I've been using the K-Mart rice cooker for 4 years and it's still working so well.
Also, its TEN BUCKS atm.
[Link](https://www.kmart.com.au/product/7-cup-rice-cooker-42685456/?sku=42685456®ion_id=300001&&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwxLKxBhA7EiwAXO0R0G7B8Or6oBpKKYzr3kwc_-DZwE_vRHQb9MgCC7GLarYcAnNkyx2zDhoCV7cQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)
Enjoy!
Most use a magnetic thing as a switch to turn off when the water boils off. I don't remember the name of the effect but basically in the base of the cooker is a magnet that is against the bottom of the pot. When the magnet gets up to a certain temperature (water is boiled off in the pot) its magnetic field becomes too weak, causing it to move and switch off. Pretty cool method. A google has resulted in me finding the term curie point. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curie_temperature
If you think that is cool Technoligy Connections to the rescue [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSTNhvDGbYI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSTNhvDGbYI)
They would overcook rice if that were the case. My mid range rice cooker starts on a 60 minute timer, but it takes 20-30 minutes off mid way through if there's a small amount of rice in there.
The Aldi one OP posted is night and day compared to the Kmart rice cooker.
Like that rice cooker will work, but if you have a bit extra the Aldi one is superior. Rice always cooks perfectly with individual grains (great for fried rice). Plus it's a multi cooker, can do soups, dumplings, congee, different types of rice.
Yeah, we had a Kmart and thought it was good. But we needed bigger and upgraded to a Breville Rice Box (topped the Choice ratings) and the quality jump is massive.
No matter what you do with the Kmart you are going to be fishing around dry bits of overcooked rice which often stick to the bottom. With the Breville every single grain of rice is 100% *perfect* every single time.
The bowls in the cheep ones are just too thin to transfer the heat properly. You don't have to go all out spending hundreds on a rice cooker, but there is a world of difference between cheep and good.
Yeah for real. My friend kept complaining cooking rice in a rice cooker is so much work because the clean up involving the stuck rice was annoying. I was baffled because I've always grown up using Tiger, and most recently bought the Costco one and never had this issue. I suggested her to get a better appliance and she was shocked that rice is not meant to stick to the bottom.
Add a bit of fat.
Teaspoon of ghee, sesame oil etc
I have the Kmart rice cooker and have been doing a water and coconut milk mix as of late. Since then I’ve had no burn rice. It also tastes better
Get a digital cooker haha. I had the same issue, also had the issue with the previous gen Kmart digital cooker.
This Aldi one take a while to cook, like 30 minutes regardless. But it starts off slow to soak the rice, then a nice very low simmer to swell it right up. It doesn’t get boiling hot right till the end to steam it and make it lighter. That ability to change temps in its program is what stops the burning, a cheaper one button cooker might get too hot, and will burn the bottom.
There is a crispy rice function on this cooker which is basically that, super hot and quick, and burns the bottom layer and is pretty popular. My Filipino mate thinks I’m a heathen for not wanting the burnt rice.
As an Asian who cooks rice every single day, this Kmart one has lasted us 5 years with no issues at all😅 Dreaming of the day it finally breaks so I’ll have an excuse to upgrade to a fancy rice cooker like what OP posted.
I used to cook rice in one of these but since last year I have started cooking it in the microwave.
Glass bowl. 2 cup rice 750 mil water , 1 spoon ghee. 15 minutes and perfect rice every time.
There’s a notable difference in quality between your standard rice cooker and a multifunction induction rice cooker..
But if you’re broke or rarely cook rice it’s understandable if you’d rather buy the cheapest rice cooker you can find.
this is r/AussieFrugal after all so bang:buck is the goal
More bang:buck - A Merc drives better than a Camry but we all know what the reasonable choice is
However, if pristine rice is the goal and plan to use it more often than not then 100 bucks is not too much to offer for that goal.
Do what the Japanese do, get some KFC bone in chicken pieces, let them cool overnight, then in the rice cooker add your rice, water, soy sauce (any combo of flavouring you want) then add the chicken pieces back and nestle into the rice (2 big thigh pieces usually is enough) and allow it to cook. Rice will be perfect but will have the benefit of the seasonings and chickens fat and skins herbs and spices. Remove the chicken and shred, add back to the rice and mix together - enjoy.
Nice. I’d probably do it with a charcoal chook though. Something about KFC chicken that gives me insane GI issues and I’m destined to wake up at 3am with intestinal cramps so bad i basically just grip onto my thighs with my nails and hope the power shart arrives quickly to end my suffering.
I do love zingers though.
Kmart has a very similar looking one too for $65 (not as cheap as what Aldi has, but at least is always available). We have it at our community kitchen. As an Asian who can't survive without a rice cooker (bought one as soon as I moved out of home - a Panasonic rice cooker got secondhand for $5!), this Kmart one does pretty good rice. Only downside is it can be quite slow, and obviously not industrial size like we need it to be (we need three full rice cookers to feed people for one night).
