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Gas or Electric Hob?

Gas or Electric hob?

  • Total voters
    12
tarannau said:
Buy a mini rice cooker. I've the world's smallest kitchen really - well one kitchen counter and little more - and it takes up less space than a kettle. It also frees up hob space for a couple of big woks

I used to be really proud of making ric in a pan, using the absorption technique and balancing the gas flame perfectly. But the reality is that a rice cooker makes perfect rice again and again without hassle - flick a button and it's pretty much done.

It's useful if you like to cook rice properly (absorption rather than boiling) and have those gas cookers that tend to have too high a low setting, or electric cookers that don't cool down fast enough.
Click to expand...
They come in MINI?! :eek: Potential Christmas list candidate :hmm:

Can you flavour rice cooked in a rice cooker, or would you have to transfer it to a regular pan? Having said that, I don't know if you can flavour rice in a regular pan, I'm just fed up of having boring rice with my chili :( :confused:
 
You can add stock, coconut milk or the usual range of flavourings to the rice cooker water if you like.

To be honest I use the mini cooker 90% of the time - it comfortably feeds upto 3-4 people. The full size rice cooker can be a bit huge and wasteful - unless I've a housefull of people it's not worth it.
 
Yeah, when I lived with said housemate we'd make a batch and then just eat it over the next few days :o :D

Doubt I'll be cooking for more than 3-4 people any time soon (it's only ever one at the moment :(), really starting to think it's a good idea.

But then, I do want a breadmaker too...
 
I must prefer a gas hob - I have an electric hob at the moment and it seems a lot harder to control the heat. Having the flame there is better for using a wok too as these just seem to balance on electric hobs.
 
No comparison really. Rice cookers make excellent rice, whilst breadmakers make disappointing bread. Your oven (with a bit of work on your side) will make better bread than any breadmaker.
 
tarannau said:
Buy a mini rice cooker. I've the world's smallest kitchen really - well one kitchen counter and little more - and it takes up less space than a kettle. It also frees up hob space for a couple of big woks

I used to be really proud of making ric in a pan, using the absorption technique and balancing the gas flame perfectly. But the reality is that a rice cooker makes perfect rice again and again without hassle - flick a button and it's pretty much done.

It's useful if you like to cook rice properly (absorption rather than boiling) and have those gas cookers that tend to have too high a low setting, or electric cookers that don't cool down fast enough.
Click to expand...

Is there a particular one that you would recommend?

William of Walworth said:
I want a rice cooker!!! Badly ... :(
Click to expand...

I do now - only after reading this thread :D
 
what is this nonsense about making rice in a pan being difficult or requiring looking after?!?!? honestly...

1. put rice in pan, cover with right amount of water, apply heat
2. turn heat down to simmer once boiling
3. turn heat off when water gone.
(4. leave to steam while rest of dindins is cooking)

and serve.

what on earth is so hard about that that you need a whole extra cooker???

bread makers I can see the point - bread requires attention at intervals of hours, but rice? seriously?!
 
If you've got a shit gas cooker, which I have, the hob doesn't turn down too much - rice either cooks too quickly and the water evaporates or the gas turns itself off. It's bearable, but it's surprisingly difficult to get perfect absorption rice - little craters in top, crust at bottom and super fluffy. And I can't fit two woks, rice and another pan on my too small cooker either - it frees up space for more dishes and takes away hassle.

There's a reason why millions and millions of people own rice cookers around the East.
 
tarannau said:
If you've got a shit gas cooker, which I have, the hob doesn't turn down too much - rice either cooks too quickly and the water evaporates or the gas turns itself off. It's bearable, but it's surprisingly difficult to get perfect absorption rice - little craters in top, crust at bottom and super fluffy. And I can't fit two woks, rice and another pan on my too small cooker either - it frees up space for more dishes and takes away hassle.

There's a reason why millions and millions of people own rice cookers around the East.
Click to expand...

