Hoka Hoka: The Sound of Perfectly Steamy Japanese White Rice

Freshly cooked rice in a traditional Japanese bowl and a pair of chopsticks holding a bite of rice with steam rising

In Japan, the sound of perfectly cooked white rice is known as “hoka hoka.” This onomatopoeia perfectly captures the gentle popping and bubbling of the rice grains as they cook, a sure sign that they are cooked to perfection.

Hoka hoka is a sound that we at Zojirushi love to hear. White rice is a staple food in Japan, and it’s essential to many traditional dishes. For rice to be considered perfectly cooked, it must be fluffy and tender, with each grain separate and distinct.

There are many different ways to cook white rice, but the most important thing is to use the right type of rice. Japanese rice is short-grain rice that is high in starch. This starch helps to create the fluffy texture that is characteristic of perfectly cooked Japanese rice. If you want to learn about different types of rice or see what rice looks like when it’s over or under-cooked, visit our Rice Guide here.

Uncooked white short grain rice in a flat woven basket, in the center a wooden square container filled with rice

Making White Rice

Ready to make some white rice now? Here are some tips for perfectly and deliciously cooked Japanese white rice in your Zojirushi rice cooker:

  • Use the correct type of rice. Japanese rice is short-grain rice that is high in starch. This starch helps to create the fluffy texture that is characteristic of perfectly cooked Japanese rice.
  • Rinse the rice thoroughly with cold water. This will remove any excess starch that can usually makes it clump, become yellow, and brown the bottom. It’s important to rinse the rice until the water runs clear.
  • Use the correct amount of water. The amount of water you use will depend on the type of rice you are using and the size of your rice cooker. Zojirushi rice cookers come with a measuring cup and a water level guide inside the cooking pan, so it’s easy to get the right amount of water.
  • Don’t open the lid while the rice is cooking. This will release steam and can make the rice tough.
  • Fluff the rice with the rice spatula after it’s cooked. This will release steam trapped in the rice and will separate the grains and make the rice light and fluffy.

White bowl with a red bottom and red lines from bottom to top, filled with white rice and a pair of chopsticks in front. Another bowl of rice in the back and a cup of tea

Hoka hoka is not only the sound of perfectly cooked white rice, it’s also a metaphor for the joy of eating a delicious Japanese meal. When you hear the sound of hoka hoka, you know that you are about to enjoy a taste of Japan!

At Zojirushi, we believe that everyone should be able to experience the joy of perfectly cooked Japanese white rice. Have you heard hoka hoka when making rice before? Share your thoughts, comments, and questions with us on Twitter,

Elevate Your Rice with Zojirushi’s Induction Heater (IH) Rice Cookers!

Two flat top rice cookers side by side in two different sizes. The large one is on the left and the smaller on the right

Are you tired of cooking rice on the stovetop? Do you wish you could enjoy perfectly cooked rice every time you cook rice? If so, you need a Zojirushi Induction Heater (IH) rice cooker! Induction heating is a more efficient way to cook rice than traditional heating methods, which means that your rice will cook more evenly, produce fluffier rice, and will improve the deliciousness of your rice. If you haven’t met our IH rice cookers before, let us introduce you.

What is Induction Heater (IH) Technology?

See through rice cooker looking at the interior with the cooking pan filled with rice depicting the heat generated from induction heating and the path it moves with two arrows traveling from the center bottom moving up towards the center

IH technology utilizes electromagnetic energy, which uses the cooking pan as a conductor, generating heat instantly. Unlike traditional rice cookers that rely on conventional heating elements or a heating plate, the electromagnetic waves of the IH rice cooker generate quick and even heat within the inner cooking pan. This enables rapid and efficient heating, cooking the rice from all angles and eliminating any potential for unevenly cooked grains.

The Zojirushi IH Rice Cooker Lineup

Zojirushi offers a diverse range of IH rice cooker models, each designed to cater to your unique needs and preferences. Take a look at them below:

Zojirushi NP-NWC10/18

The Pressure Induction Heating Rice Cooker & Warmer uses pressurized cooking and AI (Artificial Intelligence) to cook perfect rice. Platinum infused nonstick inner cooking pan helps the rice cook sweeter. Pressure cooking helps turn beta starch into alpha starch for softer and easier to digest rice. Includes convenient settings like Jasmine, Congee, and Steel Cut Oatmeal settings.

Zojirushi NW-JEC10/18

Black rice cooker on the right and a tray with tea and a rice dish to the left, and a round vase with aesthetic branches with leavesMade in Japan with precision, the Pressure Induction Heating Rice Cooker & Warmer combines automatic pressure, artificial intelligence, premium convection, superior IH technology, and an iron coated platinum infused nonstick inner cooking pan to create perfect rice. Its exclusive “My Rice (49 ways)” setting will ensure that it cooks perfect rice tailored to your tastes, all while looking sleek and elegant. it will surely become a permanent fixture in your kitchen.

