I'm FINALLY buying a Zojirushi rice cooker. I'm Black American and 53 years old. My best friend from college is Japanese and has always had a Japanese rice cooker at home. I've struggled for decades with my $25 specials knowing that I could make better rice on the stove🤣. I love rice and usually by Botan brand, it's a California rice. The last few times I've made rice it's either been soggy or dry. I cannot wait for my rice cooker to come! I'm going to up my rice choices too🥰
dont know if anyone gives a damn but if you guys are stoned like me during the covid times then you can stream all of the new movies and series on instaflixxer. Been binge watching with my girlfriend during the lockdown xD
Thanks for the information on rice and rice cooker. Oddly enough In have this exact rice cooker. It's been sitting brand new and unused for two years. You've inspire me to start using it.
I have been so dissatisfied with my current rice cooker I’ve all but given up cooking rice at home. I’ve been looking at the same model of rice cooker that you mention in your video and in the link. I did not know there were different grades of rice. I learned so much from this video I cannot wait to purchase some authentic rice and the rice cooker for my 33rd birthday. What a wonderful experience it was watching your video. Thank you!
I was stationed at Misawa AB, and I often try to explain to people just how amazing rice is in Japan, because there’s no American comparison I’ve found yet. I really miss it. Every small store in Japan I visited had a complimentary full rice cooker and another full of miso, free to customers. This is a wonderful instructional video, thanks!
Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences in Japan. It is hard to find really good rice once you leave Japan. Even when I return to Hawaii, I don't eat rice usually as it is never the same. I think I got spoiled! :)
@@MikeMatsuno please check out the rice factory in kakaako. It would be cool if you made a vlog on it too. I believe it’s the best place in Oahu you can get for Japanese grade koshihikari and other varieties
I love my Zojirushi rice cooker! Mine's one of the IH models that came via Singapore, due to it being 240V and having a BS1363 plug (I'm in the UK, so it's very convenient for me as SG uses the same plugs as us), as well as English inscriptions, so the quality is the same as a JDM model with all the bells and whistles, since Zojirushi themselves have a division in Singapore. My Zojirushi hot water dispenser is also an SG model.
Lol! "Broke the mouth"! I haven't heard that in years. I am a native to Hawaii and though my family moved to the mainland in the early 50's, my mom's very large family remained in Honolulu. My dad worked for United Airlines so we traveled to Honolulu every summer to visit. I haven't been back there since the mid 80's, but my youngest sister retired and moved back to HI, so I occasionally still hear the Hawaiian slang! Thanks for the memories. :)
The best rice cooker is a dedicated rice cooker donabe, kumoi kiln and igayaki double lidded rice cooker donabe. I bought a Nagatani-en Kamado san 3 gou rice cooker, it takes the same time to cook rice as with an electric one, but the results are better than anything else, the aroma is enhanced by the clay.
Very helpful video, thanks! I live near a Japanese shop and have been thinking about improving the quality of rice in my life, this video has pushed me one step closer to making room for a Zojirushi in my kitchen!
I have used the Zojirushi NS-LLH05 now for almost three years up to 4 times weekly and am extremely happy with it. Prior to that I had a Tiger which was also very good though the coating inside began to disintegrate, probably because of its age and the technology wasn't quite as sophisticated back then. I regularly cook Basmati, Jasmin and Sushi rice, depending on the dish I cook. To say that Japanese rice is the best in the world is simply wrong. You can't compare Mercedes to Ferrari, they are both entirely different categories. Bali and West Java have excellent rice and in Bali it is extremely labour intensive and everything is done by hand... no machines or tractors. In regards to Indian rice, Indian Gate or Delhi Gate are the best! Both are Basmati type but they are grown only in the North of India and what gives those two types their special flavour and texture is the kind of heat from the sun and the water, which comes from the Himalayas. I have tried and am still trying many types of rice and if you want to use a superlative such as "the best" - I would say that the best Jasmine rice comes from Bali, the best Basmati rice comes from the North of India and the best Sushi rice is still a work in progress because I have only access to one brand, but it is very good.
2 years ago when we were in Tokyo, we stopped at the Isetan “Depachika” and bought rice at a shop that polished and finished it to our specifications. It was a treat to eat it and my wife is now a rice snob so I’ll have to try your recommendation on ordering some food rice from Japan. 👍
Just bought the zojirushi 3 qt from Sur la table my fav store, they had many to choose from they gave you a 20 dollar promo coupon off the 3 qt. 135.00,at 83, this model will do,where I live no place to buy quality good rice, it will have to be on line. Enjoyed your info.
I've grown up with Japanese rice cookers, whether Panasonic/National, Zojirushi, or Tiger. My family has even served Japanese-style rice with western meals, such as corned beef, steak, barbecues, and the like. My current rice cookers are a Zojirushi induction heating model as well as a National fuzzy logic model. They were rather lucky thrift store finds, totaling around $15 for both. Both work well, though I do give the edge to the Zojirushi with induction heating. And, while it's hard to find Japanese-grown rice at affordable prices here in the United States, there are good varieties of Californian rice available that I use. And Walmart does sell Botan brand calrose rice, which is good, IMO, for around $20 for a 20 pound bag. The nearest Asian supermarkets may have better prices and certainly more choices, but the rather long drive to get there adds to the total cost, so I would have to plan on getting other things there to make it worthwhile ... which it tends to be since there are a great many Asian foods in my pantry and fridge that I simply can't get at Walmart.
Hi Mike! Thanks for this video. I'm researching rice cookers. The one I have now is a dumb cooker like an egg cooker. I'd like an advanced model like the ones they're used to in Asia. It appears that the company Yum Asia has introduced Zojurishi inspired cookers in Europe. They started with importing Zojirushi and sell them in the UK, but now they've copied these machines. You can buy a lot of similar machines with fuzzy logic, but traditional heating element, but Yum Asia now also have a model with Induction Heating for some time. So, there are alternatives for people in the EU apart from the very expensive Zojirushi.
Should you be able to source some Koshihikari locally, please let me know. I'm also in Australia. I got my Zojirushi almost three years ago from Japan through eBay... there was very little if any shipping cost involved. I'm as happy as a puppy 😁
I enjoyed watching your video. I learned a lot. My hubby ordered me a Zojirushi NWC18 for Mother’s Day & I am so super excited. I cannot wait to start cooking my rice in my ultra fancy high end zojirushi🥰🥰🥰
Just found your channel I’m from Oahu I bought some Hokkaido nanatsuboshi and Niigata koshihikari from the rice factory in kakaako it was awesome cooked out of a HCC10 zojirushi induction cooker
@@MikeMatsuno yes one of the best rice and straight from smaller independent Japanese farmers. Also the rice is fresh they mill the rice right on the spot and you should eat within two months. The rice was so good big difference between the cheaper variety and Japanese koshihikari
@Mike Matsuno - This was SUPER helpful. As dumb as it sounds, I've never been good at cooking rice. Years back I bought an Instant Pot which was far better than me cooking it myself but it did leave something to be desired with the quality of the product (the end rice - the Instant Pot is fine). With all of the different rice cookers on the market I couldn't tell which one to get. Then I started looking at TH-cam videos and they really didn't explain the difference in features all that well. Once I saw your video I finally got it. Thanks for the explanations.
