The Everything Rice Cooker Cookbook (23 page)

If you prefer, substitute onions for the leeks. Onions will reduce preparation time, since they do not require much cleaning. However, the flavors brought up by leeks are more subtle compared to onions, which are more pungent.

1. Combine soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, corn flour, 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 beef and fry about 8 to 10 minutes until beef turns brown on the surface. Dish out and set aside. Leave remaining oil in pot.
   

3. Add the leek, garlic, and mushrooms to the pot and fry for about 2 minutes.
   

4. Stir in the sauce, cover rice cooker, and allow to reach simmer. Once simmering, return beef to the pot, mix well, and continue to cook for about 5 minutes until beef cooks through and sauce reduces (thickens), switching to Warm if mixture bubbles too vigorously.
   

Cooking Tip

Leeks contain a lot of grit and dirt and need to be cleaned thoroughly before use. Visit
http://video.about.com/frenchfood/Cleaning-Fresh-Leeks.htm
to learn how to clean leeks.

There is a wide variety of honey available on the market. Be creative and try some of the different kinds, such as single-flower honey, clover honey, and even blended honey.

1. Mix oyster sauce, soy sauce, pepper, honey, and water in a bowl. Set aside as sauce.
   

2. Combine beef slices with salt, pepper, and corn flour.
   

3. Add oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add beef and fry about 8 to 10 minutes until beef turns brown and cooks through, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of cooking. Dish out and set aside. Leave the remaining oil in the pot.
   

4. Add the onions to the pot and fry about 5 to 8 minutes until onions are fully caramelized, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
   

5. When onions are caramelized, add the sauce, cover the rice cooker, and allow the mixture to simmer until sauce slightly reduces (thickens) in about 3 to 5 minutes. Return the beef to the sauce and allow it to simmer at Warm, with the rice cooker covered, for 5 minutes or more until beef completely cooks through and sauce further reduces.
   

You can substitute chicken in this recipe if you prefer white meat to red meat. The dish goes well with steamed rice or over rice vermicelli.

1. Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add beef and peppers and fry about 8 to 10 minutes until beef turns brown. Dish out and set aside. Leave the remaining oil in the pot.
   

2. Add the garlic, ginger, chili pepper, and black beans, and fry about 5 minutes until fragrant.
   

3. Add the water, cover the rice cooker, and allow to reach a simmer. Return beef and peppers to the pot; mix well. Cook for 5 minutes until beef completely cooks through and sauce reduces (thickens), switching to Warm if the mixture bubbles too vigorously. Serve with steamed rice or over noodles.
   

Cooking Tip

Use the drier salted whole black beans rather than the ready-paste “wetter” version. (Both are available bottled in Asian supermarkets.) When slightly mashed during preparation, the whole black beans add a chunkier texture and more body to the final dish.

For a healthier version, use leaner meat. However, remember that lean meat will have less flavor and tends to dry out (because it has less fat). The resulting patty will be less tender, less moist, and less juicy when cooked.

1. Place the beef, grated onion, garlic, ginger, Worcestershire sauce, basil, salt, pepper, and egg in a large bowl. Mix with your hands until evenly combined. Divide meat mixture into 4 burger patties, each about 3 inches in diameter and ½-inch thick.
   

2. Add oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add patties (in batches) and fry about 5 minutes on each side or until browned and cooked through. Cover rice cooker while frying (using partial steam to cook the beef). Transfer the cooked patties to a plate, set aside, and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining oil and patties.
   

3. Place a patty on each burger bun and add cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and sliced onions, as desired.
   

The flavor of garlic can be changed according to how it is prepared. If you add a whole garlic clove without crushing, mincing, or slicing it, it will give flavor without the “bite” (pungency and sharpness) of garlic.

1. Add soaked beans to the rice cooker pot, and fill with fresh water until totally immersed. Cover rice cooker, set to Cook, and boil about 30 to 45 minutes until beans turn tender (check for tenderness during boiling). Drain. Set aside beans and 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
   

2. Clean out rice cooker and wipe dry. Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the onions and fry about 5 minutes until soft. Add the ginger and garlic and fry about 3 minutes until garlic disintegrates further, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
   

3. Add the pepper, salt, water, cooking liquid from boiled beans, and the cooked beans. Partially mash the beans gently with the back of a ladle. Cover the rice cooker and allow to reach a simmer.
   

4. Once simmering, switch to Warm and continue simmer for about 15 minutes. Before end of cooking, with about 5 minutes to go, stir in coconut milk. Garnish with parsley.
   

Cooking Tip

Do not mash all the beans unless you favor a completely smooth and creamy soup. When you mash some of the beans, and leave some whole, the soup will turn out chunkier in texture. Create the texture you enjoy.

Remember to wash your hands, including your fingertips, after seeding and removing the membranes from the chili pepper. The volatile oils from the peppers can irritate your skin and eyes if you unwittingly touch your face with your “spicy” fingers.

1. Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the onions and fry about 5 minutes until soft. Add the potato, garlic, and ginger and fry for about 5 minutes, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
   

2. Add cumin, garam masala, and turmeric and fry for about 1 minute.
   

3. Stir in vegetable stock and chili pepper. Cover rice cooker and bring to a simmer.
   

4. Once simmering, switch rice cooker to Warm and continue to simmer for 20 minutes until potatoes start to disintegrate.
   

5. Add the peas and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cilantro.
   

As a variation, substitute cannellini beans for the pinto beans.

1. Add all ingredients except the basil to the pot. Cover rice cooker, set to Cook, and bring to boil.
   

2. Once boiling, switch to Warm and continue to simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables become tender.
   

3. Add basil and stir well. Serve warm.
   

Cooking Tip

Ingredients should be cut and sliced into uniform sizes to ensure uniform cooking time.

They are many types of lentils, with brown and red being the most common. Dried lentils need to be soaked overnight before boiling in a fresh batch of water.

1. Add the butter to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm and butter melts, add the onions and fry about 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and fry about 3 minutes until fragrant, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
   

2. Add garam masala, turmeric, chili powder, and cumin and fry briskly for 1 minute.
   

3. Stir in tomatoes, lentils, and water or stock. Cover rice cooker and bring to a simmer.
   

4. Once simmering, switch to Warm and continue to simmer for about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cilantro and serve with Indian
   roti
   (bread).
   

Garbanzo beans are also called chickpeas. They have a nutty taste and buttery texture. This legume is used in many Middle Eastern and Indian dishes such as hummus and curries.

1. Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the onions and fry about 5 minutes until slightly soft.
   

2. Add the ginger, garlic, curry powder, turmeric, and chili powder and fry about 5 minutes until onions become completely soft and the mixture is fragrant, covering the rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
   

3. Add cabbage, peas, and beans and mix well with spices.
   

4. Add vegetable stock or water, cover rice cooker, and allow to simmer.
   

5. Once simmering, switch to Warm and simmer for about 30 minutes until cabbage becomes soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
   

If using canned beans, try buying low-sodium or no-salt versions.

1. Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the onions and fry about 5 minutes until soft, covering the rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
   

2. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin, garam masala, and red chili powder and fry about 3 minutes until fragrant.
   

3. Add tomatoes and green chili. Mix well. Add the water and beans, cover rice cooker, and allow to simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes until gravy slightly reduces (thickens).
   

4. Once simmering, switch to Warm and continue cooking the black beans for about 5 minutes until they reach a gravy-like consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
   

Cooking Tip

Canned beans may need to be drained and rinsed thoroughly to reduce their gascausing properties. Beans cause gas because they contain a sugar, oligosaccharide, that the human body cannot break down. By rinsing the beans, you are trying to remove as much of the gascausing sugar as possible.

Turmeric can stain the fingers yellow and subsequently stain your clothes. Be careful when using.

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

2. Add the green beans, mix well, and fry 8 to 10 minutes until green beans turn slightly tender, covering the rice cooker occasionally in the process of cooking.
   

3. Add cumin, turmeric, and chili pepper flakes; mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
   

4. Add the water, mix well with green beans, cover rice cooker, and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes until water almost evaporates, then switch to Warm for about 15 minutes or more, simmering the green beans until completely soft.
   

“Pinto” means “painted” in Spanish, and it perfectly describes the colorful nature of this bean, which when dried is light beige with a reddish brown splash. When cooked, the colored variation disappears, and the beans exhibit a shade of creamy pink.

1. Add the butter to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm and the butter melts, add the shallots and fry about 3 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and fry about 3 minutes until fragrant, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
   

2. Add the cumin, turmeric, and carrots. Fry briskly about 3 minutes and mix well.
   

3. Add the water, cover rice cooker for about 5 minutes, and allow carrots to cook and become softer.
   

4. Add the pinto beans, cover rice cooker, and allow mixture to cook slightly for about 5 minutes. Switch to Warm for about 10 minutes until carrots turn completely soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
   

Benefits of Turmeric

Part of the ginger family, turmeric is used extensively in Southeast Asian cooking, especially in Indian cuisine. Turmeric is also believed to act as an anti-inflammatory agent. The yellow-orange pigment in turmeric, called curcumin, is known to be the primary pharmacological agent in this spice, which is often used in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine.

Fresh curry leaves are the best in terms of flavor and aroma. Curry leaves have a short storage life. Store them in an airtight plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

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

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

3. Add the curry powder, cumin seeds, turmeric, and chili powder, and fry briskly for about 3 minutes.
   

4. Add the beans, mix well, and fry for about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover rice cooker for about 2 minutes, then switch to Warm and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. Stir occasionally.