So your absorption method doesn't always turn out perfect rice then

:cool: <- smug
 
tarannau said:
No comparison really. Rice cookers make excellent rice, whilst breadmakers make disappointing bread. Your oven (with a bit of work on your side) will make better bread than any breadmaker.
Click to expand...
Loving your guidance and no offence meant but bollix. To. That. :p ;) I'm sure it's better, but I am lazy. And shit at cooking. I got a D at GCSE for fuck's sake...

To slightly get back to the OP, I only started using a wok since going back to gas but I really can't imagine trying it on an electric :confused: Although it does have a flat bottom :hmm:
 
crustychick said:
what is this nonsense about making rice in a pan being difficult or requiring looking after?!?!? honestly...

1. put rice in pan, cover with right amount of water, apply heat
2. turn heat down to simmer once boiling
3. turn heat off when water gone.
(4. leave to steam while rest of dindins is cooking)

and serve.

what on earth is so hard about that that you need a whole extra cooker???

bread makers I can see the point - bread requires attention at intervals of hours, but rice? seriously?!
Click to expand...

this ^^
 
crustychick said:
what is this nonsense about making rice in a pan being difficult or requiring looking after?!?!? honestly...

1. put rice in pan, cover with right amount of water, apply heat
2. turn heat down to simmer once boiling
3. turn heat off when water gone.
(4. leave to steam while rest of dindins is cooking)

and serve.

what on earth is so hard about that that you need a whole extra cooker???

bread makers I can see the point - bread requires attention at intervals of hours, but rice? seriously?!
Click to expand...

Try doing that on a shitty electric hob. As to rice cookers, rice is best steamed slowly, so a rice cooker is perfect, bread on the other hand is best baked fairly quickly so a bread cooker is shit.
 
There's no rinsing with the absorption technique - why introduce more water to cooked, fluffy rice? The best way by a long straw imo.

Rice from a rice cooker is top quality. Bread from a breadmaker (rather than oven) invariably falls short. Convenience over flavour and texture.
 
okay, if you've got a shit electric hob then i can see why you might want a rice cooker.

I can also see that if you have a shit gas oven, a breadmaker is almost an essential item.

actually, a friend of mine recently bought a microwave steamer which she claims is the best rice cooker ever. discuss.
 
tarannau said:
There's no rinsing with the absorption technique - why introduce more water to cooked, fluffy rice? The best way by a long straw imo.

Rice from a rice cooker is top quality. Bread from a breadmaker (rather than oven) invariably falls short. Convenience over flavour and texture.
Click to expand...
I'm sure that's true, but I really am just too lazy :( Plus, I had some bread baked in a friend's breadmaker (same friend who I lived with and used the rice cooker thereof as it goes) and it was still much nicer than the stuff I get, so clearly I'm a lazy heathen :( :(

Definitely convinced me to get a rice cooker though :)
 
crustychick said:
okay, if you've got a shit electric hob then i can see why you might want a rice cooker.

I can also see that if you have a shit gas oven, a breadmaker is almost an essential item.

actually, a friend of mine recently bought a microwave steamer which she claims is the best rice cooker ever. discuss.
Click to expand...

There's no reason that shouldn't be true, a microwave is perfect for anything that involves steaming.
 
Look, even the world's shittest gas oven is likely to make better bread than a breadmaker. They just don't get the crust.

A rice cooker has a place in professional kitchens whilst a breadmaker's strictly for middle class homes as a comforting trinket. Get your hands dirty and make proper bread.
;)
 
tarannau said:
Look, even the world's shittest gas oven is likely to make better bread than a breadmaker. They just don't get the crust.

A rice cooker has a place in professional kitchens whilst a breadmaker's strictly for middle class homes as a comforting trinket. Get your hands dirty and make proper bread.
;)
Click to expand...
Middle class? Well then I'm just doing as my birth dictates... :p

Anyway, I'm sure I can get a nice crust if I just stick it in the oven for 10 minutes after taking it out of the oven, that'll sort it...
 
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