tip for 600 gram rice cooking in varoma

[fundj&e]

caat what do u mean by the  metal basket ?

[Caatjeh]

I have my own metal basket (scale) which I normally use in my ricecooker. I now have placed this basket in the varoma. It looks al little bit like the scale you can see in the link below

http://www.ikea.com/nl/nl/images/products/blanda-blank-serveerschaal__40771_PE134582_S4.jpg

[fundj&e]

thanks Caat, it all makes sense now 

[Caatjeh]

no thanks!

[SuperMum_of_3]

Oh, I see, no holes in your basket caatjeh!
I wonder if that would make a difference too because I imagine the steam would move into the bowl, condense/circulate through rice & not get out??
I used a vege steamer basket, lots of holes. I wonder if that would make a difference...?
Will have to experiment.
I was using 'general' rice by the way, just plain 'ol medium grain white.

[Caatjeh]

Supermum: what you do is you put rice (3 cups) and (3 1/2 cups) water in the metal scale which you put in the varoma. Maybe you have to experiment the the kind of rice you use. I only use basmati or pandan rice. The rice absorpts the water and you finally get dry steamed rice. Don't put too much water in the scale. Otherwise your rice will not be dry when finished. The rice starts cooking because of the heat of the steam. The metal scale also becomes hot of the steam and that also contributes tot the cooking. And of course you put water in the mixing bowl down under the varoma in order to create steam. I hope it is now clear to you? I am sorry if i had not explained well enough

[SuperMum_of_3]

oh, ah ha! I get it! 
No wonder what I did didn't work! Thanks for clarifying.
sounds very energy inefficient if you just did rice on its own but could be good if you were cooking something in the TM bowl at the same time. Will keep that handy trick (steaming rice in Varoma) up my sleeve for when I want both.
I am confident it will work now so I don't need to experiment.
thanks heaps for the tip caatjeh!

[fundj&e]

made rice using this method this monring

1 cup rice
1 cup of water 

will try 3 cup next time

[Caatjeh]

Hello fundj@e: how did it go? Were you satisfied?

[fundj&e]

very easy thanks Caat will used it today to make fried rice

i cooked some hard boiled eggs (12)  using the same method

[Caatjeh]

great to hear!! good idea of the eggs..

[judydawn]

Uni why did you put the eggs in a casserole dish and not just straight into the varoma dish?  Did they take longer to cook than if they were in the steaming basket?

[fundj&e]

i add water to the dish thinking they would not cook just in the varoma but  the 1 egg that didnt fit did cook

about 20min starting with hot water i think 15 min or less would have done it 

[judydawn]

I cook large eggs for 14 mins in the steaming basket for hard boiled so 15 in the varoma dish sounds as if it is not much different and probably you can fit more in the varoma dish.

[SuperMum_of_3]

Ive successfully cooked 550g of rice in the steamer basket twice now. And it only takes 17min. I think I'll stick to doing it TM recipe way (but w larger quantity) until the fam grows and we need 600+grams. I just dont have the 35min it takes to steam in varoma dish - basket is much quicker! thanks for the tip though - will keep in mind for future years!