Now this is fascinating stuff. Had no idea that the tech inside rice cookers had moved in so much. Looks like I need to go searching for a U.K. compatible IH machine. God help me.
I am researching rice cookers in preparation for buying one and have watched a lot of videos on the subject. Yours is by far the most clear and informative one. I make a lot of fermented foods (as well as cooking a lot of different grains) and would like to purchase a rice cooker that will do a good job of making amazake. It needs a sustained temperature of about 135 to 138 degrees farenheit for about 6 to 10 hours. Zojirushi customer service says their extended keep warm feature is around 140 degrees farenheit which is just a bit too warm. A bit too warm means the necessary bacteria start dying at 140. If you have any good ideas on the subject, I would love to know. If not, thank you so much for teaching me many helpful things.
Leonard, they are the same type of IH rice cooker. One is a 3 cup and one is a 5 cup cooker. 3-cup rice cooker: amzn.to/3tEh7dB 5-cup rice cooker: amzn.to/3k4w1I2. Thank you for bringing that to my attention. I did not realize that the one I had listed was the 3-cup rice cooker. So I also added the 5-cup to the decription. Thank you!
@@MikeMatsuno Thank you. I tried to research a bit more and seems that the IH models have not been CE approved in EU and so there is no European seller. Only option is to private import a 220 volt version from Japan, which is very expensive with customs and taxes and difficult with warranty. I ended up ordering a Bamboo from Yum Asia in UK, shipped to Sweden.
Thank you for the nice video! Do you know if Yum Asia is a good brand too? Also, could you recommend a rice cooker available in Germany and which brand of rice is best?
I have the zojirushi IH 3 cup and have had it for about 10 years now and i love it. Quick question, have you tried the pressure IH? What are your thoughts about it?
Yes, the IH Pressure (atsuryoku) cooks the best in the IH series. But it does cost a bit more: amzn.to/3BxD8ii That would be my pick if I were to buy a new rice cooker.
I’ve had both, I returned the pressure IH and kept the regular IH. I couldn’t tell any difference in rice quality from the regular IH, and I’m very particular about my rice. I also use Koshihikari rice. Cheers.
Hi there, I just bought a Fuzzy Logic model from YumAsia, but I'm not very happy with. A bit better than my cheap, mechanical rice cooker, but not really satisfying. Not that big difference to my old one. I will try to get a Zojirushi now. Thanks for this great video. Greetings from Bavaria, Germany. 😉👍🏻
I only buy Non GMO Japanese rice since I don't know how long. I grew up in Guam so I was introduced to Japanese cuisine sin e 1994. And I used only Japanese Tiger or Zojirushi or Toshiba rice cooker since that's what we only use back in Guam. We had a Tiger rice cooker that we used for more than 20 years. Yup that's true. Thank God we have a Japanese grocery here in Sacramento California coz I can't live without Japanese store.
Great video. The exported Zojirushi cookers are exactly the same as the ones sold in Japan and the exported Japanese is the same also. Not sure why you would think they were different..
I always thought the models were slightly different. I have eaten on the Zojirushi export model in Hawaii and for some reason, it was not the same even with good rice. Not sure why. Maybe it was just me. Thanks for letting me know.
Hi Mike. Do you still recommend the same IH model, Zojirushi NP-GBC05XT? Is the IH Pressure model worth the extra expense? It costs about $500 now on Amazon.
I am moving into a new apartment....my first purchase for my new kitchen was a set of Henckel's knives, my second purchase will be a Zojiurishi IH rice cooker......I am looking forward to having rice be my main carbohydrate again.....roomate doesnt like it.....:(
The rice cooker is really expensive if you consider import fees, had to pay €350 for mine but it's by far the best investment I have ever made. I can't remember the last day I ate something that didn't have rice in it.
Hi great vid, I want to try some koshihikari rice and I found some Toyama Koshihikari rice but not sure what the Toyama means if it's good or not, im in ireland and have a Japanese cooker. thanks Sean
I just got mine in, today. 🤔 All of these different rice settings. I need a huge lesson on rice! Brands don't mean a lot when you don't know what you are buying. Have you, or can you do a video or 2 on that? I got "new crop" which I understand what that is- but the instructions say decrease the scale level of water 🤔 Ok- how much? 😆 Then there is the soft setting, hard setting.. AHHHH... 🤣 I have been cooking rice most of my life but, it's grown in the south and yeah, we can cook that with our eyes closed. All of this other rice 🤔🤨 Thanks.
I'm importing the top of the line toshiba rice cooker to the USA. I have the power transformer. Everything is in japanese though. Any tips on how to translate all the buttons? I'm thinking to just use google translate on my phone (point the camera at japanese and it translates in augmented reality). Is there an easier way?
I think you should just find a Japanese friend to help you translate it, it would be easier and more certain. But the controls usually are quite basic, so probably if you can enter the kanji or hiragana into the Google translator you could get it done.
Thank you for a very informative video, Mike. What else could I use sushi rice for besides an accompaniment to raw fish? I will not eat raw fish....I love fish, but it has to be cooked. Thanks.
Yes you can! You can make chirashi zushi with sushi rice and put whatever you want on it, cooked or raw. But same for regular sushi, you can put on cooked shrimp, egg, fish, etc. Here is a link to the chirashi sushi web pages. www.google.com/search?q=chirashi+sushi&rlz=1C5CHFA_enJP895JP895&oq=chirashi+sushi&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i4l9.5618j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Are there other brands apart from Tiger and Zojirushi. I owned a Tiger rice cooker since 1996, cooking daily snd never turn it off, only turn off when I cook new rice.
Yes, all major Japanese appliance manufacturers sell rice cookers. Matsushita/Panasonic, Sankyo, Hitachi, etc. The only limitation is if you live outside of Japan and need to buy the export model. There are only limited makers for export models.
I just bought a Panasonic SR-HZ106 and some Niigata Koshihikari rice from my local Japanese market. I've never had rice this good at home before! I ate two bowls just rice, nothing else needed it was so good.
