The Everything Rice Cooker Cookbook (21 page)

1. Combine chicken with soy sauce, salt, sesame oil, and brown sugar. Marinate for 30 minutes in the fridge
   

2. Add the vegetable oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the shallots and fry about 3 minutes until slightly soft. Add the garlic and ginger and fry about 3 minutes until fragrant.
   

3. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and fry about 8 to 10 minutes until chicken turns brown on the surface, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of cooking.
   

4. Stir in lychee, lychee syrup, chili pepper, ketchup, and water, coating the chicken with this mixture. Cover rice cooker and allow mixture to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until chicken cooks through and sauce reduces (thickens). Stir occasionally, switching to Warm if mixture bubbles too vigorously.
   

Cooking Tip

You can use the remaining canned lychee to prepare cold desserts such as fruit cocktails. You can also freeze lychee with water as ice cubes, and then drop these cubes into chilled water as a summer party drink.

As a variation, snow peas work perfectly well in this recipe. Snow peas are flat, while snap peas are plump. Both peas have pods that are edible and good for stir-fries.

1. Combine corn flour and black pepper and spread mixture out on a flat surface.
   

2. Combine ketchup and soy sauce in a bowl; add chicken and stir to coat. Then roll the chicken strips in the black pepper and corn flour mixture to coat evenly. Set aside.
   

3. Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the chicken and fry for 8 to 10 minutes until chicken cooks through, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of cooking.
   

4. Add the bell peppers and snap peas and fry about 5 to 8 minutes until vegetables become tender.
   

5. Add the water, mix well, and simmer further for about 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with steamed rice.
   

This dish is known as Gai (Chicken) Pad (Stir-Fry) Bai Kaprow (Holy Basil). Substitute ground turkey for the chicken if you prefer a leaner meat.

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

2. Add the ground chicken (break up into smaller bits of meat), fish sauce, chili pepper, and salt. Fry for about 5 minutes until chicken cooks through, stirring and covering the rice cooker occasionally in the process of cooking.
   

3. Add water or chicken stock, cover the rice cooker, and allow to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
   

4. Switch to Warm, and continue to simmer for about 5 minutes until chicken cooks through. Lift up rice cooker lid and stir in basil before serving.
   

Types of Basil

The basil commonly seen and used in Asia is the Thai or holy basil. This leaf has jagged edges and a delicate flavor. The sweet basil usually used in Italian and Mediterranean cooking has leaves with round edges and a more pronounced flavor. These two kinds of basil may or may not be a good substitute for each other, depending on the flavors you intend to create for the dish. There is nothing wrong in experimenting with both types in your daily home cooking.

Pre-frying the garlic, ginger, and mashed Chinese black beans in hot oil releases their aromas and enhances the flavoring of the ribs.

1. Mix the Chinese cooking wine, brown sugar, corn flour, dark soy sauce, and white pepper in a plastic zip-top bag. Add the ribs to the bag, mix well, and place bag in fridge for about 1 hour.
   

2. Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the garlic, ginger, and mashed Chinese black beans, and lightly fry for 2 minutes.
   

3. Add the marinated ribs and fry with garlic mixture for about 2 minutes, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of cooking. When the ribs have turned slightly brown on the outside, switch off the rice cooker.
   

4. Transfer the ribs to a plate that will fit in the steamer insert or basket and top the ribs with the sliced red chilies. Cover the top of the plate with plastic wrap, to prevent excess condensation when the ribs are steamed. Place the plate of ribs into steamer insert or basket.
   

5. Clean out the rice cooker and wipe dry. Place the pot back into the rice cooker, add water to fill up half the pot, cover rice cooker, and set to Cook. When the water in the pot boils, place the steamer insert that holds plate of ribs into the rice cooker, cover, and cook. Steam the ribs for about 25 minutes.
   

6. Garnish with green onions before serving. Best served with steamed rice or plain
   Rice Congee
   .
   

Cooking Tip

This recipe takes about 35 minutes from start to finish, but you can save time and effort by opting for Semi-Homemade “Ready-to-Go”
Chinese Black Bean Sauce
. If you have that sauce made in advance, all you will have to do for this dish is marinate the ribs, mix them thoroughly with 1–2 teaspoons of “ready-to-go” sauce, and follow the steaming instructions in Steps 3 and 4 of this recipe.

This is a healthy and fuss-free steamed dish that uses readily available ingredients and seasonings.

1. Combine all ingredients except pumpkin in a bowl. Set aside to marinate while preparing next step.
   

2. Add water to the rice cooker to about the 4-cup mark, cover, and set to Cook.
   

3. Lay pumpkin uniformly on a plate that will fit in the steamer insert or basket. Top pumpkin with pork mixture (use fingers to break into smaller bits). Cover the top of the plate with plastic wrap, to prevent excess condensation when the pork is steamed.
   

4. When the water in the pot starts to boil, place the steamer insert or basket that holds the plate of pork into the rice cooker, cover, and cook. Steam about 10 to 12 minutes until pork cooks through.
   

As a variation, use dried shiitake mushrooms instead of fresh ones. Before using dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrate them by soaking in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes.

