The Everything Rice Cooker Cookbook (18 page)

As a variation and for more aroma, use coconut milk instead of whole milk.

1. Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the shrimp and fry for about 8 to 10 minutes until shrimp cook through (turn pink). Dish out and set aside.
   

2. Add the butter to the pot, then the curry leaves and chili flakes and fry for about 5 minutes until fragrant. Add curry powder, brown sugar, and salt.
   

3. Slowly stir in the milk to dissolve curry powder and brown sugar. Cover the rice cooker and bring mixture to a slight simmer. When simmering and sauce reduces (thickens) in about 5 to 8 minutes, add the shrimp and mix well with the sauce. Serve with steamed rice.
   

Curry Leaves

Distinctively aromatic due to the presence of volatile essential oils, curry leaves — both fresh and dried — are usually fried in hot oil to release their scent and enticing flavor. Curry leaves provide a subtle spicy flavor not only in curries but also in many legume dishes. In addition to essential oils, curry leaves contain chlorophyll, beta carotene, folic acid, riboflavin, calcium, and zinc.

Vary this recipe by adding some red chili pepper flakes to spice things up. You also can use a ground pepper mix of black, red, and Szechuan peppers for added depth and spice.

1. Add the butter to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the green onion, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper and fry for 2 to 3 minutes until butter mixture is fragrant, covering rice cooker occasionally during frying.
   

2. In a large bowl, pour the butter mixture over the shrimp and toss to coat.
   

3. Wipe the rice cooker dry, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the rice cooker gets warm, add the shrimp and dry-fry the shrimp for about 8 to 10 minutes until they cook through (turn pink), stirring and covering the rice cooker occasionally in the process of cooking. When shrimp are cooked, dish out and serve.
   

For a healthier variation, use extra-virgin olive oil instead of butter. You also can try parsley instead of basil as an herb variation.

1. Add the butter to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When butter is melted, switch off the rice cooker.
   

2. In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter, garlic, salt, pepper, basil, lemon juice, and shrimp. Set aside for 30 minutes to marinate in fridge.
   

3. Switch rice cooker to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the butter-garlic-shrimp mixture and fry for 5 to 8 minutes until shrimp cook through (turn pink).
   

This dish combines butter with a lot of pungent seasonings such as ginger and lots of black pepper to create a delicious delicacy. The recipe is also ideal for crab.

1. Mix the oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and water in a bowl. Set aside as sauce.
   

2. Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the shrimp and fry for about 8 to 10 minutes until shrimp cook through (turn pink), covering rice cooker occasionally in the processing of cooking. Dish out and set aside.
   

3. Add the butter to the rice cooker; cover the pot. When butter begins to melt, add the garlic and ginger and fry for 5 minutes until fragrant.
   

4. Add the prepared sauce mixture, cover rice cooker, and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, lift up rice cooker lid and continue to simmer about 8 to 10 minutes until sauce slightly reduces (thickens).
   

5. Stir in black pepper. Mix well, cover rice cooker, and continue to simmer for about 1 minute.
   

6. Return shrimp to the pot, stir, and mix well with sauce. Cover rice cooker and bring to a simmer again. Lift up rice cooker lid and cook until shrimp completely cook through and sauce reduces further (thickens). Serve with steamed rice.
   

Cooking Tip

Prior to any cooking, set the rice cooker to Cook and dry-fry the black pepper in the heated rice cooker pot until fragrant for about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. This is similar to an old-fashioned cooking method in which food is “tempered” until fragrant in a heated wok or pan without oil.

For a different flavor, try substituting broccoli or a mix of broccoli and cauliflower for the asparagus.

1. In a medium bowl, season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Set aside.
   

2. In a separate bowl, combine the Chinese cooking wine, oyster sauce, chicken stock or water, and corn flour. Set aside as a sauce.
   

3. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the asparagus and stir-fry for about 1 minute until asparagus turn tender, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying. Remove asparagus and set aside.
   

4. Add the remaining oil to the rice cooker, cover, and wait until the oil is hot. When hot, add the ginger and fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
   

5. Add the shrimp and fry for about 5 to 8 minutes until shrimp just cook (just turn pink). Return the asparagus to the rice cooker and mix well.
   