Hi Doug, Sorry I did not get back to you sooner. When I asked around, the Japanese did not know what Shirakiku was. I went back and checked around and found out Shirakiku is a brand. Shirakuku is the name of a rice company. So they make various different kinds of rice. So you will have to look at what kind of rice is being sold under the Shirakuku brand. www.google.com/search?q=shirakiku+rice&rlz=1C5CHFA_enJP895JP895&sxsrf=ALeKk02A7YY9EHB6805kan_3cqsUN96g7g:1614053880904&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=-0bW9iQkgFiIzM%252CN1RMo--N805mNM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kToKwu04qm7zKPu8RhIfvQIcxWitg&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjWu-Chk__uAhW9KqYKHaEpB9EQ9QF6BAgIEAE#imgrc=-0bW9iQkgFiIzM
Hello, my question would be which of these options should I choose, which one would be better for me, that's what I'm more interested in. Thank you for your answer. (Zojirushi Ns Tsc 18 vs Zojirushi NP-HCC10XH Induction Heating1.8L .Or is there another IH that is better than this one?
Thank you for the very informative and helpful video! :) If using the Zojirushi IH model that you recommended (i.e. NP-HCC10XH) with the Koshihikari rice, would it be best to use the white rice or sweet setting?
True! I was in Japan for eight months eating Japanese rice daily! Hmmmmmmm. And Japanese Sushi is the best in the whole wide world! Tha´s why I don´t eat sushi anywhere in the world! Japanese Sushi is my favorite, but only the real Japanese cooked rice . . . in Japan!
Very informative! However here in the USA you'll hear people say "rice is rice". Since I worked in the hospital for more than 30 years now. Doctors will limit rice intake. You know why right?
Too much complex carbohydrates that turns to sugar in the system? Or maybe not good for patients who have a difficult time swallowing as rice can hamper the air way?
Yes, I have a IH Pressure that I use everyday here. Outside of a gas rice cooker which is not available outside of Japan, I believe the IH Pressure is the next best for the quality of the rice and the cost of the rice cooker. Also it would be better to use a higher level grain of rice, like a koshi hikari grain. :)
We use the Nishiki brand rice. Is that respected, is it good enough? It seemed to be based on our research, but, we really don't know anything. I saved the rice you recommended to try in the future.
Just recently upgraded from lower end panasonic rice cooker to a high end tiger ih pressure rice cooker, awaiting a large supply of japenese rice of niigata kushikari by fuji shoten? Is this decent? Would love to have a conversation about it cheers for the nice video content
Sorry, I do not know of any of the modern rice cookers with a non-stick coating. There are ceramic rice cookers but they are specialty items and would be difficult to find outside of Japan.
Informative video on rice and rice cookers, but Mike is Japanese. If he was from Thailand would he still have the same thoughts on rice ? Next time I visit "99 Ranch" or "Viet Hoa", I will look for Japanese rice !
@@MikeMatsuno I was born a raised in US . From the history to the arts to the technology and cuisine and the people I love ALL thins Japanese. I really want an IH cooker .
I am sorry, I did not know they even made such a type of rice cooker. I would think genmai, brown rice, would be good for health purposes. But I do not know of any rice cooker that is made for low sugar/low carb.
I cant see anywhere comparison of different rice cooker technologies. Could you explain to me or lead me somewhere to get the difference between IH, fuzzy, pressure IH etc.? I would feel stupid if I didnt buy the right one for such price tag :/
I don't know the details of how the technologies work but I can give you my opinion about which I think is the most advance. IH pressure cooker is the top, then IH standard, after that a step down will be fuzzy logic technology which is actually old technology in Japan. Any IH technology rice cookers should be good.
Yes, you just have to adjust the amount of water needed. It may take some experimenting at first to find the ideal amount of water needed. Here is a link that may give you a better idea: www.zojirushi.com/grains/nszcc18.html
My mother was born in 1931 in Japan and her mother was born before the turn of the 20th century. These two women were noted for their rice and sushi rice. Neither one ever stepped into a kitchen with a high-tech, fuzzy logic controlled rice cooker. This tells me that such a rice cooker is superfluous to making world-class rice.
I just bought a Zojirushi IH rice cooker and tried it with 4 different kinds of rice (Long, medium and short grain and brown jasmine rice). I wasn't that impressed, thinking maybe I need to add a bit more water (I had followed the machine's directions to the letter). Now I find out it isn't the cooker but the rice itself?
Here is a recommendation on Amazon, amzn.to/3tEh7dB. But if you can get a rice cooker which is an IH model and works with the wattage and volts in Australia that will work fine. I like the Zojirushi brand but it can be any Japanese maker.
Are export models sold in Japan or only outside of Japan? I’m traveling to Japan in a few months and hoping to purchase a new zojirushi rice cooker to replace my old one since rice cookers are cheaper there!
Eating Rice my whole life from $50, $200 & $500 japanese rice cookers….When it comes to taste can’t hardly tell the difference cos is almost tasteless.. it’s the texture that has more noticeable difference
Just bought the $300 Zojirushi IH. Tried it with super premium Matsuri rice. Absolutely no difference from our $40 rice cooker. If there is a difference, it’s too small to tell and for the price gap, it’s totally not worth it. Was expecting much more!
Hi Ozcan, I am sorry for the delay in answering your question. I am not sure what rice cookers are being offered by the closest Amazon hub in Europe. But if you are using Amazon, the IH Zojirushi is what I like the best. I use that rice cooker technology in my home now. IH means Induction Heating. Here is the link for amazon.com so you can see what model I am talking about. amzn.to/3tEh7dB If there are other distributors that sell Japanese rice cookers, they all have their own IH model. Happy rice eating! :)
Also you would have to check the voltage and wattage to be sure the Japanese model can be used in your country. If Zojirushi has an export model to your country, that would work best. But it would be more expensive.
Hi Mike, I am interested in trying Gaba rice for the first time. I have a Zojirushi NP-HCC10XH rice cooker and I live in Hawaii....What brand of Gaba brown rice would you recommend I try? Also do you know who might sell it in Hawaii or can I buy it from Amazon? Thx for your help!
Hi Brian, Thank you for your questions. I am sorry but I do not know much about brown rice. In Japan, there is usually only one main kind of brown rice which is quite good but most people eat white rice. That is why brown rice is actually more expensive than white rice in Japan. On Amazon.com there are some brands like Nishiki, and Gaba is also sold, here is the link I saw: www.amazon.com/GABA-Sprouted-Brown-Rice-2-0kg/dp/B004FJVDIA/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=gaba+brown+rice&qid=1612590075&sr=8-2 I hope the Zojirushi can make the brown rice how you like it.
