Want a simple way to cook large quantities of rice in your restaurant? Investing in a high-quality rice cooker is the perfect solution. These appliances are simple to use, and you’ll benefit from improved speed, efficiency, and convenience when serving rice in your commercial kitchen.
This is a fuss-free method of making rice; you can look forward to great results as well as consistency. If you want to impress your customers with your rice dishes, read on to learn more about the benefits of rice cookers and how to use them.
What Are Rice Cookers?
So, what exactly are rice cookers? Well, they are appliances that allow you to cook a range of rice and grains with speed and ease. Boiling water is used, which is absorbed by the rice to make it soft. These appliances work automatically, which means you and your kitchen team can get on with other tasks while your rice cooks to perfection.
Types of Rice Cookers
When it comes to rice cookers, you can choose from gas or electric ones.
Electric: This option is perfect if space is tight in your kitchen or if ventilation is limited. These cookers are very easy to use, simple to maintain, and perfect for cooking smaller quantities. You simply plug them in, and they are ready to use. They are also an eco-friendly option, as less heat is needed to cook your rice.
Gas: These use natural gas or liquid propane, and they generate the increased heat needed to cook larger quantities of rice. Using a direct flame followed by pressure cooking, these cookers are designed to enhance the flavor of the rice.
What Are the Benefits?
There are many benefits that come with investing in a quality rice cooker for your commercial kitchen. This includes:
- Ability to cook large quantities of rice at the same time
- Saving time and inconvenience
- Consistent quality
- Energy efficiency
- Automatic function to free up employees
- Easy to use
- Ability to free up cooker space
- Keep warm feature on some models
- No boiling over
All these benefits can prove invaluable in a commercial kitchen where time is of the essence and quality is of the utmost importance.
Cooking Your Rice
Using one of these cookers for rice is very simple, and you’ll be amazed how much time it can save you. So, let’s take a look at how to cook rice in one of these cookers:
Step 1: Measure the amount of rice you want to cook and add to a bowl. Rinse the rice until the water becomes clear before you start; this will result in fluffier, softer rice and a consistent texture.
Step 2: Check the appliance manual to find out the ideal rice-to-water ratio for your cooker. Also, check the packaging of the rice to see the recommended water amount for that specific type of rice.
Step 3: Put the washed rice into the pan of the appliance, then add the water based on the rice-to-water ratio recommended.
Step 4: Put the appliance pan back into the rice cooker and close it. At this stage, you can add butter, spices, and oil if you wish.
Step 5: Plug the cooker in and switch it on. In most cases, there will be an indicator light that confirms the appliance has been successfully switched on.
Step 6: Wait for the rice to cook; you can get on with other tasks in the meantime! It generally takes around 25-35 minutes to cook a large quantity of rice in one of these cookers. The good news is that these appliances can gauge when the rice is cooked, and they will automatically switch off.
Step 7: When the indicator light on the appliance goes off, it means that your rice is cooked. At this stage, leave it in the ‘keep warm’ mode and let it sit for around a quarter of an hour. This is to aid the evaporation of excess moisture and to make sure the rice absorbs the water fully.
After 15 minutes, you’re ready to serve up delicious fluffy rice to your customers!
Finding the Right Appliance
The speed and convenience of using one of these appliances has made them a big hit in commercial kitchens, and there are various makes and models you can choose from. When it comes to choosing the best rice cooker for your commercial kitchen, there are a few key factors to consider. This includes:
- The quantities of rice you want to cook and the number of people you cook for
- Size and capacity of the appliance
- Features of the rice cooker, such as different cooking modes, keep-warm features, and slow-cooking capabilities
- How easy the appliance is to use
- Energy efficiency of the cooker
- The cost of the appliance
- Durability and construction
- Reviews from other restaurant owners
By taking all these factors into consideration, you will be better positioned to find the ideal cooker for your commercial kitchen. So, you’ll be able to rustle up delicious fluffy rice each and every time while improving efficiency and speed in your kitchen!
A Valuable Addition to Your Commercial Kitchen!
When you serve rice to customers in your restaurant, rice cookers can become an invaluable addition to your commercial kitchen. Not only do you benefit from consistent quality and ease of use, but it means you can leave the appliance to deal with the cooking while you and your team move onto other tasks. So, you can also enjoy improved efficiency and a smoother-running kitchen!
