Rival 6-Cup Rice Cooker

Overview

Rating	🍚🍚🍚🍚🍚
Year Purchased	2005
Years of Service	18
Can I buy it?	Newer Model

This is an item Michael bought well before we met, but it is still going strong! Lately I’ve been eating brown rice with poached eggs for breakfast, so we’re using it nearly everyday. According to Michael, his model was red because it was a special Target exclusive.

You may be thinking, why would I buy this thing when I could have a combo instapot-slowcooker-airfryer? The answer is the superiority of its physics-based design! Once all of the water boils off, the temperature of the pot will begin to increase above the boiling point of water. The “cook” switch is held down while the rice is cooking by a permanent magnet with a Curie point just above the boiling point of water. Once that temperature is exceeded, the magnet stops working and your switch pops to “keep warm.”

Who needs software and temperature sensors and pieces that are difficult to clean when you’ve got physics?

So, the exact same model from 2005 isn’t available anymore, but an updated version with a more bowl-like shape is out. Aroma, Black & Decker, and Proctor Silex all sell a similar product so you should be able to get one of these for less than $20. And if you’re feeding a large family, larger sizes are available as well!

The only negative about the rice cooker is the pot has a nonstick coating. It comes with a little plastic serving paddle which is safe on the teflon, but the temptation to grab whatever fork or spoon and potentially scratch the coating is a constant risk. The bowl, lid, paddle, and steamer are all dishwasher-safe, so that makes it easy to clean.

Now that I’ve made you read this whole blog, here’s Michael’s rice bowl breakfast recipe.

Brown Rice Breakfast Bowl - Serves 2

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup brown rice

• 2 cups water

• Dash toasted sesame oil

• 2-4 Tbsp distilled white vinegar

• 4 eggs (medium or large)

• 1 tsp maple syrup

• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar

• 2 Tbsp Soy sauce

• Another dash toasted sesame oil

• Furikake

• Kimchi, scallions, or other garnish

Steps

1. Place rice, 2 cups water, and sesame oil in rice cooker. Switch to “cook.”

2. Wait.

3. Once the rice cooker pops, start boiling water.

4. When it reaches a rolling boil, add a little distilled white vinegar and crack your eggs. Reduce heat. Time for 2-3 minutes. Goopy yolks = extra sauce!

5. While the eggs cook, dish your rice in two bowls.

6. Place two cooked eggs in each bowl on the bed of rice.

7. Create a sauce by stirring together the maple syrup, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Drizzle over each bowl. Sprinkle furikake on each bowl.

8. Add a kimchi or scallion garnish to each.