Hello Mike! Glad to have found you on YT. I have the Zojirushi FL rice cooker ($500) and I use the highest quality rice I can buy (Nishiki. Will order the Koshihikari rice too) but, it takes 50-70 minutes to cook the rice with white rice, or sushi settings? Is it normal? I see people making their rice Miao. 20 minutes. The rice looks like yours after cooking, but I’m never able to grab a heaping portion like you. The grains just fall apart and don’t stick together. I adjust the water amount and still no progress. What am I doing wrong, please? It ruins the whole meal when I have to switch to a spoon. The sushi version is of course ok, due to the use of the use of the sushi Vinegar. Your time and reply will be greatly appreciated. All the best, Robert 👍👋
Dear Robert, I am not sure why you are having such a hard time. You have the rice cooker, the good rice, it all should be easy to have the best rice. I wonder if the rice cooker is somehow not working well? Normally, I only make 1-2 cups and it will take about 46 minutes. So if you are making more than a couple of cups, it probably will take longer. Because it is really pushing and steaming the grain to give a fluffy texture. Back to your problem, can you check your settings and make sure it is set for white rice, and also on some rice cookers you can adjust the hardness of the cooked rice. I always select the middle, normal hardness. Because if you have the setting for brown rice and cook white rice, there will be a problem. I think it is connected to your settings and what type of rice cooking feature you set it on: brown, porridge, sushi, etc. If that doesn't work, I would call their help desk, maybe it is the rice cooker itself being defective? I am sorry I cannot be of more help. :(
@@MikeMatsuno Thanks Mike, I actually use 2 cups as well. Always according to the manual. I will contact the manufacturer like you suggested. BTW. Do you know Chef Bouley from NY. NHK made a documentary with him and he is also on YT. One thing he said intrigued me, but he never responded to my email. He said that his Chinese chef friend adds some mysterious Japanese mountain seed to his rice so that it lowers the glycemic index of the portion of rice. Do you know by any chance what it might be? Much obliged! Best, R :)
@@roberthalny403 Sorry, Robert. I have not heard of the mysterious Japanese mountain seed that lowers the glycemic index of rice. Do you know the Japanese name of the seed?
@@MikeMatsuno no Mike, I don’t know the name of that seed. It’s a shame that only high paying customers at Michelin starred restaurants can enjoy healthy eating. It’s probably something very simple, and they want to milk it as long as they can. Cheers!
Nishiki simply is med grain rice, commonly used for sushi. It most cases, it is commodity grade, if you are using the one I think you are. A few tips - sushi rice needs to be rinsed 2-3 times. I rinse mine until the water is pretty clear. Takes me about 1 min to do 2 rinses in the sink (they sell a strainer to make this easier, but I don't have one). Make sure you are using the right water settings for sushi rice - it is pretty different than white or jasmine rice. Sushi rice should take 46 minutes in your machine (as does mine). When you get the chance, try to get some good sushi rice. I can easily find the Koshihikari by me for $10/5lb and another one I like to use is the pink bag Sekka one (not as good, but its $8 at the store I get it from). The expensive organic california nishiki isn't all that great compared to the japanese imports. When you are done cooking, try to cool the rice. I flap the lid a few times, wait a few mins then do it again. After it is cooled is when you add rice vinegar, sesame oil and a bit of sugar (not much, just to mellow acidity of rice vinegar). If you add the vinegar before it's cooled, it's not good. Mushes it and has off flavors. You don't stir the rice, you fold it. I make lines to chop (tic tak toe board), then fold over. About 2-3 times. My sushi rice is perfect with this method, every time. If you are just making regular rice, not for sushi, you don't need to do any of this.
I'm FINALLY buying a Zojirushi rice cooker. I'm Black American and 53 years old. My best friend from college is Japanese and has always had a Japanese rice cooker at home. I've struggled for decades with my $25 specials knowing that I could make better rice on the stove🤣. I love rice and usually by Botan brand, it's a California rice. The last few times I've made rice it's either been soggy or dry. I cannot wait for my rice cooker to come! I'm going to up my rice choices too🥰
Glad you are taking the plunge!
This was tremendously educational, thank you!
So happy you got something out of the video! Thank you for letting me know.
dont know if anyone gives a damn but if you guys are stoned like me during the covid times then you can stream all of the new movies and series on instaflixxer. Been binge watching with my girlfriend during the lockdown xD
@Reese Larry Yup, I've been watching on instaflixxer for months myself :D
Thank you!
Very informative and just what I was looking for😊
Thanks for the information on rice and rice cooker. Oddly enough In have this exact rice cooker. It's been sitting brand new and unused for two years. You've inspire me to start using it.
That is great! Test it out and enjoy!
I have been so dissatisfied with my current rice cooker I’ve all but given up cooking rice at home. I’ve been looking at the same model of rice cooker that you mention in your video and in the link. I did not know there were different grades of rice. I learned so much from this video I cannot wait to purchase some authentic rice and the rice cooker for my 33rd birthday. What a wonderful experience it was watching your video. Thank you!
You are so welcome! I hope you can find the rice cooker and grade of rice that you are satisfied with!
Heading to Marukai right now. Just bought a Zojiroshi IH from Amazon for 350.. Let's Gooo! Aloha
Do it Charles! 🤙
That was awesome Mike, thanks for sharing and hi from the UK!
Glad you enjoyed it
Anything that is made by Japan is always a great quality.
not haircuts, they can't cut a straight line...lmao
Your expression after eating the rice makes me want some.
Definitely gonna pick some up now!
A great communicator, thank you.
This video is such a blessing, thank you Sir for this sincere introduction to japanese rice!
Very informative video about the all famous Japanese rice cooker! *LOVE* your video content. I hope many viewers like & subscribe!
I was stationed at Misawa AB, and I often try to explain to people just how amazing rice is in Japan, because there’s no American comparison I’ve found yet. I really miss it. Every small store in Japan I visited had a complimentary full rice cooker and another full of miso, free to customers. This is a wonderful instructional video, thanks!
Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences in Japan. It is hard to find really good rice once you leave Japan. Even when I return to Hawaii, I don't eat rice usually as it is never the same. I think I got spoiled! :)
@@MikeMatsuno please check out the rice factory in kakaako. It would be cool if you made a vlog on it too.
I believe it’s the best place in Oahu you can get for Japanese grade koshihikari and other varieties
Thank you for sharing this video. I’m here in Hawaii and will definitely get that grains in Don Quijote
Happy to hear that!
I love my Zojirushi rice cooker! Mine's one of the IH models that came via Singapore, due to it being 240V and having a BS1363 plug (I'm in the UK, so it's very convenient for me as SG uses the same plugs as us), as well as English inscriptions, so the quality is the same as a JDM model with all the bells and whistles, since Zojirushi themselves have a division in Singapore. My Zojirushi hot water dispenser is also an SG model.