Zojirushi NW-QAC10/18

Bright kitchen with white marble countertops with a kitchen island and a modern rice cooker in black in the foregroundThis Japan-made Induction Heating Rice Cooker & Warmer uses superior Induction Heating (IH) technology to generate high heat and makes fine heat adjustments, which result in fluffier and more aromatic rice. The sleek and elegant flat-top design with an integrated control panel brings your kitchen to the next level.

Zojirushi NP-HCC10/18

Side view of the rice cooker along with a rice measuring cup and a spatula on the side of the rice cooker

If you are looking for a classic and timeless stainless steel look combined with our advanced Induction Heating System, then this is the one for you. The Induction Heating System Rice Cooker & Warmer uses high-tech Induction Heating (IH) technology to heat the inner cooking pan. Because of this special heating method, the rice cooker is able to make precise temperature adjustments to cook exceptional rice.

Zojirushi NP-GBC05

Side view of a stainless steel rice cooker with a spatula attached on the side and two rice measuring cups in the forefront.The 3-cup capacity Induction Heating (IH) System Rice Cooker & Warmer is ideal for singles and smaller families. It cooks as little as 1/2-cup of rice and takes up minimal space. Superior IH technology efficiently prepares flawless rice every time, even with smaller portions.

A Closer Look: Features & Functions

Close up of the rice cooker with the lid open taking a look at the area where the pan would be inserted

Zojirushi IH rice cookers have a variety of other features that make them the perfect kitchen appliance for any home cook. These include:

  • Micro Computerized: The rice cookers are equipped with a microcomputer that controls the cooking process precisely, ensuring that your rice is cooked perfectly every time.
  • Multiple cooking functions: In addition to cooking white rice, these rice cookers can also cook brown rice, sushi rice, porridge, and a variety of other grains.
  • Keep warm function: The rice cooker will keep your rice warm for up to 24 hours, so you can enjoy fresh, hot rice whenever you want.
  • Easy to clean: The inner cooking pan is non-stick coated, making cleanup a breeze.

Investing in a Zojirushi rice cooker means investing in quality and durability. Crafted with precision and built to last, our IH rice cookers are engineered to stand the test of time, providing you with years of culinary excellence. Cooking rice will never be the same!

To learn more about Zojirushi rice cooker technology, read our rice cooker guide. And remember to share your comments and rice ideas with us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram! #Zojirushi #ZoFan

Riceballs and Toast

Riceballs and Toast

When my kids were going to school I was the one making their lunches. This was simply because I used to bring my own lunch to work so it wasn’t much of an extra effort to make another. My daughter came back one day and told me her friends thought it was awesome that I would cut the crusts off her sandwiches. Ha! Just another influence from those Japanese “sando” that you see at the market, or in Japan I guess at every convenience store.

Seeing as how some of you might still be making your kids’ lunches, or having to make snacks for them after school, here’s a few ideas that might pass the kid test. I made some cute little Korean style riceballs called Jumeokbap, because we had leftover rice and some leftover bulgogi ground beef that my wife made from a couple nights ago. This mixture is the seasoned bulgogi, chopped carrots and chopped danmuji (yellow pickled radish).
Korean Style Riceball Jumeokbap with Bulgogi, Carrots and Chopped DanmujiKorean danmuji is different from Japanese takuan in that they’re both pickled daikon radish, but the Korean version is a little less pungent and milder than the Japanese one. For people who don’t like the strong smell of takuan, try the danmuji—it’s a little sweeter too.

We had leftover Kimchi Fried Rice too, so that was easy. Just roll a few of those for a spicy rice ball variation. I love any kind of fried rice, so we make the kimchi version all the time. My other favorites are Japanese Chahan and of course, Hawaiian style Bacon or Spam Fried Rice. Maybe the reason we have it so often is because I hate to waste leftover rice, so we freeze it and use it for a quick and easy dinner. Leftover rice makes the perfect fried rice—much better than freshly made, which tends to get clumpy. If you have to make fresh rice just to make fried rice, there’s a hack to doing this with an adjustment on your rice cooker, which I explain in my Kimchi Fried Rice post.
Making Korean Style Riceball JumeokbapThe last one is filled with tuna/mayo and coated with furikake (rice sprinkles). Your kids will probably love this one—they’re easy to eat and fun too. Who doesn’t like furikake, right?
Korean Style Riceball Jumeokbap - Tuna Mayo Furikake

Rice balls make the ideal bento lunch. For one thing, you can eat them at room temperature and they won’t smell up a lunch room. If you’re wondering what that cannister is in the background, it’s my very cool Zojirushi Lunch Jar. I did a whole review on these a while back; you can read about them here.
Korean Style Riceball Jumeokbap

