ChineseCookingDemystified
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Early look: Should we use rice cookers?
🕑 Added 2025-04-10 02:17:28 +0000 UTCShould we even bother to use rice cookers?
In the above video, I make the case why anyone seriously interested in Chinese cuisines (or East Asian, generally) probably should. I'm probably guilty of making this a bit of a borderline rant, mostly because I feel in - at least the online spaces I frequent - so much oxygen is devoted to the pros and cons of rice cookers, when it feels like other pieces of equipment don't seem to invite... the same level of scrutiny? Instapots and Air Fryers, perhaps.
Tomorrow together with the public release of the video, we'll also be simultaneously releasing a (somewhat more practical) 'Rice Cooker Guide' over on Substack, which I'll link here as well. Felt that that sort of content would be better in the form of the written word :)
Comments
Anna Minges
I once made red braised pork in a rice cooker. Worked, somehow.
The Other Maya
I cooked mung bean noodles in my rice cooker this morning for breakfast. I use the thing almost daily. It's a countertop pot with an integral thermometer and a timer. Why wouldn't you want one? Sausages out of the steamer cook themselves and have a satisfying pop to the skin. Like, get into it - I make bone broth and never have to check it: roast bones, put bones in rice cooker, slow cook 4 hours and keep warm overnight, strain, cool, refrigerate, pop the fat puck off - boom done
Autogyro
*just falls over giggling* LOVE the rant. I wonder how much of all of that is just intolerance of other cultures? It was so funny realizing that I've done all the "you could..." alternatives for ALL the implements and we all figure out what we do more and what gadgets we need as we go. Love the work in this, both of you.
Peter Su
I am completely here for this.
Nathaniel Jack
I guess I’m not the audience for this video because I also don’t have an air fryer, instapot, or toaster. Wouldn’t have a microwave if it wasn’t built into the house. I actually do have a rice cooker, but I don’t use it. And I cook rice all the time. I agree that people love to argue more about rice cookers than most other kitchen gadgets, but from my perspective it’s weird that people are particularly shocked I don’t use one.