1. Combine the soy sauce, salt, pepper, Chinese cooking wine, and sesame oil with ground pork. Then combine mushrooms, shrimp, tofu, and green onions into the ground pork mixture. Combine thoroughly.
   

2. Shape mixture into a round ball, flatten it slightly into a “block,” and place on a plate that fits in the steamer insert or basket.
   

3. Add water to the rice cooker to fill up half the pot. Cover the pot and set to Cook. When the water boils, place the steamer insert that holds the plate of meat into the rice cooker, cover, and cook. Steam for 20 to 25 minutes until meat cooks through.
   

As a variation, use thin slices of pork instead of strips.

1. Marinate pork with pepper and Chinese cooking wine. Set aside.
   

2. Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the pork and fry about 8 to 10 minutes until pork turns brown on the surface and is partially cooked, covering the rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
   

3. Add the kimchi, mix well with the pork, and fry briskly, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying. Add water, cover the rice cooker, and allow the pork to cook in the simmering mixture for 8 to 10 minutes until the meat cooks through, switching to Warm if the mixture bubbles too vigorously.
   

The origin of this recipe traces back to a Chinese dish consisting of huge meatballs stewed with vegetables. For easy cooking, the meatballs in this recipe are mini meatballs.

1. Combine ground pork with soy sauce, ginger, salt, white pepper, Chinese cooking wine, sesame oil, green onions, and egg.
   

2. Form mixture into small round balls (1-inch diameter). Roll the meatballs on a bed of ½ cup corn flour to coat the meat for frying. Set aside.
   

3. Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the meatballs and fry about 8 to 10 minutes until they turn slightly golden brown on the surface. Switch off rice cooker. Dish out the meatballs and place on paper towels.
   

4. Discard the majority of the frying oil, leaving about 2 tablespoons of oil in the pot. Cover rice cooker and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the ginger, cabbage, mushrooms, soy sauce, and white pepper. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
   

5. Add the stock or water, cover rice cooker, and allow it to reach a simmer. When simmering, lift up rice cooker lid, return the meatballs to the rice cooker, cover, and allow the meatballs to cook in simmering mixture for about 20 minutes until the meatballs cook through. Stir occasionally, switching to Warm if mixture bubbles too vigorously. Garnish with green onions and serve warm.
   

Cooking Tip

Shape the meat into small, flat patties instead of making round meatballs. Flat patties are easier to cook through and at the initial stage of browning, the amount of vegetable oil used in frying the meat can be significantly reduced. There is less wastage of vegetable oil, and the final dish is definitely less greasy.

Surprise your diners by serving pork rib curry instead of the usual chicken curry. It will taste different but still delicious.

1. Combine ribs with 1 tablespoon curry powder and salt in a bowl. Marinate in fridge for 30 minutes.
   

2. Add oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the garlic, ginger, and remaining curry powder. Lightly fry for 1 to 2 minutes.
   

3. Add the marinated ribs and fry with garlic mixture for about 2 minutes until ribs turn brown on the surface.
   

4. Add the water, stir well, cover rice cooker, and allow to reach a simmer. Allow the pork ribs to cook in simmering mixture for about 15 minutes until pork cooks through, stirring and covering the rice cooker occasionally, and switching to Warm if the mixture bubbles too vigorously.
   

Dumpling dishes vary widely, all based on the concept of meat wrapped in dough “skin,” but often cooked in different ways (boiled, steamed, pan-fried) or with slightly different fillings.

1. Mix the ground pork with the soy sauce, salt, pepper, Chinese cooking wine, and sesame oil. Add the bok choy and egg to the pork mixture. Combine thoroughly.
   

2. Wrap the wontons one at a time. Dip your fingers in some water and use them to moisten the edges of each wrapper. Place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of the wrapper, fold wrapper in half, and seal the edges by crimping, with filling secured in the center.
   

3. Add water to fill the rice cooker pot to about the 4-cup mark, cover, and set to Cook. When the water in the pot starts to boil, add 10 to 12 wontons and cover rice cooker until the water boils again. Add 1 cup water, cover rice cooker, and bring the water back to a boil. Dish out the wontons. Repeat for subsequent batches (add more water if water has fallen below 4-cup mark). Serve boiled dumplings in chicken soup.
   

Cooking Tip

Wonton wrappers can be found in many Asian supermarkets. The fresh wrappers are usually found in the chiller section, together with tofu and fresh noodles. If you cannot use all of them in one session of cooking, they can be wrapped with plastic wrap, placed in airtight freezer bags, and stored in the freezer for later use.

Fresh water chestnuts may be hard to find in supermarkets, so substitute with canned water chestnuts. If you have difficulties finding canned water chestnuts, substitute jicama (arrowroot) or potatoes.

1. Combine all ingredients except vegetable oil in a bowl. Mix and combine thoroughly. Form into balls of about 1-inch diameter each, and flatten each into about 2-inches diameter patty. Set aside.
   

2. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add patties in batches, frying each side about 3 minutes, until brown and cooked through. Cover the rice cooker while frying each side. Repeat for subsequent batches.
   

The flavors of this dish become more intense when leftovers are reheated the next day. You can therefore cook more to intentionally create leftovers.