Why I Love It:
Right after I had my son, I was looking into ways to cook meals from scratch to accommodate our family’s food allergies, but with minimal effort. At the time, my husband and I were both working full time, and the dinner hour was complete mayhem. I started gathering and modifying crockpot recipes that I could quickly assemble and toss in before we left for work. It was a step in the right direction, but I found that more often than not, I would still end up boiling a pot of rice, baking potatoes or prepping a vegetable after I got home to make the meal complete.
Then, I discovered the device that holds an honorary spot on my counter right next to my slow cooker: the Zojirushi Rice Cooker. The model I invested in (and, at around $107, it IS an investment compared to other rice cookers) has a delay timer, so you can measure out your rice and water at the beginning of the day and set it to start cooking so it’s hot and perfect at dinnertime. Plus, it comes with a steamer basket so you can steam veggies while the rice cooks.
Please note: This post includes an affiliate link to the rice cooker for your convenience. If you make a purchase using one of the link, I may receive a small commission, at zero extra cost to you. Win-win!
Here’s a delicious recipe you can make right in your rice cooker: Rice Cooker Lime-Coconut Rice
Tips:
- If you cook veggies in the steamer basket while you’re cooking rice, juice from your veggies will drip into the rice. I have lined the bottom of the steamer basket with a bit of foil and that seems to work just fine – or, you can decide to be A-OK with carrot or broccoli-infused rice
- Rinse it: For the perfect rice, rinse the dry rice with water a couple of times until the water is clear before cooking
- Be precise: Use the provided rice cup measurer, and be sure to pour water exactly to the fill line for the type of rice you’re cooking. There are demarcations for each type of rice (brown, white/sushi, porridge) on the inner cooking pan
- Clean it properly: Once everything is cooled down, be sure to remove and wash the inner cooking pan and inner lid after each use, and wipe down the outside of the cooker with a damp towel
Here’s the exact model I own: Zojirushi Rice Cooker