Lol! "Broke the mouth"! I haven't heard that in years. I am a native to Hawaii and though my family moved to the mainland in the early 50's, my mom's very large family remained in Honolulu. My dad worked for United Airlines so we traveled to Honolulu every summer to visit. I haven't been back there since the mid 80's, but my youngest sister retired and moved back to HI, so I occasionally still hear the Hawaiian slang! Thanks for the memories. :)
The best rice cooker is a dedicated rice cooker donabe, kumoi kiln and igayaki double lidded rice cooker donabe. I bought a Nagatani-en Kamado san 3 gou rice cooker, it takes the same time to cook rice as with an electric one, but the results are better than anything else, the aroma is enhanced by the clay.
Very interesting and excellent presentation!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!
Thanks so much! I learned a lot and ordered some Koshihikari rice.
Very helpful video, thanks! I live near a Japanese shop and have been thinking about improving the quality of rice in my life, this video has pushed me one step closer to making room for a Zojirushi in my kitchen!
Glad it was helpful!
Great video 👍🏻 thanks!!
I have used the Zojirushi NS-LLH05 now for almost three years up to 4 times weekly and am extremely happy with it. Prior to that I had a Tiger which was also very good though the coating inside began to disintegrate, probably because of its age and the technology wasn't quite as sophisticated back then.
I regularly cook Basmati, Jasmin and Sushi rice, depending on the dish I cook.
To say that Japanese rice is the best in the world is simply wrong. You can't compare Mercedes to Ferrari, they are both entirely different categories.
Bali and West Java have excellent rice and in Bali it is extremely labour intensive and everything is done by hand... no machines or tractors.
In regards to Indian rice, Indian Gate or Delhi Gate are the best! Both are Basmati type but they are grown only in the North of India and what gives those two types their special flavour and texture is the kind of heat from the sun and the water, which comes from the Himalayas.
I have tried and am still trying many types of rice and if you want to use a superlative such as "the best" - I would say that the best Jasmine rice comes from Bali, the best Basmati rice comes from the North of India and the best Sushi rice is still a work in progress because I have only access to one brand, but it is very good.
2 years ago when we were in Tokyo, we stopped at the Isetan “Depachika” and bought rice at a shop that polished and finished it to our specifications. It was a treat to eat it and my wife is now a rice snob so I’ll have to try your recommendation on ordering some food rice from Japan. 👍
:) You must have bought a very expensive, high quality brand of rice!
Just bought the zojirushi 3 qt from Sur la table my fav store, they had many to choose from they gave you a 20 dollar promo coupon off the 3 qt. 135.00,at 83, this model will do,where I live no place to buy quality good rice, it will have to be on line. Enjoyed your info.
I've grown up with Japanese rice cookers, whether Panasonic/National, Zojirushi, or Tiger.
My family has even served Japanese-style rice with western meals, such as corned beef, steak, barbecues, and the like.
My current rice cookers are a Zojirushi induction heating model as well as a National fuzzy logic model. They were rather lucky thrift store finds, totaling around $15 for both. Both work well, though I do give the edge to the Zojirushi with induction heating.
And, while it's hard to find Japanese-grown rice at affordable prices here in the United States, there are good varieties of Californian rice available that I use. And Walmart does sell Botan brand calrose rice, which is good, IMO, for around $20 for a 20 pound bag.
The nearest Asian supermarkets may have better prices and certainly more choices, but the rather long drive to get there adds to the total cost, so I would have to plan on getting other things there to make it worthwhile ... which it tends to be since there are a great many Asian foods in my pantry and fridge that I simply can't get at Walmart.
Hi Mike! Thanks for this video. I'm researching rice cookers. The one I have now is a dumb cooker like an egg cooker. I'd like an advanced model like the ones they're used to in Asia. It appears that the company Yum Asia has introduced Zojurishi inspired cookers in Europe. They started with importing Zojirushi and sell them in the UK, but now they've copied these machines. You can buy a lot of similar machines with fuzzy logic, but traditional heating element, but Yum Asia now also have a model with Induction Heating for some time. So, there are alternatives for people in the EU apart from the very expensive Zojirushi.
Very helpful, thanks, hopefully I can get that rice cooker and the koshihikari rice here in Australia.
Should you be able to source some Koshihikari locally, please let me know. I'm also in Australia. I got my Zojirushi almost three years ago from Japan through eBay... there was very little if any shipping cost involved. I'm as happy as a puppy 😁
Lots of info ! Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Love this video!
I enjoyed watching your video. I learned a lot. My hubby ordered me a Zojirushi NWC18 for Mother’s Day & I am so super excited. I cannot wait to start cooking my rice in my ultra fancy high end zojirushi🥰🥰🥰
Did it come in? How is it?
Watching your videos from India. Nice presentation.
Just found your channel I’m from Oahu I bought some Hokkaido nanatsuboshi and Niigata koshihikari from the rice factory in kakaako it was awesome cooked out of a HCC10 zojirushi induction cooker
Very cool! Sounds like you have the best rice possible in HNL.
@@MikeMatsuno yes one of the best rice and straight from smaller independent Japanese farmers.
Also the rice is fresh they mill the rice right on the spot and you should eat within two months.
The rice was so good big difference between the cheaper variety and Japanese koshihikari
@Mike Matsuno - This was SUPER helpful. As dumb as it sounds, I've never been good at cooking rice. Years back I bought an Instant Pot which was far better than me cooking it myself but it did leave something to be desired with the quality of the product (the end rice - the Instant Pot is fine). With all of the different rice cookers on the market I couldn't tell which one to get. Then I started looking at TH-cam videos and they really didn't explain the difference in features all that well. Once I saw your video I finally got it. Thanks for the explanations.
I want to go to Japan one day love the food and culture
This rice looks intoxicating.
Now this is fascinating stuff. Had no idea that the tech inside rice cookers had moved in so much. Looks like I need to go searching for a U.K. compatible IH machine. God help me.
Same here, did you find anything? I would like to buy the Zojirushi on the links but would need 220 volts.
I am researching rice cookers in preparation for buying one and have watched a lot of videos on the subject. Yours is by far the most clear and informative one. I make a lot of fermented foods (as well as cooking a lot of different grains) and would like to purchase a rice cooker that will do a good job of making amazake. It needs a sustained temperature of about 135 to 138 degrees farenheit for about 6 to 10 hours. Zojirushi customer service says their extended keep warm feature is around 140 degrees farenheit which is just a bit too warm. A bit too warm means the necessary bacteria start dying at 140. If you have any good ideas on the subject, I would love to know. If not, thank you so much for teaching me many helpful things.
Great Video.
"Domo arigatogozaimasu"
(Thank you very much)
Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching.
Hey Mike enjoyed the video
Hi Darren, are you my classmate from Roosevelt?
@@MikeMatsuno the same one. Where do you live? Never been to Japan but like to visit soon with my family when safe
@@darrenaoki5962 Class of '76, played basketball and went bowling together? Father is a dentist?
@@MikeMatsuno correct on basketball & bowling
You speak impeccable English Matsuno-san and thank you for sharing.
