Instructions to a Panasonic Rice Cooker
The Panasonic rice cooker is a countertop kitchen appliance used to make rice automatically. Rice cookers are made by many different manufacturers and most are similar in concept and design. Rice and water are added to the pan inside the appliance, the lid is placed on the top of the cooker and the rice cooker is turned on. When the rice has finished cooking, the appliance turns off and the rice is left to sit for about 10 minutes before it is served. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Parts
Rice cookers have four basic parts: actual appliance, inner pan, lid and cord. They normally come with a measuring cup used to measure the appropriate amount of rice and water into the inner pan. The inner pan has measuring marks along its inside wall. Depending on the model purchased, the cooker may have an option to keep the rice warm after it has finished cooking. Other, more basic models, have just an off and on button.
Measuring
White or brown rice can be made in the rice cooker, but brown rice requires more water and will take longer to cook. The general rule of thumb for water to white rice ratio when using a rice cooker is to use slightly more water than rice. If using brown rice, follow the water to rice ratio listed on the rice package. If the rice is dry and hard after cooking, this usually means you haven't added enough water.
Capacity
Rice expands after cooking. Depending on the type of rice, one cup of dry rice might make three cups of cooked rice. If you aren't sure about the capacity of your particular Panasonic rice cooker model, never put more rice in the inner compartment that will overfill the container if multiplied by three.
Rinsing Rice
After adding the rice to the inner pan for cooking, some cooks like to rinse the rice in cold water, to remove excess starch. Rinse water is drained from the pan before adding the cooking water. Some cooks let the rice sit in the cooking water for about 15 minutes before turning on the appliance, to improve the texture.
Cooking
Place the lid on the top of the appliance after the rice and cooking water have been added. Attach the cord to the appliance and plug it into an electrical outlet. Press the on button. Most models have a light that indicates the rice is cooking, and the light will turn off when the rice is done. If the model has a warming feature, the warming light will turn on after the rice finishes cooking and the cooking light turns off. When removing cooked rice from the cooking pan, always use a plastic rice paddle or wooden spoon. The inner cooking pan has a protective coating that can be scratched if metal spoons are used.
Tags: rice cooker, brown rice, cooking water, rice cooking, about minutes, about minutes before, after cooking