# ricer?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricer/642741
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [December 2, 2012, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricer/642741 "2012-12-02T06:09:15Z")
**Posts on this page:** 15
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2012, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricer/642741/1 "2012-12-02T06:09:15Z")
has anyone used a ricer? Does it basically just smush the cooked vegtables through the a sieve? I am interested in making cauliflower rice but I have hauling out a food processor and then cleaning the food processor as it is heavy and some parts can go in the dishwasher and other parts can’t. OXO has an adjustable ricer but I can’t tell from the pictures if it will turn cooked cauliflower into “rice” or “mashed potatoes”.
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### Author:  [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2012, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricer/642741/2 "2012-12-02T07:59:12Z")
You end up with mashed potatoes, although the texture is a little smoother IME.
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### Author:  [@andrewbub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewbub)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2012, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricer/642741/3 "2012-12-02T08:50:56Z")
cauliflower mash is a thing of beauty, but a ricer will not give you cauliflower rice.
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### Author:  [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2012, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricer/642741/4 "2012-12-02T17:07:59Z")
> [@andrewbub](#):
>
> cauliflower mash is a thing of beauty, but a ricer will not give you cauliflower rice.
Why not? And if not, then what will?
I’ve never heard of cauliflower rice. Sounds cool.
I have that OXO adjustable ricer, but I’ve only used it for potatoes.
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### Author:  [@Lightlystarched](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightlystarched)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2012, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricer/642741/5 "2012-12-02T18:13:57Z")
Riced cauliflower is best made by grating the raw cauliflower on a cheese grater, then add a minuscule amount of water and steam it. Drain the water after cooking (and even drain, and put back on the heat to cook out as much water as possible), add salt and butter and use as you would rice.
I have tried to make cauli rice using a potato ricer. It does not work. The cauli will not break down enough to pass through the holes and it spurts and clogs and makes a huge mess.
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### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricer/642741/6 "2012-12-02T18:38:46Z")
It can make some very creamy mashed potatoes and eliminates lumps. But I like lumps in my mashed potatoes.
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### Author:  [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2012, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricer/642741/7 "2012-12-02T18:40:35Z")
I’ve _ridden_ one.
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2012, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricer/642741/8 "2012-12-02T22:47:53Z")
Interesting device. We always just whipped our potatoes using a hand mixer, if we didn’t want lumps or just didn’t want to hand mash.
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### Author:  [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2012, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricer/642741/9 "2012-12-02T23:00:48Z")
> [@BigT](#):
>
> Interesting device. We always just whipped our potatoes using a hand mixer, if we didn’t want lumps or just didn’t want to hand mash.
Similarly, we always use the Kitchen Aid stand mixer to whip out potatoes and get the lumps out.
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### Author:  [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2012, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricer/642741/10 "2012-12-02T23:33:38Z")
WHAT??
Home-made mashed potatoes should have lumps! I like lumps! :mad:
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### Author:  [@andrewbub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewbub)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2012, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricer/642741/11 "2012-12-02T23:56:46Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#):
>
> Similarly, we always use the Kitchen Aid stand mixer to whip out potatoes and get the lumps out.
take care when doing this, as adding too much mechanical agitation can turn mashed potatoes into potato glue
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### Author:  [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2012, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricer/642741/12 "2012-12-03T01:37:43Z")
No thanks, I prefer sleepers anyway
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2012, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricer/642741/13 "2012-12-03T01:39:31Z")
> [@andrewbub](#):
>
> take care when doing this, as adding too much mechanical agitation can turn mashed potatoes into potato glue
I discovered that once when I got the idea to use a hand held stick blender to whip my potatoes. “Potato glue” is exactly the right phrase for the texture that resulted. I now just use a masher, a ricer, or a fork.
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### Author:  [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2012, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricer/642741/14 "2012-12-03T03:01:26Z")
> [@andrewbub](#):
>
> take care when doing this, as adding too much mechanical agitation can turn mashed potatoes into potato glue
Interesting. I’ve never had it happen, but it’s not like I turn the mixer on and walk away. I’m sure if you’re not paying attention you can ruin anything.
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### Author:  [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2012, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricer/642741/15 "2012-12-03T08:04:30Z")
I’ve made potato glue when I tried out my new blender. Nowadays, I use either a potato or bean masher. The [potato masher](http://www.amazon.com/Admiral-Craft-Masher-Potato-Category/dp/B002X98D32/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1354521649&sr=8-9&keywords=bean+masher) is the kind with the wire going in a zigzag design. I wasn’t happy with this one, so I bought what is labeled as a [bean masher](http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Cook-Masher-Metal-Apachurrador/dp/B004444Y3C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354521649&sr=8-1&keywords=bean+masher), which works better, IMO.
How easy or hard is it to clean ricers? Right now, I just put the mashers in the dishwasher, and they get clean. I don’t buy stuff that can’t go in the dishwasher.