The Everything Rice Cooker Cookbook (8 page)

Storing Ginger

Put unpeeled fresh ginger in a small paper bag and store in the fridge for about one to two weeks. You can also wrap the ginger in newspaper and store in a cool, dry place.

Compared to soups such as
Minestrone
and
Curried Carrot and Ginger Soup
, this soup is heartier due to the addition of the potato and meat. Substitute the sausages with chorizo sausage or salami as a variation and to suit your preference.

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, garlic, and Italian sausage. Fry for about 8 minutes until the onions turn soft and the sausage is browned at the edges, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
   

2. Add the potatoes and cabbage and continue to fry about 8 minutes until cabbage turns slightly tender, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
   

3. Add water or stock to the pot, cover the rice cooker, and bring to a boil.
   

4. When the mixture is boiling, switch the rice cooker to Warm and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until potatoes cook through. Sprinkle with paprika for added spice.
   

This easy fried-rice recipe, characterized by the distinct, mildly spicy, and tangy flavors of fragrant Thai herbs, makes use of ready-made Tom Yum paste, which is available in the ethnic sections of many supermarkets. This bottled paste boosts the flavor of dishes almost instantly.

1. Add the oil to the rice cooker pot, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the shrimp and fry for 2 to 3 minutes until cooked (turns pink). Dish out and set aside. Leave the remaining oil in the pot.
   

2. Add the lemongrass to the pot and fry for about 3 minutes until fragrant.
   

3. Add the Tom Yum paste, long beans, corn, peas, bell peppers, and red chilies. Fry for about 5 minutes.
   

4. Stir in the water gradually, cover the rice cooker, and allow to reach a simmer. Once the mixture is simmering, lift up the rice cooker lid and continue cooking until the vegetables become tender.
   

5. Return the shrimp to the pot and mix well. Make sure there is some gravy, but not too much, since you do not want the rice to become too soggy. Dish out mixture and set aside.
   

6. Add the cooked rice to the rice cooker. Return the Tom Yum mixture to the rice cooker and toss it with the rice, mixing thoroughly. Keep in the rice cooker on Warm until ready to serve.
   

Do You Know?

Lemongrass is also known as citronella grass or fever grass. The oil of citronella is commonly used as a mosquito repellent.

Donburi and Don have been used interchangeably to mean “bowl” or “bowl of a meal of rice.” The common Donburi are Katsudon (Pork Cutlet Donburi), Gyudon (Beef Donburi), Oyakodon (Chicken Donburi), and Unadon (Eel Donburi).

1. In a bowl, mix dashi stock, mirin, Japanese soy sauce, and salt. Add half the stock mixture to the rice cooker, cover, set to Cook, and bring mixture to a slight simmer.
   

2. When simmering, add half the onions, cover the rice cooker, and cook for about 3 minutes until onions turn soft, switching to Warm if mixture boils vigorously.
   

3. Add half of the chicken, set the rice cooker to Cook, and cook for about 5 minutes or until chicken cooks through, switching to Warm if the mixture boils too vigorously.
   

4. Switch the rice cooker to Warm. Gradually pour in half the eggs and allow to simmer until the egg almost sets. Gently slide the chicken, onions, and egg mixture into a serving bowl, on top of the cooked rice.
   

5. Repeat with remaining half of stock mixture, onions, chicken, and eggs.
   

What Is Dashi Stock?

The essential two ingredients to dashi stock are kombu seaweed and bonito flakes. Dashi stock is the base of many soups and noodle dishes in Japan such as miso, ramen, and soba.

Bibimbap (which literally means “mixed rice”) is a bowl of warm white rice topped with seasoned vegetables, thinly sliced beef, fried egg (sometimes raw egg if a stone pot is used instead of a bowl) and gochujang (Korean chili pepper paste). Before serving, all these ingredients are stirred together with the rice.

1. Fill the rice cooker pot with water to about the 4-cup mark. Cover the rice cooker and set to Cook. Place the salmon on a plate that will fit into the steamer insert or basket. When the water in the rice cooker boils, place the steamer insert or basket that holds the plate of salmon into the rice cooker and steam, with the rice cooker covered, for about 6 minutes until the salmon cooks through. Remove the salmon from the plate and with the help of two forks, break the fish into bite-sized pieces.
   

2. Place the spinach on the plate in the steamer insert or basket and steam for 1 to 2 minutes until the spinach becomes tender. Remove the plate of spinach and drain off excess liquid. When cooled, julienne the spinach (cut into strips).
   

3. Clean out the 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 eggs and fry into an omelet. Remove eggs from the cooker and set aside. When cooled, slice into thin strips.
   

4. Add the cooked rice into the rice cooker and set to Cook. Add bell peppers and kimchi, and mix well with rice.
   

5. Smooth the top of the rice in the rice cooker, then arrange the salmon, eggs, and spinach over the rice. Cover the rice cooker and switch to Warm.
   

