Rice Cooking Vessels & How to Use Them

The Original Rice Cooking Vessel

One of the most traditional rice cookers used is called the Gamasot (가마솥).

I will not be teaching how to use this traditional vessel because people do not have this in their home usually. But I wanted to mention it because it is said to make the best rice. It is an iron cauldron with a thick bottom that retains heat very well and a heavy lid that traps in the steam. It also has micro holes which allows heat to enter making what is said to be some of the best rice!

The rice cookers of today are supposed to act similarly to this vessel and that is why they are now so popular.

Different Rice Cooking Vessels

No matter what cooking vessel you use, once the rice is done cooking, you need to fluff your rice with a fork or rice paddle. If you do not fluff your rice after cooking the moisture inside the cooking vessel will fall onto the rice and make it soggy.

Electric Rice Cooker:

We will talk about some tips for using a rice cooker and then the basic steps you will take when making rice in a rice cooker.

First let’s talk about tips: When cooking in a rice cooker, do not overload the rice cooker. what this means is that if your rice cooker holds 10 cups than only make 8 cups of rice at a time otherwise it can come out with an undesired texture.

Now let’s move onto the rice cooker steps.

1. So, when using a rice cooker, place your washed and soaked rice into the rice cooker and add enough water to the designated line. If you made 3 cups of rice, fill the rice cooker to 3.
2. After the rice is finished cooking, fluff the rice with the rice scoop. This helps to prevent the rice from drying out and it prevents the rice from becoming discolored quicker.
3. When using a rice cooker, a tip is to stack the remaining rice after serving in the middle of the rice cooker. Keeping the rice off of the sides of the rice cooker (aka the hottest part of the rice cooker) helps to keep your rice fresh and moist.

If you lose your rice cup that came with your rice cooker, then add equal parts water and washed and soaked rice to the rice cooker and it will work still.

Pot & Lid:

1. When using a regular pot and lid, Add the washed and soaked rice to the pot with water.
2. Bring to a boil and then add the lid and turn to low heat.
3. Let the rice steam for 15 minutes on low heat.
4. After 15 minutes, take it off the heat and place it to the side for 10 minutes. Do not take the lid off until the 10 minutes are up.
5. After 10 minutes fluff and serve the rice.

Pressure Cooker:

Using a pressure cooker is convenient because it can positively impact the texture of the rice. It used concentrated steam to cook the rice and can be quicker than other methods.

We will break down the steps to cooking rice using this vessel.

1. So, when using a pressure cooker, Add rice and water to the pot and add the lid on securely.
2. Turn the heat to high and keep it on high for 5 minutes until you see some steam coming out. After 5 minutes, turn the heat to low for 7 minutes.
3. After 7 minutes, take the pot off of the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes.
4. After 10 minutes, carefully remove the lid, ensuring all the steam has been released because it can be dangerous if you try to take off the lid early when there is a lot of pressure.
5. Finally, fluff and serve the rice.

Dolsot (돌솥):

The Dolsot pot is made of stone and keeps heat well which in turn keeps your rice warmer longer and cooks more evenly! It is important to control the temperature of your Dolsot when cooking because it takes time for the dolsot to heat up and cool down. If your dolsot cooks on too low of a heat the rice will not be fully cooked. If your dolsot cooks on too high of a heat, then the starch will not cook and the rice flavor will not be as delicious.

So let’s breakdown the steps to using this vessel.

1. So, when using a dolsot, Add the prepped rice and water to the dolsot.
2. Heat the dolsot on high without the lid until it boils.
3. Once boiling, mix the rice once with a spoon, add the lid and then turn the temperature to low. Now, let it steam for 15 minutes. (If you want that crispy bottom try 20-25 minutes)
4. Turn off the heat and let it steam off the heat for 8-10 minutes.
5. Then fluff the rice and serve.