The Everything Rice Cooker Cookbook (5 page)

In Singapore, Malaysia, and other Southeast Asian countries, “yam” and “taro” mean the same vegetable. In the United States, however, sweet potatoes are sometimes mistakenly referred to as yams; which would be different from taro.

1. Combine taro, salt, pepper, green onions, and sesame seeds in a deep mixing bowl; mix well.
   

2. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. Shape the taro mixture into flat, round patties (press firm with palms).
   

3. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, pan-fry the patties (work in batches) for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy on the surface, being sure to cover the rice cooker while cooking. Serve warm when ready.
   

Cooking Tip

Prior to adding oil or water to the rice cooker, you can use the cooker to “dry fry” or toast the sesame seeds on the Cook setting for a few minutes until slightly fragrant. Just take care not to burn the seeds.

If you don't have time to work in batches to create individual mini omelets, create a regular-sized omelet and then use a cookie cutter to cut out presentable bite-sized appetizer omelets.

1. In a bowl, combine ham, corn kernels, and green onions. Add whisked egg; stir and combine well. Season with salt and pepper.
   

2. Add about half the quantity oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, make the mini omelets: Working in batches (adding remaining oil only when first batch of oil is used up), evenly space out 2-tablespoon amounts of the egg and corn mixture across the base of the pot. Pan-fry each side for about 2 minutes, until the edges of each mini omelet turn brown and crisp, being sure to cover the rice cooker while frying. Serve warm.
   

Replace the tomatoes with red or green bell peppers and make stuffed peppers when you wish.

1. Add the oil to the rice cooker pot, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the pot gets warm, add the onions and fry for about 2 minutes or more, until onions become soft.
   

2. Add garlic, ginger, pepper, and curry powder and fry the mixture for 2 to 3 minutes.
   

3. Add the ground beef (break up into smaller bits) and fry for 2 to 3 minutes until uniformly browned.
   

4. Add the water, mix well, cover the rice cooker, and allow to cook for about 8 minutes. When mixture bubbles vigorously, switch to Warm and continue to cook for 8 more minutes, or until beef cooks through.
   

5. Lift the rice cooker lid, switch to Cook setting, add the green chili and cilantro, and fry for about 2 minutes, mixing well with the beef mixture. Dish out and set aside.
   

6. Cut the top off each tomato and scoop out the flesh. Spoon the beef mixture into the tomatoes and serve warm.
   

Leftover Tip

Left with tomato flesh after the tomatoes are scooped out for stuffing? Use it to make
Marinara Sauce
.

Add Szechuan peppercorns if you want a spicy, tongue-numbing kick. You can also use cooked corn on the cob for this recipe. Simply fry the mixture and before serving, slather the buttered green onion–chili mix onto the corn on the cob.

1. Add butter to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook.
   

2. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the green onions, chili flakes, pepper, salt, and brown sugar, followed by corn kernels; fry for 2 minutes. Mix well. Cover the rice cooker and cook for about 2 minutes.
   

3. Serve on warm toasted bread, or even with steamed rice.
   

If you have a bamboo steamer at home, line the base of the steamer with whole lettuce leaves and place the food item to be steamed on the leaves. This will prevent the food, especially meat items, from sticking to the bamboo material of the steamer.

1. Combine the beef, pork, mushrooms, salt, pepper, sugar, sesame oil, Chinese cooking wine, corn flour, green onions, and cilantro. Set aside to marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.
   

2. After 1 hour, shape the mixture into round balls (about the size of golf balls) and set aside on a plate that fits into the steamer basket or insert.
   

3. Fill the rice cooker pot with water to about the 4-cup mark. Cover the rice cooker and set to Cook. When the water boils, place the steamer insert or basket that holds the plate of meatballs into the rice cooker. Cover the rice cooker and steam for 12 to 15 minutes until the meatballs are cooked.
   

Dim sum literally means “a touch of heart” in Chinese. Dim-sum items are usually served in small portions. Siu Mai is typically three dumplings steamed and served in a small bamboo steamer.

1. Mix ground chicken and spinach in a bowl with salt, pepper, soy sauce, sesame oil, and egg. Combine well to a moist yet firm consistency.
   

2. Lay one wonton wrapper flat on your palm and try to gather up the sides of the wrapper slightly with your fingers, shaping the wrapper into a “cup.” Use your finger to moisten the edges of the inside of the wrapper. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of filling onto the middle of the wrapper, maintaining the shape of the “cup.”
   

3. When filled (filling should almost be at the brim of the wrapper), gather up the wrapper and fold the edges so that the filling “sticks” on the wrapper and the Siu Mai is able to stand by itself when you flatten its base (the bottom should be about the size of a quarter). Place the Siu Mai on a plate that fits in the steamer insert or basket. Cover the plate with plastic wrap to prevent excess condensation during steaming.
   