After school snack? Of course, open face toast! Bake some bread with your Zojirushi Breadmaker and have it ready by the time they get back. It takes about 3-1/2 hours so you can time it to finish around 3:30 in the afternoon. Here are a couple of classics—Avocado Toast and Garlic Cheese Toast. C’mon, you can see these on some menu at a craft coffee house selling for $15, right? Right? Well, enjoy it on freshly baked, Japanese shokupan style bread anytime.
Avocado Toast and Garlic Cheese Toast

Not to be outdone by all those good looking riceballs you can make, here are some dessert toast treats for the kids (or for yourself once you’ve got them quietly scarfing). Get some caramel syrup at the market and use your bananas before they get too overripe. It doesn’t take much to get decorative with it. The other one is strawberry jam and cream cheese. I swear, it’s good! Even my limited food styling skills can handle these, and the thicker shokupan slices make them more special too.
Banana with Caramel Drizzle Toast, Strawberry Jam and Cream Cheese Toast

There’s no way I’m going to make toast without a PB&J one; because I really love PB&J. Did you know that the proper way of making a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich is to spread the peanut butter on both slices of bread, then spreading the jelly in the middle? That way the jelly won’t soak through the bread and make it soggy. Of course, then you’ve got to figure out the proper peanut butter to jelly ratio, haven’t you? The other way to get around this issue is to make toast instead—problem solved!

PB&J Toast and Matcha Strawberry Toast

If you crave a more adult dessert, try the matcha strawberry one. Just create the glaze with some matcha powder and powdered sugar, get fresh strawberries and away you go. If you missed it a few months ago, I did a Honey Brick Toast with a full loaf of shokupan, which you can easily do at home. Try this one and overload your kids after school, ha-ha!Honey Brick Toast

So what’s it going to be this afternoon? Riceballs or Toast?

Products used in this post: IH Rice Cooker & Warmer NP-HCC10/18, Home Bakery Maestro® Breadmaker BB-SSC10, Micom Toaster Oven ET-ZLC30, Mr. Bento® Stainless Lunch Jar SL-JBE14

Please note that these recipes were not tested by Zojirushi America.

All images by Bert Tanimoto ©2023

Explore the Delightful World of Puru Puru: Kanten (Agar Agar) in Japanese Desserts

A plate with red bean yokan served with green tea

Hey, Zo fans! Have you ever had a dessert that not only tastes amazing but also has a playful wobble that brings a smile to your face? That’s where “puru puru” comes into play! It’s the perfect way to describe the delightful texture of kanten, which is a vegan ingredient derived from seaweed. Specifically made from red algae, and also known as agar-agar, kanten is a versatile and flavorless ingredient that adds a gelatinous magic to Japanese sweets, giving them their distinct puru puru charm.

From the exquisite wagashi served during traditional tea ceremonies to the classic sweet jelly called yokan, kanten is the secret star ingredient that adds that extra bit of fun to Japan’s most delightful desserts. Join us as we embark on a tantalizing journey into the realm of Japanese desserts and kanten today!

History & Etymology of Kanten

Glass bowl with translucent strips over served with a small bowl of sauce over a traditional Japanese lacquerware plate

The term “kanten” traces its roots back to Japan’s Edo period (1603-1868). Derived from the Malay word “agar-agar,” meaning “jelly” or “vegetable gelatin,” kanten found its way into the Japanese lexicon centuries ago. Kanten became popular during the Edo period as a substitute for gelatin, which was costly and scarce at the time. Japanese confectioners embraced the unique texture and gelling properties of kanten, incorporating it into various traditional sweets.

Over time, kanten gained prominence as a versatile ingredient, lending its signature wobble and firm-yet-yielding texture to wagashi, yokan, anmitsu, and other beloved Japanese desserts.

Where to Find Kanten

Kanten or agar in dry form, a block and noodle form

Today, kanten is readily available in many forms, including powdered, flakes, and solid bars. You can find it in well-stocked Asian grocery stores, specialty food stores, or even online retailers. Its increasing popularity and versatility have made it more accessible for home cooks and culinary enthusiasts eager to explore the world of Japanese desserts.

Does Kanten Have Any Nutritional Value?

Bowl filled with translucent cubes over sweet sauce and soy bean powder

Apart from its culinary appeal, kanten offers some nutritional benefits. Being derived from seaweed, it is a source of dietary fiber and contains no fat or cholesterol and is naturally vegan and gluten-free. Kanten is also low in calories, making it an attractive choice for those seeking lighter dessert options. Additionally, it is rich in minerals such as calcium and iron, contributing to a well-rounded nutritional profile.