6. Slowly stir in the prepared sauce mixture and mix well with shrimp. Cover the rice cooker and allow entire mixture to come to a slight simmer. Once simmering, lift up rice cooker lid. Continue to stir and simmer until sauce thickens and shrimp completely cook through in about 3 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
   

Cooking Tip

Save preparation time by using thin asparagus spears, as they do not need to be peeled. The asparagus also will be more delicate and crisp in texture. The fatter, thicker spears are just as good in terms of flavor; in fact, they are “meatier” than their thinner counterparts. However, more preparation time is required for peeling off the woody and more fibrous stems of thick asparagus spears.

It is not necessary to wash the rice cooker after frying the eggs. Just clear out some of the egg remnants with a paper towel and continue with the next step.

1. Lightly whisk the eggs in a bowl and combine with salt, pepper, and sesame oil. Set aside.
   

2. In a separate bowl, combine salt, pepper, Chinese cooking wine, and shrimp. Set aside to marinate.
   

3. Add 3 tablespoons of the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the egg mixture and fry until egg just cooks (do not overcook). Dish out and set aside.
   

4. Clean out rice cooker. Add the remaining oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the shrimp and fry for about 8 to 10 minutes until shrimp cook through (turn pink).
   

5. Add the tomato and fry briskly. Add the water, then cover rice cooker and allow it to come to a simmer.
   

6. Once simmering, lift up rice cooker lid, switch to Warm, return the eggs to the pot, and mix well by breaking up the eggs into small pieces. Fry eggs with shrimp and tomatoes for about 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with green onions before serving.
   

The variety of bell peppers used not only adds color but gives the meal balanced nutrition.

1. Combine garlic, salt, cilantro leaves, and shrimp in a bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes.
   

2. Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the seasoned shrimp and stir-fry for about 5 to 8 minutes until shrimp are just cooked (turn pink).
   

3. Add the bell peppers and stir-fry for 5 to 8 minutes until peppers become tender and shrimp completely cook through. Dish out and serve.
   

Fried Thai Fish Cake, also known as Tod Mun Pla, is slightly different from steamed
Spicy Fish Custard
. This recipe makes a shrimp version of the popular Thai snack.

1. Mince the shrimp. Combine minced shrimp with curry powder, cilantro, kaffir lime leaves, salt, chili flakes, and egg white to form a smooth shrimp paste. Shape round, flat cakes from the paste and set aside.
   

2. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, dip the cakes into corn flour to coat evenly on both sides. Add the shrimp cakes to the rice cooker in batches. Fry each side for 3 to 4 minutes, covering rice cooker during frying. When the cakes turn golden brown and crispy, dish out and set aside. Add more oil as you continue to fry batches. Serve cakes warm.
   

Make sure to work in one batch when pan-frying the scallops, as they release moisture during cooking. If you can't fit all the scallops into the pan base in one batch and it's necessary to pan-fry a second batch, the rice cooker may need to be cleaned and wiped dry thoroughly between batches.

1. Add the butter to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the butter melts and the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the scallops in a single layer, sprinkle with salt and pepper (do not turn the scallops), and fry 2 to 3 minutes.
   

2. When scallops whiten halfway through, turn to the other side and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fry 2 to 3 minutes without turning, covering the rice cooker during frying.
   

3. When scallops cook through (fully whiten), add the lemon juice and simmer for another minute. Serve warm.
   

Cooking Tip

Frozen scallops need to be thawed thoroughly before cooking to make sure there is no excess moisture in them. To be sure, use some paper towels to dry the scallops.

To safely store clams before they are cooked, put them in a colander set inside a large bowl. Place some dampened paper towels over the clams and keep them in a cold area of your refrigerator for about half a day.

1. Add the oil and butter to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the shallots and fry for about 3 minutes until shallots turn soft.
   

2. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for about 3 minutes until fragrant, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
   

3. Add the clams, corn, wine, pepper, and water or stock. Cover rice cooker and allow it to come to a simmer (the steam in the rice cooker will cook the clams) for about 5 minutes, until clams show first signs of opening.
   

4. Continue simmering, cover rice cooker occasionally in the process and check to see if most of the clams have opened. Discard any that do not open. Remove the clams that have opened and set them aside in serving bowls.
   

5. Add the basil to the broth, stir well, and ladle broth over the clams in serving bowls. Serve with crusty bread for dipping into the broth.