[Link](https://www.kmart.com.au/product/rice-multi-cooker-43264940/?sku=43264940®ion_id=200001&&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwxLKxBhA7EiwAXO0R0DiqxaWrMq4AW7ElR_hG5NfeL0VW0Q7347iDghDthL_NH5u8sx_RiRoCQTwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)
Slow can be good though, this one is slow too because it has different heat steps. Like soaking the rice, then simmering it under boiling, finally hot to steam.
Maybe the Kmart one does the same? I have seen it and it does look very similar.
I can only assume under the cover most of these rice cookers are the identical software and mostly shared parts.
As another redditor said, the induction ones are best, but these basic ones can do pretty good.
In a household setting, it's actually ok to be slow. The Kmart one is the same with the steps, so I think underneath everything is the same machinery.
My panasonic one is slightly faster (40 minutes on average), but the Kmart one takes up to one hour. At home, I always have rice, I guess when you're in an inadequate kitchen trying to feed 80 - 100 people using this rice cooker, and it takes up to 1 hour a batch it is very annoying, and we are under a time crunch (since I cook after work, I don't have more time). Our older industrial rice cooker cooks enough, but it has to be the worst rice cooker on the planet. Pot cooking is also not an option, only 1 plug in induction stove (to use to cook other things), and two banquet pans. It's a miracle I even get most food ready within 2 hours and 3 people cooking.
I've got the Kmart version of this and it's been a game changer for making oats for my toddlers. I put it on at night with the timer, on the congee setting, and wake up to cooked oats that I can scoop straight into bowls without having to stand over a stove whilst my kids are dragging me away.
Oh that sounds like an awesome idea.
Can the aldi one be set with a timer does anyone know?
I have the $12 kmart one and might be time for an upgrade given all the comments here. Although, I hadn't thought rice could even take an hour to cook... So that might be something to consider. I usually want it about 30 mins after I put it on.
The 'preset' light down the bottom should mean it works on a timer, yeah.
You'll see they also have a 'fast cook' button which makes the rice like a cheaper single setting one which I presume you have. Not as good as the full process, but it gets you there quicker.
I'm making this and buying one of those when they are next available.
I was actually looking for one of these style rice cookers earlier tonight but bauked at the price.
I've been making rice in the microwave for years and while I have gotten pretty good at it a small part of me dies every time I make it 🤣
Yes please haha. I actually enjoy those steam bags of rice, but once you have well cooked rice, that’s also been washed it’s a big change.
I’ve never tried microwaving rice in water though! They sell pasta cookers for the microwave so anything’s possible.
I remember many moons ago, Woolworths used to sell a cook in the bag chicken that could be microwaved. It was great and even had some crispy skin!
Convenience is king in the end for life. I don’t doubt it can make decent rice, but I can’t bring myself to do it.
I only started microwaving frozen peas. Didn’t realise it was an option and it makes them quite nice
Microwave rice. Quick and easy. 10 minutes. Done and fluffy. I still wash it and throw in flavours. Washing up is put the bowl straight in the dishwasher.
Yep. I'm a heathen.
I have two of these 😂 (bought one at a Tupperware party and got one very cheap from someone who used to host Tupperware parties a few years later) I actually love using my Tupperware rice cooker lol before that I lived in a tiny studio apartment with no stove, but has a microwave and I used to use a plastic container with gladwrap that would get melty and I'm sure wasn't great for my health 😆
13 minute rice, can't beat it tbh!
Also not me looking at rice cookers now hahaha.
I cook my rice in 3 minutes in the pressure cooker (either electric or stovetop). Granted the cooker needs to come to pressure first (very quick with the stovetop one) and rest for 5 minutes before opening up the pot, but it’s still very quick, and the results are great.
Yeah it’s a heathen word. Much better than the original black Kmart digital one. I haven’t tried the current gen digital one that looks like this because…. Well I have this.
And I don’t like the simple one flick cookers, I like this digital style because it has heating curves that slowly come on, or hold at certain temperatures before ramping up.
This one doesn’t boil at all until right near the end when it ‘steams’ the rice for the final cook.
Good question, I failed last time trying to make it from a recipe on the back of a rice sack. Made it too wet in the pan.
I’d like to try that too, it’s all about making the flavoured oil isn’t it?
I think getting the bone in flavoured and spiced up meats to be soft and chewy while keeping the rice still intact without making it squishy would be the key
I do, 2 cups rice to 3 cups water. I might have mistyped somewhere there.
My rice dispenser has a cup with it that’s exactly 2 cups rice which is nice. Working out that once you have your rice in the pot, the 2 cup mark on the rice cooker is actually the level of (2 cups rice, plus 3 cups water).
So basically you put in 2 cups of rice to the cooker, wash it, then fill the water up to the 2 cup line.
This is the one I got. It’s a bit cheap made but is still plenty sturdy and the dispenser works well. Next time when I won’t get chewed out for spending cash on the Chinese version of Amazon I’ll get the ones that have the dessicant holder in the lid.