He is from the United States
Such a weird comment. …. Even people from the US have an accent gosh…
@@MEM2022No his comment was calling out idiotic racism.
Thank you for the video, Is the NP HCC 10 a good one as well or would you still recommend the one in your description ?
Leonard, they are the same type of IH rice cooker. One is a 3 cup and one is a 5 cup cooker. 3-cup rice cooker: amzn.to/3tEh7dB
5-cup rice cooker: amzn.to/3k4w1I2. Thank you for bringing that to my attention. I did not realize that the one I had listed was the 3-cup rice cooker. So I also added the 5-cup to the decription. Thank you!
I thank you!
Is anyone aware of where to buy these linked Zojirushi machines with 220 volts for Europe?
Sorry, Gustav. I don't have any idea of the rice cooker export model to Europe for 220 Volts.
@@MikeMatsuno Thank you. I tried to research a bit more and seems that the IH models have not been CE approved in EU and so there is no European seller. Only option is to private import a 220 volt version from Japan, which is very expensive with customs and taxes and difficult with warranty. I ended up ordering a Bamboo from Yum Asia in UK, shipped to Sweden.
Thank you for the nice video! Do you know if Yum Asia is a good brand too? Also, could you recommend a rice cooker available in Germany and which brand of rice is best?
I purchased the Nonuma Yuki Tsubaki Koshihikari Rice. It s wonderful. Have you tried this rice before?
Not yet!
I have the zojirushi IH 3 cup and have had it for about 10 years now and i love it. Quick question, have you tried the pressure IH? What are your thoughts about it?
Yes, the IH Pressure (atsuryoku) cooks the best in the IH series. But it does cost a bit more: amzn.to/3BxD8ii
That would be my pick if I were to buy a new rice cooker.
I’ve had both, I returned the pressure IH and kept the regular IH. I couldn’t tell any difference in rice quality from the regular IH, and I’m very particular about my rice. I also use Koshihikari rice. Cheers.
Hi there, I just bought a Fuzzy Logic model from YumAsia, but I'm not very happy with. A bit better than my cheap, mechanical rice cooker, but not really satisfying. Not that big difference to my old one. I will try to get a Zojirushi now. Thanks for this great video. Greetings from Bavaria, Germany. 😉👍🏻
I hope the Zojirushi works out for you. It is my favorite and I think it is the best rice cooker manufacturer in Japan.
I only buy Non GMO Japanese rice since I don't know how long. I grew up in Guam so I was introduced to Japanese cuisine sin e 1994. And I used only Japanese Tiger or Zojirushi or Toshiba rice cooker since that's what we only use back in Guam. We had a Tiger rice cooker that we used for more than 20 years. Yup that's true. Thank God we have a Japanese grocery here in Sacramento California coz I can't live without Japanese store.
Thanks for sharing about your rice cooker history!
What is exactly is the main difference between IH and fuzzy? They have them on sale rn.
Great video. The exported Zojirushi cookers are exactly the same as the ones sold in Japan and the exported Japanese is the same also. Not sure why you would think they were different..
I always thought the models were slightly different. I have eaten on the Zojirushi export model in Hawaii and for some reason, it was not the same even with good rice. Not sure why. Maybe it was just me. Thanks for letting me know.
Obviously they are not exactly the same. The menus and buttons are labeled in english.
@@burprobrox9134 slightly pedantic? They are the same machine.
Rice cooker are almost all the same. It's the correct amount of water that is important.
Japanese Al Pacino back at it again
Looking for your link below
Hi Mike. Do you still recommend the same IH model, Zojirushi NP-GBC05XT? Is the IH Pressure model worth the extra expense? It costs about $500 now on Amazon.
What brand is the best Japanese rice to achieve the glossy shiny rice that isn't mushy and has a bite to the taste
I like Koshihikari but I think the rice cooker is the key element to good rice.
Good rice tastes so good, you really don't need anything else for your meal. No wonder there was so much beriberi disease in the army and navy.
I am moving into a new apartment....my first purchase for my new kitchen was a set of Henckel's knives, my second purchase will be a Zojiurishi IH rice cooker......I am looking forward to having rice be my main carbohydrate again.....roomate doesnt like it.....:(
Wonderful! Enjoy the rice! Maybe your roommate will eventually start liking rice if she sees how delicious it is. :)
The rice cooker is really expensive if you consider import fees, had to pay €350 for mine but it's by far the best investment I have ever made. I can't remember the last day I ate something that didn't have rice in it.
Hi great vid, I want to try some koshihikari rice and I found some Toyama Koshihikari rice but not sure what the Toyama means if it's good or not, im in ireland and have a Japanese cooker. thanks Sean
I just got mine in, today. 🤔 All of these different rice settings. I need a huge lesson on rice! Brands don't mean a lot when you don't know what you are buying. Have you, or can you do a video or 2 on that? I got "new crop" which I understand what that is- but the instructions say decrease the scale level of water 🤔 Ok- how much? 😆 Then there is the soft setting, hard setting.. AHHHH... 🤣 I have been cooking rice most of my life but, it's grown in the south and yeah, we can cook that with our eyes closed. All of this other rice 🤔🤨 Thanks.
What rice do Chinese restaurants use in America?
I need to buy a 240 volts rice cooker.. My budget is 500 usd... what and where y should buy?? Help please!
I'm importing the top of the line toshiba rice cooker to the USA. I have the power transformer. Everything is in japanese though. Any tips on how to translate all the buttons? I'm thinking to just use google translate on my phone (point the camera at japanese and it translates in augmented reality). Is there an easier way?
I think you should just find a Japanese friend to help you translate it, it would be easier and more certain. But the controls usually are quite basic, so probably if you can enter the kanji or hiragana into the Google translator you could get it done.
Google translate works well enough
Thank you for a very informative video, Mike. What else could I use sushi rice for besides an accompaniment to raw fish? I will not eat raw fish....I love fish, but it has to be cooked. Thanks.
Yes you can! You can make chirashi zushi with sushi rice and put whatever you want on it, cooked or raw. But same for regular sushi, you can put on cooked shrimp, egg, fish, etc. Here is a link to the chirashi sushi web pages. www.google.com/search?q=chirashi+sushi&rlz=1C5CHFA_enJP895JP895&oq=chirashi+sushi&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i4l9.5618j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
@@MikeMatsuno Thank you!
I wish I lived in Japan. :)
Are there other brands apart from Tiger and Zojirushi. I owned a Tiger rice cooker since 1996, cooking daily snd never turn it off, only turn off when I cook new rice.
Yes, all major Japanese appliance manufacturers sell rice cookers. Matsushita/Panasonic, Sankyo, Hitachi, etc. The only limitation is if you live outside of Japan and need to buy the export model. There are only limited makers for export models.
