Customer Reviews

The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook: 250 No-Fail Recipes for Pilafs, Risottos, Polenta, Chilis, Soups, Porridges, Puddings and More, from Start to Finish in Your Rice Cooker

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have made several of the recipes in this book and continue to be extremely impressed. So many times, books that are centered around a specific appliance are too complicated and show-offy - they seem to forget that the appliance is supposed to make life easier and write recipes that use too many ingredients (several of them unrecognizable) and too many steps. My crock pot cookbook (and my crock pot, for that matter) remain unused as a result.

This cookbook doesn't do this. Many of the recipes are quite simple, and if esoteric ingredients are called for they are explained and described and are the focal point of the recipe. More than any other cookbook, this book gave me a food education as well. I learned an incredible amount about rice and about a variety of cultural adaptations of rice without feeling like a captive audience.

Finally, this book is extremely well organized and easy to understand and follow. The shopping section at the end with internet sources to purchase ususual rices, spices, and vegetables was an unexpected treat. I am recommending rice cookers highly, and in the same breath, I make sure to recommend this book. In fact, the next wedding I go to, the bride and groom get a rice cooker and this cookbook. It's that good.

I got this book as a gift after debating whether to buy it for about six months. I have a fuzzy logic cooker and wasn't sure if the recipes in the book were for regular rice cookers or the fuzzy logic type. Turns out its for all kinds of rice cookers. In fact the book basically is a reference guide to rice, rice cookers, rice recipes and anything else eatable the authors attempted to cook in the appliance. The only thing that fuzzy logic cookers get left out of is steamed items. Each recipe tells you if it is appropriate for the rice cooker you have. Most of the recipes seem to work for all cookers.

Comprehensive is the word that came to mind the first time I sat down with this cook book. The first section deals with rice cookers and describes each kind in detail and how to use it. That takes 16 pages. Then they move on to every type of rice you are might encounter in the whole rice loving world. That's another 16 pages. Included in that section is a page devoted to how to make packaged rice mixes in the cooker; things like rice-a-roni or some of the new orleans red beans and rice mixes or casbah brand.

The recipes start appearing on page 34 and one thing to know is that THERE ARE NO ILLUSTRATIONS. The recipes are separated into chapters like pilafs, risottos, deserts, and other unlikely items, like little meals, dim sum and grains. What is convenient is that at the start of each chapter is a little table of contents for that chapter listing the name and page of each recipe. What a great idea. In each chapter if there is any step of a recipe that can't be done in a cooker that gets its own little recipe. The recipes are laid out well; the ingredients are listed in a different color type than the directions.

There are some things they want you to do that seem weird, like melting butter and sauteing things in the cooker using the quick cook cycle with the lid open. I haven't tried that yet. One day, but not today. Making different breakfast oatmeals and porridges seems like high adventure to me.

There are lots of side items about rice or other ingredients, including a list of useful items found in asian markets. Things like that are printed on different colored paper. Even a amall history of rice.

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I used to use my rice cooker several times a week. With this cook book and my new fuzzy logic rice cooker, I use it several times a day. It will appeal to cooks of all levels. For cooks experienced with rice and whole grains, the most important part of the book will probably be recipes for the porridge cycle of a fuzzy logic cooker: rice porridge, puddings, custards, and hot cereals. Even for experienced rice cooks, however, this book has excellent information on different varieties of rice and different types of dishes. In addition to many styles of rice dishes, it includes recipes for other grains such as couscous, bulgur and grits. It is well laid out and has commentaries on grains and dishes that will enable creative cooks to invent their own recipes as well as using the very tasty recipes included in the book. Although the recipes suggest the size of the cooker to be used, you need to use some common sense. I have a small cooker and have successfully made recipes suggested for other size cookers. This book is utterly clear and easy to follow. All the recipes work, and all taste wonderful. If you have a rice cooker, especially a fuzzy logic cooker, you need this book.

I stumbled upon this book in the library and found myself flipping through it up for several days - there are so many good recipies that I had to buy it. If you want to know what else to make in your rice cooker besides plain white rice buy this book! I find myself using my rice cooker at least 3 times a week now. It's so easy, put the stuff in and switch it on! You can even cook whole meals in the rice cooker. Just wish the book came in hardcover.

I love rice. I could eat it every meal. I bought a rice cooker two years ago and have used it regularly ever since, not just for plain rice but also for red beans & rice, rice with veggies, rice cooked in different liquids and with different flavorings and additions. I thought I had done it all. I picked up this cookbook thinking it would have maybe a few ideas that would be new, maybe a dozen ideas out of the 250 recipes. Boy was I wrong! There is a LOT of good information on rice in here - and this is coming from someone who used to work at a health food store & knows her rice. And every single recipe I have tried has come out perfectly. Finally I can make Indian-restaurant style basmati rice the way my husband likes it (Qui's Basmati Pilaf p. 97)! My only complaint is that I'm probably going to have to spring for a newer fuzzy logic rice cooker as some (but not nearly all or even most) of the recipes will only work with that style of cooker. Aw, shucks, I have to go shopping :)

As someone who was not at all familiar with the rice cooker as an appliance, I found this book very useful. Its author describes in some detail the differences between the two types of rice cookers. Ultimately, it "boils down" to the fact that for every sort of cooking one needs both types, but I am not ready for that and decided on the fuzzy-logic variety.

There are many recipes in the book; I only wish there was a little less emphasis on white rice and a little more on brown.

One other positive of the book is the "asides". For example, there is a small section concerning preserving lemons which I found very interesting and inspiring--in fact, we now have a jar of lemons preserving on our kitchen counter.

After buying a Zojirushi NS-ZAC 10 rice cooker, I knew I had to buy this book. I'd checked it out from the library but there are simply too many good recipes that I had to buy it. This is the bible for anyone owning a rice cooker. Only problem is it has recipes for both fuzzy logic and on/off type machines and now I find myself wishing I had both so I could try more recipes!

I bought a rice cooker, learned the basics of preparing rice and then wanted to expand my skills. So I bought a few cookbooks but this is the ONLY one that has recipes my whole family loves, so much so that we use it at least 3-5 times a week and never feel like we're eating the same thing.
The recipes aren't just for rice but for all sorts of grains and vegetables and fruits as well. In fact, I'm ready to throw out my crockpot because the meals prepared in the rice cooker are much better, don't have that overcooked, stewed taste you can get with a crockpot and have all the convenience and ease that I need with my busy schedule. The directions are clear and the recipes range from the simple (plain cooked grains) to the more complex (rice with coconut and currants... or grits with cheese and spices )
The ultimate test of a good cookbook, of course, is getting compliments and raves about the food. Every time I've made a recipe from this book, the food has been devoured quickly. We rarely have leftovers and my son's friends even make a point of looking in the kitchen to see if the rice cooker is turned on ( yes, the recipes in this cookbook are THAT good).

Wonderful book with plenty of tips. If you own a rice cooker, this book should be part of your collection.

Son has made many recipes from this book and has been pleased with them. I would recommend it for beginners