23, 2013)

jennyema said:


> Why would anyone cook carrots or fish in a rice cooker?



Because you can.


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## Katie H (Sep 23, 2013)

I cook potatoes in mine for potato salad and have steamed other veggies in it,  too.  It is a bit more convenient than babysitting a pot on the stove.  At least, it is for me.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Sep 23, 2013)

There really a simple solution.  Measure the rice volume.  Wash and rinse your rice.  Place it into a large pot. Fill pot with water to equal three times the volume of the rice, i.e. 1 cup of rice to 3 cups of water.

A rice cooker is designed around using twice the water volume, compared to the rice.  That is enough water to completely hydrate the rice during the cooking time.  The method I'm suggesting uses time to gauge the proper hydration of the rice, and is the preferred method as any excess water is drained off, carrying with it any heavy metal, or pesticide residuals that may contaminate the rice.

Bring the water to a boil, cover the pot, and reduce the heat just to maintain a low boil.  Cook for 30 minutes, then drain through a fine mesh seive.  Your rice will be cooked through, and be healthier to eat.  If you want your rice to have a bit of tooth, reduce the cooking time by seven minutes or so.  If you want it very soft, increase the cooking time by another 7 to ten minutes.

No guesswork required.

Oh, and season the water with salt.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Sep 23, 2013)

jennyema said:


> Why would anyone cook carrots or fish in a rice cooker?


 

A rice cooker is, by design, a food steamer. I steam vegetables in mine all the time. My fsh, I prefer sauteed or deep fried.

BTW, my rice cooker/vegetable steamer is also a slow cooker, and I can make Irish oatmeal to perfection in it also.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Sep 23, 2013)

The rice cooker is designed to cook rice automatically, without human intervention. The operator is not required to time the cooking process. You put the rice and cooking liquid in the bucket, push the RICE button and walk away. When the rice is cooked, it will stop the cooking process but continue to keep the cooked rice warm until you yank the plug out of the wall.


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## Mad Cook (Oct 4, 2013)

Hoot said:


> I have never used a rice cooker other than a pot of boiling water. The ratio is 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water, which generally yields about 3 cups of cooked rice. It's an old fashioned way to cook rice I reckon, but it works.


I've recently discovered cooking rice in the m/wave using Hoot's proportions. No quicker than boiling in a pan but it's one thing less to have your eye on in the kitchen


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## Aunt Bea (Oct 4, 2013)

Hoot said:


> I have never used a rice cooker other than a pot of boiling water. The  ratio is 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water, which generally yields about 3  cups of cooked rice. It's an old fashioned way to cook rice I reckon,  but it works.



I use the Hoot method, works every time and reduces the clutter in my tiny kitchen.


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## GotGarlic (Oct 4, 2013)

Mad Cook said:


> I've recently discovered cooking rice in the m/wave using Hoot's proportions. No quicker than boiling in a pan but it's one thing less to have your eye on in the kitchen



I've been doing this for years.  Love this method


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## taxlady (Oct 4, 2013)

So, in the MW, do you bring it to a boil first? Do you let it boil for some number of minutes? Do you think it would work with brown (unpolished) rice?


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## GotGarlic (Oct 4, 2013)

taxlady said:


> So, in the MW, do you bring it to a boil first? Do you let it boil for some number of minutes? Do you think it would work with brown (unpolished) rice?



I put the rice, salt and liquid in a covered, vented bowl and cook it on high for 7 minutes. Remove from the MW and stir. Put back in the MW and cook for 8 more minutes. Done. If I don't stir it partway, it comes out too hard.

I see no reason why it wouldn't work with brown rice. You would have to experiment to determine how long to cook it; I've never cooked brown rice so I don't know.


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## taxlady (Oct 4, 2013)

GotGarlic said:


> I put the rice, salt and liquid in a covered, vented bowl and cook it on high for 7 minutes. Remove from the MW and stir. Put back in the MW and cook for 8 more minutes. Done. If I don't stir it partway, it comes out too hard.
> 
> I see no reason why it wouldn't work with brown rice. You would have to experiment to determine how long to cook it; I've never cooked brown rice so I don't know.


Thanks.

Maybe I'll Google for it. Brown rice usually takes 45-60 minutes. I think I'd like a closer idea before I start experimenting.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 4, 2013)

You will need to add more water, TL.  Use the same proportions for when you cook it on the stove.


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## Oldvine (Oct 5, 2013)

I also use the Hoot method and it works.  I don't need another one job appliance.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Oct 5, 2013)

I don't think it matters too much to Desmond, the original poster, how y'all cook your rice. He already has a rice cooker and he wants to know how to use it. Like I said previously, you do not need to time the rice in a rice cooker. You just load it up, turn it on, and wait for it to finish, at which time it will most likely emit some kind of noise to indicate the cooking cycle is finished.


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## Dawgluver (Oct 5, 2013)

Oldvine said:


> I also use the Hoot method and it works.  I don't need another one job appliance.



+2..


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## GotGarlic (Oct 5, 2013)

Oldvine said:


> I also use the Hoot method and it works.  I don't need another one job appliance.



I don't have a rice cooker either. My problem with the Hoot method is I would get distracted doing other things and the rice would often overcook and stick to the pan. Doing it in the microwave is perfect. It just stops cooking when it's done and keeps it hot in there while you finish up other things.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Oct 5, 2013)

Oldvine said:


> I also use the Hoot method and it works. I don't need another one job appliance.


 
My rice cooker handles 4 different jobs extremely well, and much easier and faster than any human could perform those tasks. If it wasn't a good investment, 99% of Asian households wouldn't have one!


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## GotGarlic (Oct 5, 2013)

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> My rice cooker handles 4 different jobs extremely well, and much easier and faster than any human could perform those tasks. If it wasn't a good investment, 99% of Asian households wouldn't have one!



99% of Asian households eat rice two to three times per day. I don't think that's true for the typical American household. I've gotten along fine without one for the almost 30 years I've been cooking.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Oct 6, 2013)

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> My rice cooker handles 4 different jobs extremely well, and much easier and faster than any human could perform those tasks. If it wasn't a good investment, 99% of Asian households wouldn't have one!



Just to play devil's advocate here, my rice cooker also does multiple things in a set it and forget it kind of way.  But my pressure cooker does it much, much faster, plus many more things than can my rice cooker.

That being said, the rice cooker is foolproof, and doesn't need to be watched.  The pressure cooker demands more of my attention (but not vey much more).  both are useful tools.  If time is an issue, I'll use the PC to cook the rice.  Otherwise, I'll use the RC, both because it's a foolproof operation, and it frees up burners for other parts of the meal.

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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