4. Fill the rice cooker pot with water to about the 4-cup mark. Cover the rice cooker and set to Cook. When the water boils, place the steamer insert or basket that holds the plate of Siu Mai into the rice cooker. Cover the rice cooker and steam for 12 to 15 minutes until the chicken cooks through.
   

Cooking Tip

Pork Siu Mai is common in most Chinese restaurants that serve dim sum. The pork fats incorporated into the filling make the Siu Mai juicy and moist. If you substitute chicken, the result will be quite different, as chicken is a leaner meat. The use of spinach in this recipe helps to introduce some moisture into the filling so that the final Siu Mai does not turn out too dry.

The dim-sum menu in Chinese restaurants has become quite extensive over the years. Steamed dim-sum items such as
Siu Mai
and Char Siew Bao (Steamed Pork Buns) remain very popular among dim-sum patrons. This steamed tofu item is also quite popular and is easy to prepare at home.

1. Using a teaspoon, scoop out a little “well” in the middle of each tofu slice, reserving the scooped-out tofu in a bowl. Set aside the slices on a plate that fits into the steamer insert or basket.
   

2. Mash the reserved tofu and combine with chicken, spinach, salt, pepper, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Shape the filling mixture into uniformly sized balls, using about 2 teaspoonfuls of filling for each. Place one ball into the “well” of each slice. Cover the plate with plastic wrap to prevent excess condensation during steaming.
   

3. Fill the rice cooker pot with water to about the 4-cup mark. Cover the rice cooker and set to Cook. When the water boils, place the steamer insert or basket that holds the plate of tofu into the rice cooker. Cover the rice cooker and steam for 10 to 12 minutes until the chicken cooks through.
   

Egg Tofu

In supermarkets, especially Chinese supermarkets, you can find egg tofu in the same section as soft and firm tofu. However, egg tofu is typically packaged in a long cylindrical tube, whereas soft and firm tofu is packaged in square or rectangular boxes. You can also use soft tofu for this recipe by slicing the tofu into smaller blocks and then scooping small “wells” as directed.

These are also called begedil in Malaysia and perkedel in Indonesia. Essentially, they are fried potato cakes made with ground beef.

1. Mash the boiled potatoes gently using the back of a fork. Set aside.
   

2. Add 1 tablespoon oil 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 5 minutes until they turn slightly soft and caramelized.
   

3. Add the beef and fry until browned and cooked through.
   

4. Add the water, cover the rice cooker, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. If the mixture bubbles too much, switch to Warm for the remaining cooking time (6 to 8 minutes total). Dish out and set aside.
   

5. In a large mixing bowl, mix mashed potatoes, cilantro, fried beef, shallots, salt, black pepper, and white pepper; combine evenly. Shape into round cakes, flatten slightly, and set aside on a plate.
   

6. Add the remaining oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, dip the potato cakes individually in the egg mixture to coat. Add the cakes to the rice cooker and pan-fry the cakes (work in batches) for 3 to 5 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy on the surface, being sure to cover the rice cooker while frying.
   

Time-Saving Tip

Use make-ahead
Fried Golden Shallots
and add them when mixing the mashed potatoes, cilantro, and fried beef mixture. The potato cakes will definitely taste different from the ones used in this recipe (still good, if not better) and will be more fragrant.

You can also use round cabbage instead of napa cabbage. However, round cabbage leaves may take longer to cook (or to soften). You can either adjust the steaming time accordingly or blanch the leaves for a longer time during preparation.

1. Add water to rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the water boils, add the napa cabbage, blanch 15 seconds (just to soften the leaves for easy wrapping), remove, and set aside to cool. Leave the water inside the rice cooker for steaming later.
   

2. Mince the shrimp. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
   

3. Mince the fish, and add to the shrimp. Mix well with salt, pepper, vegetables, Chinese cooking wine, sesame oil, and egg white. The final paste should not be too watery, and just slightly sticky.
   

4. Lay the cooled cabbage leaves on a flat surface (you can use 2 leaves so they partially overlap each other to increase the length of the roll). Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of seafood paste on the cabbage leaves (1 tablespoon for 1 leaf, 2 tablespoons for overlapped leaves). Fold up the edges and roll up the cabbage leaves to enclose the seafood mixture. Set aside on a plate that will fit in the steamer insert or basket. Cover the plate of cabbage rolls with plastic wrap to prevent excess condensation during steaming.
   

5. With the water from Step 1 still in the rice cooker, cover the rice cooker and set to Cook. When the water in the rice cooker boils, place the steamer insert or basket that holds the plate of cabbage rolls into the rice cooker. Cover the rice cooker and steam for 8 to 10 minutes until the filling is cooked through.
   

6. When ready to serve, slice the rolls into smaller pieces.