I just bought a Panasonic SR-HZ106 and some Niigata Koshihikari rice from my local Japanese market. I've never had rice this good at home before! I ate two bowls just rice, nothing else needed it was so good.
Congratulations!! I have been thinking about getting that rice cooker.
Thank you for your confirmation of the quality of Japanese rice and a real Japanese rice cooker!
Great video. Would you treat the Shirakiku rice as “Sushi” type rice when cooking in the Zojirushi cooker? Thanks!
Sorry, Doug. I am not sure. I will ask around and see if I can find out.
Hi Doug, Sorry I did not get back to you sooner. When I asked around, the Japanese did not know what Shirakiku was. I went back and checked around and found out Shirakiku is a brand. Shirakuku is the name of a rice company. So they make various different kinds of rice. So you will have to look at what kind of rice is being sold under the Shirakuku brand. www.google.com/search?q=shirakiku+rice&rlz=1C5CHFA_enJP895JP895&sxsrf=ALeKk02A7YY9EHB6805kan_3cqsUN96g7g:1614053880904&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=-0bW9iQkgFiIzM%252CN1RMo--N805mNM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kToKwu04qm7zKPu8RhIfvQIcxWitg&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjWu-Chk__uAhW9KqYKHaEpB9EQ9QF6BAgIEAE#imgrc=-0bW9iQkgFiIzM
is the kokuho rose any good?
The more expensive grain is actually quite good. It used to be known for making sushi rice. Enjoy!
Hello, my question would be which of these options should I choose, which one would be better for me, that's what I'm more interested in. Thank you for your answer. (Zojirushi Ns Tsc 18 vs Zojirushi NP-HCC10XH Induction Heating1.8L .Or is there another IH that is better than this one?
What would be a good Zojirushi 5-cup induction cooker for Europe (230V). I just can find the NP-HLH10XA, which is a 10-cup….
Thank you for the very informative and helpful video! :) If using the Zojirushi IH model that you recommended (i.e. NP-HCC10XH) with the Koshihikari rice, would it be best to use the white rice or sweet setting?
For regular white rice, the white rice setting. Sweet rice is for sekihan, I believe. That also uses a different type of rice.
True! I was in Japan for eight months eating Japanese rice daily! Hmmmmmmm. And Japanese Sushi is the best in the whole wide world! Tha´s why I don´t eat sushi anywhere in the world! Japanese Sushi is my favorite, but only the real Japanese cooked rice . . . in Japan!
Very informative! However here in the USA you'll hear people say "rice is rice". Since I worked in the hospital for more than 30 years now. Doctors will limit rice intake. You know why right?
Too much complex carbohydrates that turns to sugar in the system? Or maybe not good for patients who have a difficult time swallowing as rice can hamper the air way?
I love my Zojirushi its the older fuzzy logic. Have been thinking about IH model though. Do you have any experience with the IH pressure?
Yes, I have a IH Pressure that I use everyday here. Outside of a gas rice cooker which is not available outside of Japan, I believe the IH Pressure is the next best for the quality of the rice and the cost of the rice cooker. Also it would be better to use a higher level grain of rice, like a koshi hikari grain. :)
Thank for the reply, I just bought some Haiga rice from Amazon once its gone I will try the koshi.
@@MikeMatsuno
do the propane gas rice cookers have electronic controls to keep the rice warm like the zojirushi?
We use the Nishiki brand rice. Is that respected, is it good enough? It seemed to be based on our research, but, we really don't know anything. I saved the rice you recommended to try in the future.
Just recently upgraded from lower end panasonic rice cooker to a high end tiger ih pressure rice cooker, awaiting a large supply of japenese rice of niigata kushikari by fuji shoten? Is this decent? Would love to have a conversation about it cheers for the nice video content
I hope the rice meets your expectations. Happy rice eating!
Yes its the best ive ever had and bought much more since
Do they make one without a non stick coating I would rather stainless or ceramic?
Sorry, I do not know of any of the modern rice cookers with a non-stick coating. There are ceramic rice cookers but they are specialty items and would be difficult to find outside of Japan.
Informative video on rice and rice cookers, but Mike is Japanese.
If he was from Thailand would he still have the same thoughts on rice ?
Next time I visit "99 Ranch" or "Viet Hoa", I will look for Japanese rice !
I think it depends on what you were raised on and the difference of short-train and long-grain.
@@MikeMatsuno I was born a raised in US .
From the history to the arts to the technology and cuisine and the people I love ALL thins Japanese. I really want an IH cooker .
Hi Mike, do you have any recommendation for low carb / low sugar rice cooker?
I am sorry, I did not know they even made such a type of rice cooker. I would think genmai, brown rice, would be good for health purposes. But I do not know of any rice cooker that is made for low sugar/low carb.
I cant see anywhere comparison of different rice cooker technologies. Could you explain to me or lead me somewhere to get the difference between IH, fuzzy, pressure IH etc.? I would feel stupid if I didnt buy the right one for such price tag :/
I don't know the details of how the technologies work but I can give you my opinion about which I think is the most advance. IH pressure cooker is the top, then IH standard, after that a step down will be fuzzy logic technology which is actually old technology in Japan. Any IH technology rice cookers should be good.
Can these cookers book basmati rice... long grain rice?
Yes, you just have to adjust the amount of water needed. It may take some experimenting at first to find the ideal amount of water needed. Here is a link that may give you a better idea: www.zojirushi.com/grains/nszcc18.html
@@MikeMatsuno thank you!!!
My mother was born in 1931 in Japan and her mother was born before the turn of the 20th century. These two women were noted for their rice and sushi rice. Neither one ever stepped into a kitchen with a high-tech, fuzzy logic controlled rice cooker. This tells me that such a rice cooker is superfluous to making world-class rice.
Can't find the link to the Japan rice.....not the Californian rice
Hi Mr.Matsuno how do i cook rice to make a cold rice vegetable salad i just destroy it every time its like eating a white blob.
I am not sure. I have never made cold rice vegetable salad. Sorry.
I just bought a Zojirushi IH rice cooker and tried it with 4 different kinds of rice (Long, medium and short grain and brown jasmine rice). I wasn't that impressed, thinking maybe I need to add a bit more water (I had followed the machine's directions to the letter). Now I find out it isn't the cooker but the rice itself?
It is both. The rice cooker and the rice. Premium Koshihikari is what I use. But it can be expensive outside of Japan.
Any recommendation for Australia
Here is a recommendation on Amazon, amzn.to/3tEh7dB. But if you can get a rice cooker which is an IH model and works with the wattage and volts in Australia that will work fine. I like the Zojirushi brand but it can be any Japanese maker.
I've owned my fuzzy logic for 20 years, maybe time to upgrade to an IH?
