I too have a Asian-style rice-cooker. It is an Hitachi. I first got
one after seeing my Chinese friends use them in college. They must have
had about 5 or 6 going at the same time! About four years ago, I bought
another to be able to do rice and veggies at the same time. It was $35,
on sale at Target.
It does OK for long grain brown rice, but I have trouble with the short
grain. It's either too mushy or too dry. I did find a waay to cook
brown rice that seems OK so far. It is in Lorna Sass's _Vegetariaan
Cooking Under Pressure_. You cook it in the pressure cooker in another
container. Works great and fast.
We all prefer white rice but eat mostly brown for all the healthy
reasons.
Kate Bilinski
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