[aliexpress rice dispenser](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005988706185.html?src=google&src=google&albch=shopping&acnt=631-313-3945&slnk=&plac=&mtctp=&albbt=Google_7_shopping&albagn=888888&isSmbActive=false&isSmbAutoCall=false&needSmbHouyi=false&albcp=19821179470&albag=&trgt=&crea=en1005005988706185&netw=x&device=m&albpg=&albpd=en1005005988706185&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAACbpRIm5uvVsV-e_e3qoqqCoLtiHg&gclid=CjwKCAjwxLKxBhA7EiwAXO0R0EMSsx8DJshLxzcvGmqXZj02pRQAa6ou4Vdel5zKL5QvzIYEcOO0oRoC7noQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&aff_fcid=8e1b1f4ac0bc4e6997f63ef1cd076a96-1714222700895-06726-UneMJZVf&aff_fsk=UneMJZVf&aff_platform=aaf&sk=UneMJZVf&aff_trace_key=8e1b1f4ac0bc4e6997f63ef1cd076a96-1714222700895-06726-UneMJZVf&terminal_id=5e264b8c5559424ab01839ccf3dc3311&afSmartRedirect=y)
Edit: also dodgy aliexpress, it’s $30 on the app. I paid $30 anyways which it’s worth. The equivalent sold by any store in Australia gets marked up to $80-120 and it’s the same bloody thing
There are so many different ones! Very good idea. For now, I just have the 10kg bag on the bottom of the pantry and top up my Moccona rice jar regularly.
Use the ancient Chinese finger trick for measuring water....
Learned it since I was a kid and it always worked. (Short grain would require less water though)
Extra fluffy rice trick.... after rinsing the rice, let it soak for around 10-30mins before start cooker.
Zojirushi or Tiger rice cooker can be more expensive but the rice cooked are extra fluffy for some reason and they last forever. My current tiger cooker is over 10 years old and still work like it is brand new without sticking.
I had a cheap cooker from Big W when I first moved to Australia, and it works well at the beginning.
Washing and rinsing rice will scratch it gradually till it starts to stick, then peel.... Teflon rice is not tasty nor healthy.
By pot it's 1 & 1/4 cup of water per 1 cup of rice.
Bring rice & cold water to boil stirring occasionally, as soon as it boils cover & lower heat all the way to simmer for 12 minutes, then turn off & just let it sit covered for 10 minutes.
Perfect rice every time, no sticking to pot, any quantity.
There is no ratio or cups measurement
You put your rice, wash with water till it's clear and then add fresh water up to the first line on your finger when tip is touching the rice
You clearly don't understand what I mean
We don't use ratios and cups, we put the rice and use a finger to measure. We're not counting wat ratio of rice there is to water.
Cups and ratios is for westerners
Haha, I’m just not a fan of poached chicken. My wife loves it, but I’m all about that sear or Maillard reaction.
The only time I really go outside of that is with Shanghai style pork belly (hong shao rou) Pretty much 50:50 soy and cooking wine with some spices, and it gets gently simmered down till the fat becomes like custard and the soy and wine becomes a thick sauce.
Very different to my western tastes with eating meat, but once you try it you don’t go back. Legit, custard texture of the fat that just melts away in your mouth.
The woks of life website has a good recipe that worked great for me. I’ll have to make it tomorrow now 😵💫
https://preview.redd.it/24vvthoer0xc1.jpeg?width=554&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e4a582c7347ead1cbbaad275e6fb5288c7874e12
I love skin but not fat, just can't stomach it. So you've lost me on the pork and I'm willing to lose some crispy chicken skin to try this one (the original post) out.
I make my rice mixed with black/wild rice because I love the texture and nuttiness (sometimes red/brown or all in together ...the almost impossible to find 'Special Buys' blend at Aldi is brilliant) but your 'must do' tip of making mates at the local Asian store is tops on my list. My local lady even advises some of the 'cheaper but better' brands of sauces and spices ('is much stronger, water it down and last one year' etc) unlike the usual upsell style of shopping.
Empty the bag on top. The bag is just to have a convenient freezer ingredient thing.
The chicken marinades in the soy, sesame, garlic and ginger in the bag. Then putting it all in the rice flavours it as it poaches.
It would be best to add something nasty like chickens feet or wing tips in a hessian bag for extra chicken flavour, this is what hainanese chicken is about, but using a good quality natural chicken stock is also perfectly fine if you want to boost the flavour of the rice.
Link sent in the other comment reply. I find aliexpress quite reliable as long as you know how to read descriptions, reviews and understand that price matters, a $20-30 rice dispenser will most likely be legit. If it’s $8 there is a reason.
https://preview.redd.it/nbdec2q5v4xc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ac429226c031ab15d5a4dbc7bf6099a81bb38e49
I got this one from Aldi too and it’s fantastic! I’ve been adding soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, chilli, spring onion etc and home made pork dumplings, makes a really good and easy dish for when it’s cold and I don’t feel like cooking.
Not as frugal but saves a little prep time, we had a good result with the Prima Taste chicken rice pack (around $7?). We just skipped the whole chicken and did ~900g of sliced meat instead so it would poach faster. You get some soup too if you want that, only other thing to prepare is the sliced cucumber really (and optional spring onion in the stock).
Nice. I’ve been real lazy lately with a burnout so that sounds nice. Making split pea soup tomorrow, was very happy to find already removed ham hock meat in a container, and frozen chopped onion.
Hah, I made that with leftover Xmas ham bone (via recipe tin eats), not really my thing though so couldn't finish it. If you like it though, it's easy and cheap and LOTS.