6. Before serving, add the gochujang on top of the rice, and garnish with green onions and a drizzle of sesame oil. When served, fluff up the rice, mixing with all the ingredients. Garnish with green onions and a drizzle of sesame oil.
   

This is also popularly known as Nasi Lemak in Singapore and Malaysia. Nasi means “rice” and lemak means “cream.” Because the cream used in Nasi Lemak is coconut cream or thick coconut milk, Nasi Lemak is also known as coconut rice. It usually is served with cucumber, hard-boiled egg, and sambal chili.

1. Rinse rice well by gently swirling the rice in the cooker pot with 2 or 3 changes of cold water until the water is not “cloudy” anymore. Drain rice and return to the rice cooker pot.
   

2. Add water, coconut milk, screwpine leaves, and salt to the rice in the pot, cover the rice cooker, and set to Cook. (Cooking time varies with the type of rice cooker used. Most automatic rice cookers will switch to Warm when the rice is cooked.)
   

3. After rice is cooked, do not open the cover immediately. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes to vent off the remaining steam. Fluff up the rice before serving.
   

Do You Know?

Screwpine leaves are also known as pandan leaves. An Asian ingredient used commonly in Southeast Asian cooking, these long leaves can sometimes be found in the frozen section of Asian supermarkets and can be used when cooking savory dishes and sweet desserts.

In Hyderabad, India, this dish is usually named Dum Biryani due to the method of slow cooking (Dum Pukht), whereby the meat (usually chicken, mutton, or lamb) is layered with the rice and cooked under low flame in a sealed container.

1. Rinse rice well by gently swirling the rice in the cooker pot with 2 or 3 changes of cold water until the water is not “cloudy” anymore. Drain rice and set aside in a separate bowl.
   

2. Clean out the rice cooker pot and wipe dry. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to the rice cooker pot, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the shallots and fry about 5 minutes until shallots turn soft. Remove and set aside.
   

3. Add the cashews and raisins and fry for about 2 minutes, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying. Remove and set aside.
   

4. Add remaining butter to the pot. Add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom pods, turmeric, and diced tomatoes, and fry for about 2 to 3 minutes.
   

5. Stir in the rice and mix well with the spices.
   

6. Return the shallots to the pot, add the water and salt to the pot, cover the rice cooker, and cook the rice until done. (Cooking time varies with the kind of rice cooker used. Most automatic rice cookers will switch to Warm when the rice is cooked.)
   

7. After the rice is cooked, do not open the cover immediately. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes to vent off the remaining steam. Fluff up the rice and top with cashew nuts and raisins before serving.
   

This easy recipe uses tomatoes to flavor up rice. If desired, serve with curry and cucumber raita (a yogurt condiment).

1. Rinse rice well by gently swirling the rice in the cooker pot with 2 or 3 changes of cold water. Drain rice and set aside.
   

2. Clean out the rice cooker pot and wipe dry. Add the butter to the rice cooker pot, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the cinnamon and fry for about 2 minutes, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
   

3. Stir in diced tomatoes, water or vegetable stock, salt, and rice; mix well. Cover rice cooker and cook the rice until done, about 30 minutes. (Cooking time varies with the kind of rice cooker used. Most automatic rice cookers will switch to Warm when the rice is cooked.)
   

4. After rice is cooked, do not open the cover immediately. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes to vent off the remaining steam. Fluff up the rice before serving.
   

Make Your Own Cucumber Raita

This condiment, which is popular in Indian cuisine, is easy to prepare. Drain 1 cup peeled and thinly sliced cucumber on paper towel. While the cucumber is draining, stir ½ teaspoon cumin and ½ teaspoon salt into ½ cup plain yogurt. Add sliced cucumbers to the yogurt mixture and mix well. Serve as a good cooling partner with spicy curries.

This dish is also known as Nasi Kunyit. Kunyit is a Malay word for turmeric, which is the ingredient that gives this rice its yellow color. Traditionally, sticky glutinous rice is used when making Nasi Kunyit. This recipe uses regular long-grain rice instead, as that variety is most common and popular in many homes.

1. Rinse rice well by gently swirling the rice in the cooker pot with 2 or 3 changes of cold water. Drain rice and set aside in a separate bowl.
   

2. Clean out the rice cooker pot and wipe dry. Add the oil to the rice cooker pot, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the cinnamon, cardamom, and star anise and fry for about 5 minutes until fragrant, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
   

3. Add the rice, turmeric, cumin, and salt to the pot and mix well.
   

4. Add the water and cover. Cook until rice is done. (Cooking time varies with the kind of rice cooker used. Most automatic rice cookers will switch to Warm when the rice is cooked.)
   

5. After rice is cooked, do not open the cover immediately. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes to vent off the remaining steam. Fluff up the rice before serving.
   

This is sometimes touted as the national dish in Singapore, initially brought in by the immigrants from Hainan, China. Because its roots are in Hainan, this dish is also known as Hainanese Chicken Rice.