Definition

Noun: 1. A kitchen utensil: A device used to process soft, cooked foods (such as potatoes, cauliflower, or carrots) by forcing them through a plate with small holes, producing fine, rice-like pieces or a smooth puree.

Examples

• Noun:
  • For the smoothest mashed potatoes, press the cooked potatoes through a ricer.
  • She used a ricer to make cauliflower rice for a low-carb meal.
  • The recipe specifically calls for a ricer to achieve the correct texture for the gnocchi dough.

Advanced Usage

• "To rice" (verb, derived from the utensil): The action of using a ricer.
  • After boiling the potatoes, you must rice them and let them cool slightly before adding the other ingredients.

Variants and Related Words

• Food mill: A related kitchen tool that can perform a similar function, often with interchangeable disks for different textures. A food mill is typically more versatile than a basic ricer.
• Potato masher: A different utensil used for a similar purpose (mashing potatoes) but which produces a denser, less airy texture than a ricer.

Synonyms

• Food mill (in some contexts, though a food mill is a broader category of tool).
• Potato ricer (a more specific, common variant of the term).

Notes on Meaning

• The word "ricer" is almost exclusively used to refer to this specific kitchen utensil. It is not a standard term for a person or thing that "rices" in a general sense. The primary meaning is the tool itself.

Noun

1. a kitchen utensil used for ricing soft foods by extruding them through small holes