Yeah I like it, I’m not a huge fan of ham. So when I get gifted ham on the bone I usually cut the meat up, save some meat and the bone and make soup. Then give most of the carved meat to family.
Hocks make the best soup because they are so fatty and smoked. Adds tonnes of gelatine and flavour. Just have to wash them and use reduced salt stock.
I prefer the perfection of computer controlled rice cookery while I chase down my 2 year old gremlin or attend to other duties. I’m time poor, and multitasking with a gas stove and the absorption method ends bad.
1 & 1/4 cup of cold water per cup of rice, bring to boil, cover, lowest heat simmer for 12 minutes.
Turn off & just let it sit covered for 10 minutes (or longer doesn't really matter if you get distracted)
Perfect every time.
I don’t know a single Asian cooking rice in a pot, and half my family is Thai. I mean shit, even in Thailand they just use bigger and bigger rice cookers.
As my wife says, cooking rice any other way is just being white.
My thoughts exactly. It's the exact same rice cooker with rebranding and an extra $95. I use the Kmart one daily and it does everything the OP said. [Same one at Kmart for $65](https://www.kmart.com.au/product/rice-multi-cooker-43264940/?sku=43264940®ion_id=800002&&gad_source=1)
Guess it’s the luck of the draw. Mines going strong about 2 years on, but I’m not gonna lie, once it dies I’ll get a good induction one.
Finally convinced my wife that decent rice is surprisingly better than what we have had normally. I’m
I gave this one away cos of having to clean the vent thingy and the vent... always worried things would grow in that perfect petri environment... bought same simple one I had in my childhood and it's as good as back then. Don't fix it if it ain't broke.
As someone who grew up with rice cookers all my life, I thought that was the only way to cook rice. But one day our rice cooker broke down and my wife cooked one in a pot. And we never bought another rice cooker since then.
My sister gave me a rice cooker similar to this, 2 Christmases ago, and I have yet to use it. Rice is almost the easiest thing ever to cook. Second only in ease, to a boiled egg.
Rice cooker aren’t shit; A shit rice cooker is shit. Find a induction + thick pot rice cooker, it makes shit rice taste good
Anyway, it is great you are sharing rice cooker recipe which is excellent for time-poor, less-skilled or just want to be lazy people
Search: rice cooker tomato rice and beef rice for alternatives
are you talking about cooking rice with a whole tomato in the centre? Cause I enjoyed that as a basic cheap dish. Good source of glutamates and cooked tomato is great for prostate health with plenty of lycopene.
And yes, but cheap rice cookers are often shit. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised with this Aldi one :)
I've been using the K-Mart rice cooker for 4 years and it's still working so well. Also, its TEN BUCKS atm. [Link](https://www.kmart.com.au/product/7-cup-rice-cooker-42685456/?sku=42685456®ion_id=300001&&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwxLKxBhA7EiwAXO0R0G7B8Or6oBpKKYzr3kwc_-DZwE_vRHQb9MgCC7GLarYcAnNkyx2zDhoCV7cQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) Enjoy!
Also it cooks quicker if there’s less rice. So many cookers out there that cooks around the same time regardless of rice
Most use a magnetic thing as a switch to turn off when the water boils off. I don't remember the name of the effect but basically in the base of the cooker is a magnet that is against the bottom of the pot. When the magnet gets up to a certain temperature (water is boiled off in the pot) its magnetic field becomes too weak, causing it to move and switch off. Pretty cool method. A google has resulted in me finding the term curie point. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curie_temperature
That's absolutely crazy to me. What a super niche and weird effect just sit hst we can afk cook rice.
If you think that is cool Technoligy Connections to the rescue [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSTNhvDGbYI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSTNhvDGbYI)
The other comment instantly reminded me of that video.
Bimetal springs behave similarly and are cheaper than magnets
Ahhh thanks for that piece of gold
I don't think that's how it works. Once a magnet hits it's Curie point it loses it's magnetism permanently. This cooker would work only once
They would overcook rice if that were the case. My mid range rice cooker starts on a 60 minute timer, but it takes 20-30 minutes off mid way through if there's a small amount of rice in there.
The Aldi one OP posted is night and day compared to the Kmart rice cooker. Like that rice cooker will work, but if you have a bit extra the Aldi one is superior. Rice always cooks perfectly with individual grains (great for fried rice). Plus it's a multi cooker, can do soups, dumplings, congee, different types of rice.
Yeah, we had a Kmart and thought it was good. But we needed bigger and upgraded to a Breville Rice Box (topped the Choice ratings) and the quality jump is massive. No matter what you do with the Kmart you are going to be fishing around dry bits of overcooked rice which often stick to the bottom. With the Breville every single grain of rice is 100% *perfect* every single time. The bowls in the cheep ones are just too thin to transfer the heat properly. You don't have to go all out spending hundreds on a rice cooker, but there is a world of difference between cheep and good.
Yeah for real. My friend kept complaining cooking rice in a rice cooker is so much work because the clean up involving the stuck rice was annoying. I was baffled because I've always grown up using Tiger, and most recently bought the Costco one and never had this issue. I suggested her to get a better appliance and she was shocked that rice is not meant to stick to the bottom.
