Cooking vessel that includes a container bottom, a container top comprising a flared section extending to a rim and at least one handle coupled to or extending from an outside surface of the flared section.

A cooking and draining system includes: a vessel including a bottom and an upstanding side wall forming an interior region of the vessel and an opening opposite the bottom of the vessel, the vessel further including: a heating element located in one of the bottom and the side wall; a valve located in one of the bottom and the side wall, the valve selectively controlling outflow of fluid from the interior region of the vessel; a lid selectively sealing the opening opposite the bottom of the vessel; and a base selectively coupled to the vessel and selectively causing the heating element to heat the interior region of the vessel.

A cooking apparatus may include a housing having an open top surface and having a cooking space formed therein; a door provided on a top of the housing to open and close the cooking space; a container inserted into the housing, the container having an open top surface to receive food to be cooked therein; and a heating unit provided in the housing and contacting a bottom surface of the container to heat the container. The heating unit may include a heating unit body defining a support surface that supports the container; a heater provided in the heating unit body; and a rib that extends downward from the heating unit body to prevent water or foreign material from entering between the heating unit and a bottom of the housing.

A machine for cooking food has a dispenser configured to be arranged over a container containing food and to close the container and comprising at least one first opening to dispense steam into the container and at least one second opening to dispense hot water into the container; a first duct and a first solenoid valve, to supply steam to the first opening; a second duct and a second solenoid valve to supply hot water to the second opening; and a control unit configured to control the opening and the closing of the first and the second solenoid valves so as to modulate the time of the steam supply and the volume of water depending on a selected cooking program.

Examples of a pre-cooked instant food products and a process for preparing such pre-cooked instant food products are described. The process comprises the steps of i) steaming the food product for pre-determined time; ii) immersing the steamed food product in a high concentration cooled brine solution for about 5 to 15 minutes; iii) removing excess water from the surface of the food product for up to about 10 minutes; iv) packing a pre-determined amount of the food product into a container and sealing such container, and v) storing the containers of pre-cooked instant food products at temperatures of 2 C. or lower. The container is made of a material safe for keeping food products and is able to withstand temperatures higher than 90 C. The surface of the food product is coated with the salt from the brine solution to preserve it. In one example, the pre-cooked instant food product is a freshly made pasta.

A machine for cooking food has a dispenser configured to be arranged over a container containing food and to close the container and comprising at least one first opening to dispense steam into the container and at least one second opening to dispense hot water into the container; at least one first boiler and one first duct to supply steam to the first opening; and at least one second boiler and one second duct to supply hot water to the second opening and a third duct to supply hot water to the first boiler from the second boiler.

A machine for cooking food in a container has a frame comprising a plate having an upper face and a lower face; a dispenser supported by the plate along the lower face and comprising at least one first opening for dispensing steam into the container and at least one second opening for dispensing hot water into the container; a support configured to be arranged below the container and to support the container; and a mechanism coupled to the plate and comprising at least one elastic element for pushing the support towards the dispenser; and a command unit for counteracting the force of the elastic element and lowering the support with respect to the plate.

A method of steaming a bunch of noodle strings using a noodle strings steaming device including a conveyer on which the bunch of noodle strings is placed after being cut out and that transports the bunch of noodle strings, and a tunnel type of body portion provided so that the bunch of noodle strings passes through the body portion with the transportation of the conveyer includes a process of carrying the cut-out bunch of noodle strings from an entrance portion of the body portion while transporting the cut-out bunch of noodle strings on the conveyer, steaming for a predetermined period of time by supplying steam to the bunch of noodle strings, steaming the bunch of noodle strings without supplying the steam, and then transporting the bunch of noodle strings to an exit portion, and a noodle strings steaming device performs the above method.

A noodle vending machine and a control method thereof are disclosed. The noodle bowl is rotated out through the rotary noodle selector and taken through the noodle picking mechanism. Then, it is hooked out and carried to the X-Y axis noodle provide. The noodle bowl is lifted through the X-Y axis noodle provider and simultaneously the soup injection mechanism is lowered. Steam is sent to the soup injection mechanism to thaw the noodle bowl. A warm tank is heated and the hot water is injected into a mixing can and simultaneously the soup base is injected into the mixing can. A mixing motor is started to mix the hot water and the soup base. After being mixed, the soup base is sent to the soup injection mechanism and injected into the noodle bowl. Thus, a noodle bowl with soup using steam cooking is completed.

An automatic dish serving system can be applied to various dishes to save space and achieve automation. An automatic dish serving system capable of cooking multiple types of dishes according to a customer's order includes a boiler for boiling noodles and a heating device adjacent to the boiler for heating a cooking container. A supplying device supplies to the cooking container an ingredient to be added to the noodles. A moving device is capable of moving the cooking utensil and can move the cooking container to at least a position at which an ingredient is supplied from the supplying device, a position at which a cooking container is heated by the heating device, and a position at which boiled noodles are received from the boiler. The heating device can heat and cook an ingredient that is supplied from the supplying device to the cooking container according to the order.