Kanten: The Perfect Ingredient For Vegan and Gluten-Free Desserts

Gold plate served with translucent cubes with fruit filling insideChefs and home cooks have embraced kanten as a vegan and gluten-free alternative, making it a game-changer for those with dietary restrictions. With kanten, you can enjoy the magic of puru puru in vegan and gluten-free desserts. Think refreshing fruit-filled kanten jellies with juicy chunks of seasonal goodness or dreamy plant-based panna cottas infused with flavors like matcha, coconut, or floral essences. The possibilities are endless!

So, why not dive into the world of kanten and indulge in the delightful textures and flavors it brings to your sweet creations? Have you made Japanese desserts with kanten before? Share your thoughts, comments, and questions with us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram! #Zojirushi #ZoFan

The Art of Bento: Delicious On-the- Meals with Zojirushi Lunch Jars

On the left, is a blue lunch jar with a container of rice and a container with a lunch in the shape of an owl. On the right, a gray stainless lunch jar with three containers, one has a lunch in the shape of a school bus, another container with a veggie soup, and riced cauliflower on the largest container

Hey, Zo Fans!

Picture this: delectable meals, fresh and flavorful, no matter where your day takes you. Whether you’re packing lunch for work or school, Zojirushi’s vacuum-insulated lunch jars are the perfect way to keep your food fresh and delicious all day. In today’s blog, we’ll give you a closer look at our entire lineup of lunch jars, so you can choose the perfect one to fit your lifestyle.

Meet the Lunch Jars

Our lunch jars are designed with advanced vacuum insulation technology to ensure your food stays hot or cold for hours. Crafted with a durable 18/8 stainless steel inner jar, these bento lunch jars offer superior durability and reliability while tight-fitting gasket seals in freshness. Get to know each of our lunch jars and the unique features that make them stand out:

Classic Stainless Lunch Jar SL-XE20

Deep blue lunch jar with black trimmings and three separate black colored containers. The largest one is filled with rice, one is filled with a vegetable soup and the third is filled with assorted veggies and protein.

  • Enjoy generous meal portions with the spacious main container and two side containers.
  • Conveniently reheat your food with microwave-safe containers (except the lids).
  • It also includes chopsticks, a chopsticks holder, and a convenient carry strap for easy transport!

Mr. Bento® Stainless Lunch Jar SL-JBE14

Lunch jar shown in black, stainless, plum, and blue. All with 4 different containers, a forked spoon, and a carrying bag.

  • Indulge in multi-course meals with the main bowl, soup bowl, and two side bowls.
  • Stay organized and complete with the included carrying bag and forked spoon, creating a comprehensive on-the-go meal solution.
  • Choose from four available colors: Plum (-VZ), Blueberry (-AZ), Carbon Black (-BZ), Stainless (-XA).

Ms. Bento® Stainless Lunch Jar SL-MEE07

Light blue lunch jar with two containers filled with food, a chopstick set, and carrying tote.

  • Embrace portion control and versatility with the soup bowl and two side bowls
  • Keep your different food items separate with the practical partition in the side bowl.

Travel confidently and enjoy your meal anywhere with the included tote that is large enough to accommodate a small drink and snacks.

Ms. Bento® Stainless Lunch Jar SL-NCE09

Stainless gray lunch jar with 3 separate containers on the right, a forked spoon with a cover in the front, and a two toned gray carry tote in the back

  • Experience simplicity and portability with a compact design, perfect for single-serve meals or snacks.
  • The large, washable carrying tote bag can also fit a beverage and snacks
  • Includes forked spoon with cover.

Classic Bento® Stainless Lunch Jar SL-GRE18

Black lunch jar with gray trimmings, three gray containers, a forked spoon with cover, a chopsticks set, and a carry bag in the back.

  • Take a complete meal with you with the help of the Classic Bento®. Not only does it include a pair of chopsticks with a protective cover but it also comes with a forked spoon.
  • The convenient carry strap and protective cover makes taking it with you a cinch.
  • 3 microwaveable inner bowls, which also includes a bowl specially designed for soups.

Now that you’ve gotten to know our lunch jars, what do you plan on making for lunch?

Bento Recipes

Here are some school and work lunch ideas you can prepare for your Zojirushi bento sets, mix and match them as you like!

Creamy potato soup served in a blue insulated food jar topped with chives and served with a side of bread

Pinwheel pasta salad with lettuce and tomato served in a green vacuum insulated food jar and a pretzel bun

Blue vacuum insulated food jar filled with spicy mapo tofu served with rice balls

Not only will Zojirushi lunch jars keep it fresh and delicious all day long, but they’re also a great way to reduce your environmental impact by reducing the amount of waste produced from single-use plastic containers. If you’re looking for a healthy, convenient, and environmentally friendly way to pack your lunch, a Zojirushi lunch jar is the perfect solution. What will you be putting in your lunch jar? Share your comments and lunch ideas for work or school with us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram! #ZojirushiUSA #ZoFan