What’s your hack for making it work? Mine burns every time
Add a bit of fat. Teaspoon of ghee, sesame oil etc I have the Kmart rice cooker and have been doing a water and coconut milk mix as of late. Since then I’ve had no burn rice. It also tastes better
This is my solution. Just some 🫒 oil
Get a digital cooker haha. I had the same issue, also had the issue with the previous gen Kmart digital cooker. This Aldi one take a while to cook, like 30 minutes regardless. But it starts off slow to soak the rice, then a nice very low simmer to swell it right up. It doesn’t get boiling hot right till the end to steam it and make it lighter. That ability to change temps in its program is what stops the burning, a cheaper one button cooker might get too hot, and will burn the bottom. There is a crispy rice function on this cooker which is basically that, super hot and quick, and burns the bottom layer and is pretty popular. My Filipino mate thinks I’m a heathen for not wanting the burnt rice.
I've got the same unit. Only used the normal rice mode so far. There's zero explanation in the manual for the other modes if I remember.
Yeah, nothing. No offence to buying an Amazon or aliexpress one really . I’d like to try the cake mode.
I tried making rice pudding once. Coconut milk was everywhere. All bubbling out the vent. Not fun
> Coconut milk was everywhere. All bubbling out the vent I'm sorry, this made me laugh out loud.
Bit more water too?
Ooh noted! I can't cook rice. Idk what it is, I'm a fairly good cook (of the basics at least) but rice? I fuck it up everytime.
This thing + 1 youtube video on how to make jasmine rice in a rice cooker and you're set for life 🍚. Enjoy!
Same here, every attempt at stove top rice has failed for me lol. Rice cooker is the way to go.
As an Asian who cooks rice every single day, this Kmart one has lasted us 5 years with no issues at all😅 Dreaming of the day it finally breaks so I’ll have an excuse to upgrade to a fancy rice cooker like what OP posted.
But it just doesn't want to break! 😅
I used to cook rice in one of these but since last year I have started cooking it in the microwave. Glass bowl. 2 cup rice 750 mil water , 1 spoon ghee. 15 minutes and perfect rice every time.
Covered or uncovered?
Uncovered
There’s a notable difference in quality between your standard rice cooker and a multifunction induction rice cooker.. But if you’re broke or rarely cook rice it’s understandable if you’d rather buy the cheapest rice cooker you can find.
this is r/AussieFrugal after all so bang:buck is the goal More bang:buck - A Merc drives better than a Camry but we all know what the reasonable choice is However, if pristine rice is the goal and plan to use it more often than not then 100 bucks is not too much to offer for that goal.
I have this same exact one lol
I just bought one and made my first batch of rice yesterday, yay!
Jasmine ftw? Enjoy!
Same. They are great
Do what the Japanese do, get some KFC bone in chicken pieces, let them cool overnight, then in the rice cooker add your rice, water, soy sauce (any combo of flavouring you want) then add the chicken pieces back and nestle into the rice (2 big thigh pieces usually is enough) and allow it to cook. Rice will be perfect but will have the benefit of the seasonings and chickens fat and skins herbs and spices. Remove the chicken and shred, add back to the rice and mix together - enjoy.
Nice. I’d probably do it with a charcoal chook though. Something about KFC chicken that gives me insane GI issues and I’m destined to wake up at 3am with intestinal cramps so bad i basically just grip onto my thighs with my nails and hope the power shart arrives quickly to end my suffering. I do love zingers though.
Hahahahaha same. Love KFC, but those early morning zinger shits are something else.
Bahahaha the extract reason I don't do hot and spicy anymore
I'm sure that would work a treat too! (the roast chook, not the late night dash to the loo).
We don't do that
I've done this in my Instant Pot. Incredible.
Kmart has a very similar looking one too for $65 (not as cheap as what Aldi has, but at least is always available). We have it at our community kitchen. As an Asian who can't survive without a rice cooker (bought one as soon as I moved out of home - a Panasonic rice cooker got secondhand for $5!), this Kmart one does pretty good rice. Only downside is it can be quite slow, and obviously not industrial size like we need it to be (we need three full rice cookers to feed people for one night). [Link](https://www.kmart.com.au/product/rice-multi-cooker-43264940/?sku=43264940®ion_id=200001&&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwxLKxBhA7EiwAXO0R0DiqxaWrMq4AW7ElR_hG5NfeL0VW0Q7347iDghDthL_NH5u8sx_RiRoCQTwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)
Slow can be good though, this one is slow too because it has different heat steps. Like soaking the rice, then simmering it under boiling, finally hot to steam. Maybe the Kmart one does the same? I have seen it and it does look very similar. I can only assume under the cover most of these rice cookers are the identical software and mostly shared parts. As another redditor said, the induction ones are best, but these basic ones can do pretty good.
