Cuisinart CRC-800P1 CRC-800 Manual - Page 3

introduction Cooking rice and steaming food has never been easier. All you have to do is fill the cooking bowl or steaming tray, and press the switch! When cooking cycle is complete, the temperature is automatically reduced to keep food warm until you're ready to eat. As always, cleanup is quick, because all removable parts are dishwasher-safe. PARTS AND FEATURES 1. Glass Lid w/Stainless Steel Rim and Steam Vent: See-through glass lid allows you to view the rice while the steam vent helps to prevent splattering. Stainless steel rim accents complement any kitchen decor. 2. Steaming Tray: Allows you to steam a variety of foods while the rice is cooking. 3. Cooking Bowl: Nonstick coating prevents the rice from sticking to the bowl. 4. Stainless Steel Housing: Durable stainless steel construction makes cleanup easy. 5. Chrome-plated Handles: Cool touch handles. 6. "Cook" and "Warm" Indicator Switch: LED lights on top of the switch indicate that the unit is in Cook or Warm mode. 7. Measuring Cup: Calibrated specifically for your Cuisinart® Rice Cooker/Steamer; allows you to measure the proper rice to water proportions with ease. 8. Rice Paddle: Allows you to fluff and scoop the rice out of the cooking bowl. Rice won't stick to the utensil. 9. Retractable Cord Storage (not shown): Convenient retractable cord storage. 1 2 3 4 5 6 9 7 8 IMPORTANT GUIDELINES • This appliance generates steam. Do not operate it without the lid in place. • Do not use your Rice Cooker/Steamer under hanging wall cabinets; the escaping steam could cause damage. • Do not use metal utensils. Metal utensils will damage the nonstick finish on inner cooking bowl. • Do not plug in the cooker before rice and water have been added. Because the Rice Cooker/ Steamer does not have an Off setting, the unit will automatically be in Warm mode immediately after the unit is plugged in. TIPS AND HINTS • The Cuisinart® Rice Cooker/Steamer is a perfect appliance for a busy lifestyle and limited space. It will cook rices and grains perfectly with minimal fuss, taking up little counter space and leaving all your burners free for other tasks. Cleaning up the nonstick bowl is quick and easy and there is virtually no maintenance. • Your rice cooker can be used for more than just plain old rice. It is a simple way to cook pilafs. Simply turn unit on and walk away - it will automatically switch to Warm when ready to serve. • You can use your rice cooker to cook a combination of rice, grains and legumes at the same time. Follow our recipes for ideas and suggested amounts to use - let your imagination be your guide. • Rinsing/washing rice: Generally the rule is to wash or rinse imported rice and not to wash or rinse domestic (grown in U.S.) rices, as they have been enriched with vitamins. To wash rice: place in a medium bowl and cover with water, swirl until the water appears chalky/cloudy, and drain in a fine mesh strainer. Repeat until water is clear (or nearly clear) when rice is covered and swirled. Rice aficionados will even wash domestic rice, as it removes the starches and reduces stickiness. If you follow a well-balanced diet, then the loss of these vitamins will not be detrimental. Do not wash your rice in the rice cooker bowl - if the outside of the bowl is wet when cooking, it may cause damage to your rice cooker. • Some rices may call for a soaking period. This can be done in the rice cooker bowl prior to cooking. • When cooking rice, boil it until it has absorbed all the liquid. At this time it is not quite done. Rice benefits from a "boil-steam" method of cooking. Allow your rice to rest on the Warm setting for 5 to 10 minutes before serving for best results. Do not remove the cover and peek. • After rice rests for 5 to 10 minutes, open rice cooker cover and stir rice gently with rice paddle or a wooden spoon. If rice is not ready to serve, re-cover and let stand on Warm until ready.