If You Fluff Rice With A Metal Spoon, Be Prepared For This Annoyance

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As a chef and cookbook author, one of my pet peeves, aside from when folks mix up macarons and macaroons, is when someone fluffs rice, still inside a rice cooker bowl, with a metal spoon. Or with any other metal utensil, for that matter, which is actually one of the ten common mistakes to avoid when using your rice cooker. 

Why is this a mistake, you ask? See, the inner pot of a rice cooker is usually non-stick. This means it comes with a coating that metal spoons and forks can easily scratch off, leading to damage. The chipped-off coating can go into your cooked rice, which you would end up ingesting. It is also possible for the non-stick coating of the inner pot to release microplastics and other compounds into your rice. Additionally, over time, as you continue to use the rice cooker, the cooked rice can stick to and burn on the inner pot, due to its damaged coating. Then, eventually, you will have to replace the inner pot, and that can be as costly as it is annoying.

So, what should you use to fluff your rice instead of metal utensils? Reach for a plastic, bamboo, or silicone rice paddle. Typically, when you buy a rice cooker, it should come with its own rice paddle, and this utensil shouldn't damage the inner pot when you fluff rice with it. I also like to fluff rice with chopsticks, silicone or wooden ones, and not the fancy metal ones we reserve for our dinner guests. 

For the same reasons, you'll also want to avoid using metal utensils with your nonstick frying pans and cookware. Stick with wooden, silicone, or nylon tools instead, which won't damage your equipment.

Now, I should note that there are times when metal utensils are perfectly fine. If you're cooking rice on the stovetop in a stainless steel, cast iron, or other non-coated pot, using a metal spoon or fork to fluff your rice wouldn't be an issue. These are typical cookware that are uncoated, meaning they don't have a scratchable or damageable non-stick surface. So, if you're making Tasting Table's delicious stovetop yellow rice recipe this week, in uncoated cookware, go ahead and fluff it with that metal spoon or fork on the counter. If you're making rice with a rice cooker, however, and can't find your rice paddle, be sure to invest in a good one (or two), like this iconic dishwasher-safe and non-stick rice spatula from Zojirushi.