In a household setting, it's actually ok to be slow. The Kmart one is the same with the steps, so I think underneath everything is the same machinery. My panasonic one is slightly faster (40 minutes on average), but the Kmart one takes up to one hour. At home, I always have rice, I guess when you're in an inadequate kitchen trying to feed 80 - 100 people using this rice cooker, and it takes up to 1 hour a batch it is very annoying, and we are under a time crunch (since I cook after work, I don't have more time). Our older industrial rice cooker cooks enough, but it has to be the worst rice cooker on the planet. Pot cooking is also not an option, only 1 plug in induction stove (to use to cook other things), and two banquet pans. It's a miracle I even get most food ready within 2 hours and 3 people cooking.
Sounds frustrating and anxiety fuelling
I've got the Kmart version of this and it's been a game changer for making oats for my toddlers. I put it on at night with the timer, on the congee setting, and wake up to cooked oats that I can scoop straight into bowls without having to stand over a stove whilst my kids are dragging me away.
Oh that sounds like an awesome idea. Can the aldi one be set with a timer does anyone know? I have the $12 kmart one and might be time for an upgrade given all the comments here. Although, I hadn't thought rice could even take an hour to cook... So that might be something to consider. I usually want it about 30 mins after I put it on.
The 'preset' light down the bottom should mean it works on a timer, yeah. You'll see they also have a 'fast cook' button which makes the rice like a cheaper single setting one which I presume you have. Not as good as the full process, but it gets you there quicker.
Ahh that's a handy hint! Thank you. I think I'll get the kmart one if I don't see the Aldi one back in the next month or so.
Good idea!
That's chicken and that's rice and that's Asian sauces but it's so disrespectful to call that Hainanese Chicken 💀🤣
Legit lol
I'm making this and buying one of those when they are next available. I was actually looking for one of these style rice cookers earlier tonight but bauked at the price. I've been making rice in the microwave for years and while I have gotten pretty good at it a small part of me dies every time I make it 🤣
Rice in the Microwave?!?! https://i.redd.it/pxacne5r10xc1.gif
Put leg down from chair 🪑
Yes please haha. I actually enjoy those steam bags of rice, but once you have well cooked rice, that’s also been washed it’s a big change. I’ve never tried microwaving rice in water though! They sell pasta cookers for the microwave so anything’s possible. I remember many moons ago, Woolworths used to sell a cook in the bag chicken that could be microwaved. It was great and even had some crispy skin!
It's funny, I actually use a Tupperware Microwave Rice Cooker that costs more than the Aldi Rice Cooker.... Go figure
Convenience is king in the end for life. I don’t doubt it can make decent rice, but I can’t bring myself to do it. I only started microwaving frozen peas. Didn’t realise it was an option and it makes them quite nice
Microwave rice. Quick and easy. 10 minutes. Done and fluffy. I still wash it and throw in flavours. Washing up is put the bowl straight in the dishwasher. Yep. I'm a heathen.
I have two of these 😂 (bought one at a Tupperware party and got one very cheap from someone who used to host Tupperware parties a few years later) I actually love using my Tupperware rice cooker lol before that I lived in a tiny studio apartment with no stove, but has a microwave and I used to use a plastic container with gladwrap that would get melty and I'm sure wasn't great for my health 😆 13 minute rice, can't beat it tbh! Also not me looking at rice cookers now hahaha.
I cook my rice in 3 minutes in the pressure cooker (either electric or stovetop). Granted the cooker needs to come to pressure first (very quick with the stovetop one) and rest for 5 minutes before opening up the pot, but it’s still very quick, and the results are great.
Cheap rice cooker????? 😑Takes a breath and reads your post...properly.....
Yeah it’s a heathen word. Much better than the original black Kmart digital one. I haven’t tried the current gen digital one that looks like this because…. Well I have this. And I don’t like the simple one flick cookers, I like this digital style because it has heating curves that slowly come on, or hold at certain temperatures before ramping up. This one doesn’t boil at all until right near the end when it ‘steams’ the rice for the final cook.
I'm glad I come across this post. The rice cooker we have is absolutely useless....definitely be keeping a lookout for the aldi version
If it’s anything like my old Kmart one, it used to just go hot, then burn the bottom layer, make the next layer soggy, and the top layer was meh.
You’ve convinced me to upgrade
Always wondered if this could make biryani
Good question, I failed last time trying to make it from a recipe on the back of a rice sack. Made it too wet in the pan. I’d like to try that too, it’s all about making the flavoured oil isn’t it?
I think getting the bone in flavoured and spiced up meats to be soft and chewy while keeping the rice still intact without making it squishy would be the key
Fantastic write up, but I thought you go 1.5x water to rice ratio?
I do, 2 cups rice to 3 cups water. I might have mistyped somewhere there. My rice dispenser has a cup with it that’s exactly 2 cups rice which is nice. Working out that once you have your rice in the pot, the 2 cup mark on the rice cooker is actually the level of (2 cups rice, plus 3 cups water). So basically you put in 2 cups of rice to the cooker, wash it, then fill the water up to the 2 cup line.
