Until a few years ago, they were found almost exclusively in Asia, where rice is eaten several times a day: Rice stoves. In the meantime, however, the classic Chinese keep-warm stoves are also widespread in our country. How to operate them correctly and what to watch out for, you can read in this article.
Instructions: How do I operate a rice stove?
Operate your rice stove as follows: Open and fill the rice stove, add water, start the rice stove (put the lid on and turn the switch to “boil” and wait until the rice stove jumps to “keep warm”). Finally, loosen the rice and let it stand for about 10 more minutes.
How the rice cooker works
The rice stove is very simple in design – but still ingenious. The rice is cooked in it according to the swelling method: as much water is added to the rice as it can absorb.
The water is then heated and the rice slowly swells. When all the water has been absorbed, the rice stove switches off. An ingenious principle is used for this: as long as water is present, it heats up slowly. Once the water has been absorbed by the rice, there is air on the heating plate and the temperature rises sharply. If the rice stove detects this, it knows that it is time to switch off and it automatically switches to keep-warm mode.
Special functions
Some rice stoves still have special functions – for example, there are models with a steamer insert or with special temperature settings or a timer. If you want to know more about these functions, it is best to refer to the instruction manual of the rice stove.
By far, most models are relatively simple – and very inexpensive for that. A switch that toggles between cooking and keeping warm is usually the only control knob.
Basic operating steps for cooking rice in a rice cooker
- Rice
- Water
- Salt (for domestic rice)
- Rice stove
- Measuring cup
- Spatula to loosen rice
1. open and fill the rice stove
Take the lid off the rice stove. First, put in the desired amount of rice. To do this, use the measuring cup and note how many cups of rice you put in the stove.
2. add water
Getting the right amount of water for swelling is tricky. Depending on the type of rice, you will need different amounts of water. You can always find how many cups of water you need to add to the rice on the rice package. If desired, you can then also add salt (for rice varieties common in this country) and possibly spices (e.g. cloves)).
3. put the rice stove into operation
Put the lid on and set the rice stove to the “cooking” position. The rice stove will now do its job. You can tell when the rice is cooked when the rice stove jumps to “keep warm”. The finished rice is now kept warm for hours.
4. loosen up the rice
Take the spatula to hand and stir briefly through the rice. Then let it stand for a short time (about 10 minutes). Otherwise, you can also leave the keep warm function on and remove the rice later. It will not be damaged by this.
Tips & tricks
Rice stoves are not only suitable for cooking rice. You can use them for other purposes as well – steaming vegetables or fish, making soups, and even baking brownies and cheesecakes. Just do a search for rice stove recipes sometime!
Elizabeth Green
Elizabeth Green is a seasoned home chef and culinary expert who has a passion for all things kitchen-related. With her extensive knowledge of the latest kitchen products and appliances, Elizabeth provides insightful reviews and recommendations to help consumers make informed purchasing decisions. Whether you're looking for a new refrigerator, blender, or cookware set, Elizabeth is your guide to finding the best kitchen products available in the UK.
