Whats wrong with my rice cooking process in my Zojirushi?
I recently purchased a Zojirushi NP-GBC05 3 cup rice-cooker. I read through the manual and some instructions online. I have made 3 batches of rice so far and two of them have turned into a disaster.
Batch 1: Jasmine Rice 1 cup rice, washed, 1 cup water (probable Operator error, manual states 1cup to 1.25 cups rice/water) WHITE/MIXED setting result: coagulated mess
Batch 2: Sticky Rice 1 cup rice, not washed, 1 cup water SUSHI setting result: good batch
Batch 3: Basmati Rice 1 cup rice, washed, 1.5 cups water WHITE/MIXED setting result: coagulated mess
Why would both 1 and 3 give me coagulated messes?
Background:
This is my first rice cooker and first time using a rice cooker, it was cleaned after all batches, and no settings were configured besides the rice type. Just pressed the COOKING button.
Best Answer
Based on your description, you seem to be measuring the rice and water in a measuring cup and adding them to the pan. Having used the same Zojirushi rice maker for 8 years, I can testify that relatively small variations in the water/rice ratio can produce large changes in the final texture of the rice. In your case, it seems to be that you're using too much water. Adjusting the ratio to 1:1 should give you a chewier baseline to work with, and adding water in 1 oz. increments should allow you very fine-grained control (no pun intended) over the texture of the rice.
That said, I believe that the most reliable results come from using the 3/4 C / 180 mL "cup" provided. To use it, you scoop a number of "cups" of rice and add them to the cooking pan, washing in the pan. After pouring off the wash water, fill the pan with water to the line on the inside face corresponding to the type of rice used and the number of "cups" of rice you added to the pan. In my experience, using this method produces essentially perfect results every time. Adjusting the water level to very slightly below the line will yield chewier rice, while adjusting slightly above will yield mushier rice.
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Why does my rice cooker overcook rice?
If you don't add enough water, the rice will be underdone and likely burn on the bottom before it's done gently steaming. If you add too much water, the rice will be sodden, mushy, and overcooked. So cook it, taste it, and adjust your rice-to-water ratio accordingly for larger pots of rice the next time.How do I make the perfect Zojirushi rice?
To Cook in the Rice Cooker:Do You Need a $350 Rice Cooker? — The Kitchen Gadget Test Show
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