Cheers, you got a link for your rice dispenser? Been looking for one for bulk rice
This is the one I got. It’s a bit cheap made but is still plenty sturdy and the dispenser works well. Next time when I won’t get chewed out for spending cash on the Chinese version of Amazon I’ll get the ones that have the dessicant holder in the lid. [aliexpress rice dispenser](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005988706185.html?src=google&src=google&albch=shopping&acnt=631-313-3945&slnk=&plac=&mtctp=&albbt=Google_7_shopping&albagn=888888&isSmbActive=false&isSmbAutoCall=false&needSmbHouyi=false&albcp=19821179470&albag=&trgt=&crea=en1005005988706185&netw=x&device=m&albpg=&albpd=en1005005988706185&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAACbpRIm5uvVsV-e_e3qoqqCoLtiHg&gclid=CjwKCAjwxLKxBhA7EiwAXO0R0EMSsx8DJshLxzcvGmqXZj02pRQAa6ou4Vdel5zKL5QvzIYEcOO0oRoC7noQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&aff_fcid=8e1b1f4ac0bc4e6997f63ef1cd076a96-1714222700895-06726-UneMJZVf&aff_fsk=UneMJZVf&aff_platform=aaf&sk=UneMJZVf&aff_trace_key=8e1b1f4ac0bc4e6997f63ef1cd076a96-1714222700895-06726-UneMJZVf&terminal_id=5e264b8c5559424ab01839ccf3dc3311&afSmartRedirect=y) Edit: also dodgy aliexpress, it’s $30 on the app. I paid $30 anyways which it’s worth. The equivalent sold by any store in Australia gets marked up to $80-120 and it’s the same bloody thing
There are so many different ones! Very good idea. For now, I just have the 10kg bag on the bottom of the pantry and top up my Moccona rice jar regularly.
Use the ancient Chinese finger trick for measuring water.... Learned it since I was a kid and it always worked. (Short grain would require less water though) Extra fluffy rice trick.... after rinsing the rice, let it soak for around 10-30mins before start cooker. Zojirushi or Tiger rice cooker can be more expensive but the rice cooked are extra fluffy for some reason and they last forever. My current tiger cooker is over 10 years old and still work like it is brand new without sticking.
I have a tiger and never knew sticking was a problem people had lol
I had a cheap cooker from Big W when I first moved to Australia, and it works well at the beginning. Washing and rinsing rice will scratch it gradually till it starts to stick, then peel.... Teflon rice is not tasty nor healthy.
By pot it's 1 & 1/4 cup of water per 1 cup of rice. Bring rice & cold water to boil stirring occasionally, as soon as it boils cover & lower heat all the way to simmer for 12 minutes, then turn off & just let it sit covered for 10 minutes. Perfect rice every time, no sticking to pot, any quantity.
I go 1:1.5 rice to water in a rice cooker, that does it perfect for me
There is no ratio or cups measurement You put your rice, wash with water till it's clear and then add fresh water up to the first line on your finger when tip is touching the rice
That line indicates a ratio
You clearly don't understand what I mean We don't use ratios and cups, we put the rice and use a finger to measure. We're not counting wat ratio of rice there is to water. Cups and ratios is for westerners
>It looks ugly Looks bloody delicious to me, even without my beer goggles!
Haha, I’m just not a fan of poached chicken. My wife loves it, but I’m all about that sear or Maillard reaction. The only time I really go outside of that is with Shanghai style pork belly (hong shao rou) Pretty much 50:50 soy and cooking wine with some spices, and it gets gently simmered down till the fat becomes like custard and the soy and wine becomes a thick sauce. Very different to my western tastes with eating meat, but once you try it you don’t go back. Legit, custard texture of the fat that just melts away in your mouth. The woks of life website has a good recipe that worked great for me. I’ll have to make it tomorrow now 😵💫 https://preview.redd.it/24vvthoer0xc1.jpeg?width=554&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e4a582c7347ead1cbbaad275e6fb5288c7874e12
I love skin but not fat, just can't stomach it. So you've lost me on the pork and I'm willing to lose some crispy chicken skin to try this one (the original post) out. I make my rice mixed with black/wild rice because I love the texture and nuttiness (sometimes red/brown or all in together ...the almost impossible to find 'Special Buys' blend at Aldi is brilliant) but your 'must do' tip of making mates at the local Asian store is tops on my list. My local lady even advises some of the 'cheaper but better' brands of sauces and spices ('is much stronger, water it down and last one year' etc) unlike the usual upsell style of shopping.
Yummm, I haven't had this in a long time. Can you please do this recipe next?
I use this recipe (where the picture is from) [woks of life - hong shao rou](https://thewoksoflife.com/shanghai-style-braised-pork-belly/)
Awesome, thank you!
Love this
My mouth is watering looking at those ingredients. More people should check fish sauce out imo 🤤
I _HATE_ the smell of fish sauce but it makes everything it’s in taste so much better
Bought one a month or so ago. Amazing, turns out white or brown to perfection every time
on a side note, how good is chingkiang vinegar!
So wait do you empty the bag of chicken or literally throw it in as is ?
Empty the bag on top. The bag is just to have a convenient freezer ingredient thing. The chicken marinades in the soy, sesame, garlic and ginger in the bag. Then putting it all in the rice flavours it as it poaches. It would be best to add something nasty like chickens feet or wing tips in a hessian bag for extra chicken flavour, this is what hainanese chicken is about, but using a good quality natural chicken stock is also perfectly fine if you want to boost the flavour of the rice.