Are export models sold in Japan or only outside of Japan? I’m traveling to Japan in a few months and hoping to purchase a new zojirushi rice cooker to replace my old one since rice cookers are cheaper there!
Eating Rice my whole life from $50, $200 & $500 japanese rice cookers….When it comes to taste can’t hardly tell the difference cos is almost tasteless.. it’s the texture that has more noticeable difference
Just bought the $300 Zojirushi IH. Tried it with super premium Matsuri rice. Absolutely no difference from our $40 rice cooker. If there is a difference, it’s too small to tell and for the price gap, it’s totally not worth it. Was expecting much more!
I am sorry it did not meet you expectations. That is a huge gap of technology between the two rice cookers.
can you recommend a decent rice cooker for europe?
Hi Ozcan, I am sorry for the delay in answering your question. I am not sure what rice cookers are being offered by the closest Amazon hub in Europe. But if you are using Amazon, the IH Zojirushi is what I like the best. I use that rice cooker technology in my home now. IH means Induction Heating. Here is the link for amazon.com so you can see what model I am talking about. amzn.to/3tEh7dB
If there are other distributors that sell Japanese rice cookers, they all have their own IH model. Happy rice eating! :)
So, is this IH better than the Neuro Fuzzy ?
@@vancachz18 Yes, it is. Neuro Fuzzy in my opinion is one generation down from the IH technology.
Can anyone recommend a good fuzzy-type rice cooker? Not interested in spending $400+ on a rice cooker.
Yum Asia is now exporting their rice cookers to the USA. Well known in UK/Europe
yum-asia.com/us/
I want a donabe. It’s just just so expensive to get one send from Japan.
Also you would have to check the voltage and wattage to be sure the Japanese model can be used in your country. If Zojirushi has an export model to your country, that would work best. But it would be more expensive.
I ate lot of really good rice in Japan, however Absolutely best I ever ate was in Korean restaurant in London.
Hi Mike, I am interested in trying Gaba rice for the first time. I have a Zojirushi NP-HCC10XH rice cooker and I live in Hawaii....What brand of Gaba brown rice would you recommend I try? Also do you know who might sell it in Hawaii or can I buy it from Amazon? Thx for your help!
Hi Brian, Thank you for your questions. I am sorry but I do not know much about brown rice. In Japan, there is usually only one main kind of brown rice which is quite good but most people eat white rice. That is why brown rice is actually more expensive than white rice in Japan. On Amazon.com there are some brands like Nishiki, and Gaba is also sold, here is the link I saw: www.amazon.com/GABA-Sprouted-Brown-Rice-2-0kg/dp/B004FJVDIA/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=gaba+brown+rice&qid=1612590075&sr=8-2
I hope the Zojirushi can make the brown rice how you like it.
Go to donki or Marukai they have a brand called tamaki haiga
Hello Mike! Glad to have found you on YT. I have the Zojirushi FL rice cooker ($500) and I use the highest quality rice I can buy (Nishiki. Will order the Koshihikari rice too) but, it takes 50-70 minutes to cook the rice with white rice, or sushi settings? Is it normal? I see people making their rice Miao. 20 minutes. The rice looks like yours after cooking, but I’m never able to grab a heaping portion like you. The grains just fall apart and don’t stick together. I adjust the water amount and still no progress. What am I doing wrong, please? It ruins the whole meal when I have to switch to a spoon. The sushi version is of course ok, due to the use of the use of the sushi Vinegar. Your time and reply will be greatly appreciated. All the best, Robert 👍👋
Dear Robert, I am not sure why you are having such a hard time. You have the rice cooker, the good rice, it all should be easy to have the best rice. I wonder if the rice cooker is somehow not working well? Normally, I only make 1-2 cups and it will take about 46 minutes. So if you are making more than a couple of cups, it probably will take longer. Because it is really pushing and steaming the grain to give a fluffy texture. Back to your problem, can you check your settings and make sure it is set for white rice, and also on some rice cookers you can adjust the hardness of the cooked rice. I always select the middle, normal hardness. Because if you have the setting for brown rice and cook white rice, there will be a problem. I think it is connected to your settings and what type of rice cooking feature you set it on: brown, porridge, sushi, etc. If that doesn't work, I would call their help desk, maybe it is the rice cooker itself being defective? I am sorry I cannot be of more help. :(
@@MikeMatsuno Thanks Mike, I actually use 2 cups as well. Always according to the manual. I will contact the manufacturer like you suggested.
BTW. Do you know Chef Bouley from NY. NHK made a documentary with him and he is also on YT. One thing he said intrigued me, but he never responded to my email. He said that his Chinese chef friend adds some mysterious Japanese mountain seed to his rice so that it lowers the glycemic index of the portion of rice. Do you know by any chance what it might be? Much obliged! Best, R :)
@@roberthalny403 Sorry, Robert. I have not heard of the mysterious Japanese mountain seed that lowers the glycemic index of rice. Do you know the Japanese name of the seed?
@@MikeMatsuno no Mike, I don’t know the name of that seed. It’s a shame that only high paying customers at Michelin starred restaurants can enjoy healthy eating. It’s probably something very simple, and they want to milk it as long as they can. Cheers!
Nishiki simply is med grain rice, commonly used for sushi. It most cases, it is commodity grade, if you are using the one I think you are. A few tips - sushi rice needs to be rinsed 2-3 times. I rinse mine until the water is pretty clear. Takes me about 1 min to do 2 rinses in the sink (they sell a strainer to make this easier, but I don't have one). Make sure you are using the right water settings for sushi rice - it is pretty different than white or jasmine rice. Sushi rice should take 46 minutes in your machine (as does mine). When you get the chance, try to get some good sushi rice. I can easily find the Koshihikari by me for $10/5lb and another one I like to use is the pink bag Sekka one (not as good, but its $8 at the store I get it from). The expensive organic california nishiki isn't all that great compared to the japanese imports.
When you are done cooking, try to cool the rice. I flap the lid a few times, wait a few mins then do it again. After it is cooled is when you add rice vinegar, sesame oil and a bit of sugar (not much, just to mellow acidity of rice vinegar). If you add the vinegar before it's cooled, it's not good. Mushes it and has off flavors. You don't stir the rice, you fold it. I make lines to chop (tic tak toe board), then fold over. About 2-3 times. My sushi rice is perfect with this method, every time. If you are just making regular rice, not for sushi, you don't need to do any of this.
is uonuma different?
Sorry, I do not know uonuma.
Wow ! Who knew ...well , I didn't anyway haha
I have a NS-TSC10.
I live in Canada whats the best rice cooker you would recommend for me sir!
This one is a little expensive but an IH and you can get it in Canada. amzn.to/38Wj5w0
any thoughts on the Tiger JKT B18U?
Sorry, have not used or heard about that brand and model. But most Japanese rice cookers do a very good job on cooking rice.