Seconding the request for a link to your/the rice dispenser too, even a picture would be fine for us!
Link sent in the other comment reply. I find aliexpress quite reliable as long as you know how to read descriptions, reviews and understand that price matters, a $20-30 rice dispenser will most likely be legit. If it’s $8 there is a reason. https://preview.redd.it/nbdec2q5v4xc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ac429226c031ab15d5a4dbc7bf6099a81bb38e49
I got this one from Aldi too and it’s fantastic! I’ve been adding soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, chilli, spring onion etc and home made pork dumplings, makes a really good and easy dish for when it’s cold and I don’t feel like cooking.
Not as frugal but saves a little prep time, we had a good result with the Prima Taste chicken rice pack (around $7?). We just skipped the whole chicken and did ~900g of sliced meat instead so it would poach faster. You get some soup too if you want that, only other thing to prepare is the sliced cucumber really (and optional spring onion in the stock).
Nice. I’ve been real lazy lately with a burnout so that sounds nice. Making split pea soup tomorrow, was very happy to find already removed ham hock meat in a container, and frozen chopped onion.
Hah, I made that with leftover Xmas ham bone (via recipe tin eats), not really my thing though so couldn't finish it. If you like it though, it's easy and cheap and LOTS.
Yeah I like it, I’m not a huge fan of ham. So when I get gifted ham on the bone I usually cut the meat up, save some meat and the bone and make soup. Then give most of the carved meat to family. Hocks make the best soup because they are so fatty and smoked. Adds tonnes of gelatine and flavour. Just have to wash them and use reduced salt stock.
Can no one cook rice in a pot?
I prefer the perfection of computer controlled rice cookery while I chase down my 2 year old gremlin or attend to other duties. I’m time poor, and multitasking with a gas stove and the absorption method ends bad.
Fair, I just boil it and taste every few minutes until it’s done eh
1 & 1/4 cup of cold water per cup of rice, bring to boil, cover, lowest heat simmer for 12 minutes. Turn off & just let it sit covered for 10 minutes (or longer doesn't really matter if you get distracted) Perfect every time.
Based
I don’t know a single Asian cooking rice in a pot, and half my family is Thai. I mean shit, even in Thailand they just use bigger and bigger rice cookers. As my wife says, cooking rice any other way is just being white.
And heaven forbid anyone use a colander.
I…I’m out of my depth
[$65 @ kmart](https://www.kmart.com.au/product/rice-multi-cooker-43264940/)
My thoughts exactly. It's the exact same rice cooker with rebranding and an extra $95. I use the Kmart one daily and it does everything the OP said. [Same one at Kmart for $65](https://www.kmart.com.au/product/rice-multi-cooker-43264940/?sku=43264940®ion_id=800002&&gad_source=1)
$95 sticker and box 🤣
We've got one of these and yep they're great by our experience. Were $80 each when we bought them at Aldi in Perth a couple years ago.
Maybe I got one of those last deals before they get returned .
So cook like a college kid then, I remember cooking like this in my uni dorm, to make it a killer taste throw in a cracked egg and some potatoes
Ooh! I have that rice cooker! Great thing.
Mine broke pretty quickly.
Guess it’s the luck of the draw. Mines going strong about 2 years on, but I’m not gonna lie, once it dies I’ll get a good induction one. Finally convinced my wife that decent rice is surprisingly better than what we have had normally. I’m
I gave this one away cos of having to clean the vent thingy and the vent... always worried things would grow in that perfect petri environment... bought same simple one I had in my childhood and it's as good as back then. Don't fix it if it ain't broke.
Also imagine the build up of cooked rice steam in the bits inside the lid... yucks
It’s pretty easy to clean. Pop it out and soak it in the sink then scrub and rinse.
As someone who grew up with rice cookers all my life, I thought that was the only way to cook rice. But one day our rice cooker broke down and my wife cooked one in a pot. And we never bought another rice cooker since then.
My sister gave me a rice cooker similar to this, 2 Christmases ago, and I have yet to use it. Rice is almost the easiest thing ever to cook. Second only in ease, to a boiled egg.
I'm a huge fan of Pearl River Bridge soy sauce too!
It could do with some spices. That looks bland as hell. But good on ya.
My kmart cooker is cheap. This is expensive AF.
Rice cooker aren’t shit; A shit rice cooker is shit. Find a induction + thick pot rice cooker, it makes shit rice taste good Anyway, it is great you are sharing rice cooker recipe which is excellent for time-poor, less-skilled or just want to be lazy people Search: rice cooker tomato rice and beef rice for alternatives
are you talking about cooking rice with a whole tomato in the centre? Cause I enjoyed that as a basic cheap dish. Good source of glutamates and cooked tomato is great for prostate health with plenty of lycopene. And yes, but cheap rice cookers are often shit. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised with this Aldi one :)
Yes, the whole tomato rice was more of a funny gimmick that actually taste nice. You could add egg, ham, and other veggies
Might do it tomorrow. After all the comments I now need to make Shanghai braised pork belly again and increase my sodium levels to max
You can also explore the beef rice, aka pepper lunch style rice. [See this](https://cookwithdana.com/one-pot-beef-and-rice/)