Cooking with a Rice Cooker: What did you make?

[TdeV]

Just succumbed to whispers from The eGullet Enablers (including @palo, @weinoo, @JoNorvelleWalker, and many others). Bought a Zojirushi NW-JEC10 Pressure Induction Heating Rice Cooker manufactured in Japan. Although there are many eG threads for discussions of rice cookers, I couldn't find a thread showing what people have cooked.

 

One of my purchase triggers was Beth Hensperger's Ultimate Rice Cooker cookbook which recipes often include pre-cooking onions, garlic, mirepoix, etc. in the rice cooker bowl before the rice goes in. Nothing in the manual or Zojirushi's recipe website include any instructions for pre-cooking (how to warm up the rice bowl, what temperature to set it to, etc.). Does anyone pre-cook vegetables or meat in their rice cooker?

 

Zo's website instructions suggest pre-cooking in a separate pan. So that's what I did yesterday using some old shiitake mushrooms, and dehydrated mushrooms covered with boiling water and 1 tablespoon of each: soy sauce, mirin and cooking sake. Mushrooms drained (soaking water reserved). Into sauté pan (with olive oil) went sliced shiitake and reconsituted mushrooms and 1/2 cup soaking water for 5 minutes or so. This netted about 2 cups mushrooms. 2 go basmati rice into cooker, remaining soaking water + water. No added salt.

 

Tasted okay. I'm incredibly curious about what else can be done!

 

 

[ElsieD]

I have the Zo 5 cup non-induction one.  I have used it quite a bit and really like it, but one thing I tried was sauting an onion in it before carrying on with adding the rest of the ingredients.  It took so long that I finished them on the stove and then added the onions back into the rice cooker.  Maybe the induction ones do a better job of this than the non-induction ones.

[weinoo]

I just don't think that rice cookers are great for sautéing stuff.

[rotuts]

@TdeV 

 

I  think you have a fine RiceCooker , and the Ultimate book is outstanding

 

if you want to add something w saute like characteristics 

 

do that separately .

 

then , decide when you add it to the Rice Pot .

 

at the beginning ?  the Middle  of cooking ?  at the end ?

 

think about it.

 

Ive enjoyed adding ( at the  beginning )

 

slices of ginger ( sliced from frozen )  

 

and lemon grass   ( not easy for me to get , so from peeled Fz )

 

in slices easily retrieved from the finished rice.

 

and , my favorite   chinese sausage ( de skinned , sliced USA versions )

 

porky , a bit sweet   Ive added 1/2 way though k thinking a full cycle would be too

 

long for the sausage      but who knows.

 

so think :  at the beginning ?   midway though the cooking ?   at the end , and let steep for a bit.

 

RC's are wonderful and versital push button items .

 

no WiFI or BluTooth (  just yet   )

[heidih]

My Zo is at least 30years old and has suffered a few falls. But I use it often.  Many here set some lap cheong (Chinese sausage) on top and let it flavor the rice. God-daughter prefers the sausage with bok choi in steamer and the coco rice alongside.The furthest I go from water + rice is my coconut rice and sometimes peas. Use half coconut milk for the liquid, bit of chicken powder, pinch of S& B Oriental curry powder,  few saffron threads. For the pea version I simmer on stove a handful of split peas in some water until 1/2 done and add that at beginning, adjusting liquid amount. As peas break down the end result is a bit crusty on the bottom like a tahdig. When dings done add good handful of minced cilantro and thin sliced green onion or garlic chives (about to flower preferred). Nuoc mam or your spicy sauce preference alongside. I've also set some boneless skinless fish filets on top and they happily steam along. As @weinoo stated tryng to sautee in it is not so great. To me like using the crock pot for slow cooking and pre-sauteeing ingredients. Well then just cook over low flame and save pot cleaning. 

[lindag]

16 hours ago, TdeV said:

Just succumbed to whispers from The eGullet Enablers (including @palo, @weinoo, @JoNorvelleWalker, and many others). Bought a Zojirushi NW-JEC10 Pressure Induction Heating Rice Cooker manufactured in Japan. Although there are many eG threads for discussions of rice cookers, I couldn't find a thread showing what people have cooked.

 

One of my purchase triggers was Beth Hensperger's Ultimate Rice Cooker cookbook which recipes often include pre-cooking onions, garlic, mirepoix, etc. in the rice cooker bowl before the rice goes in. Nothing in the manual or Zojirushi's recipe website include any instructions for pre-cooking (how to warm up the rice bowl, what temperature to set it to, etc.). Does anyone pre-cook vegetables or meat in their rice cooker?

 

Zo's website instructions suggest pre-cooking in a separate pan. So that's what I did yesterday using some old shiitake mushrooms, and dehydrated mushrooms covered with boiling water and 1 tablespoon of each: soy sauce, mirin and cooking sake. Mushrooms drained (soaking water reserved). Into sauté pan (with olive oil) went sliced shiitake and reconsituted mushrooms and 1/2 cup soaking water for 5 minutes or so. This netted about 2 cups mushrooms. 2 go basmati rice into cooker, remaining soaking water + water. No added salt.

 

Tasted okay. I'm incredibly curious about what else can be done!

 

 

 

You will be  forever grateful to us for enabling your purchase.

[TdeV]

@lindag, I wanted to laugh. But thanking you came first. 😀

[TdeV]

How much does rice absorb flavours of broth + ingredients vs. always cooking rice in the rice cooker without additions or flavourings? All recipes from Zojirushi seem to only put rice and water in the cooker.

 

Perhaps they don't feel the pot can be cleaned?

[blue_dolphin]

29 minutes ago, TdeV said:

All recipes from Zojirushi seem to only put rice and water in the cooker.

 

Not sure what you have in mind.  Risotto?  Something else?  This recipe from Zojirushi, Chesapeake Crab Carrot Rice uses carrot juice and Old Bay-type seasoning in the rice cooker to season the rice. 

This one, Chicken Dry Curry, adds a whole bunch of stuff. 

And this one, Eastern Mediterranean Vegetables and Brown Rice

 

Edited February 10, 2024 by blue_dolphin
to add recipe (log)

[rotuts]

@TdeV

 

Ive used both my ancient National/Panasonic  and newer inaction Zo

 

flavor added to the water in  the form of Patak curry pastes 

 

1/2 way through cooking I stir the rice 

 

and again when finished cooking.

 

no problems w clean up  

 

so far 

 

Basmati rice for Byriani   etc

[Shel_B]

Since I'm considering the purchase of a rice cooker, I read this thread.

 

Some friends use their rice cooker for, among other things, making oatmeal.  I wonder how a cooker would work for polenta ... my friends have not used their cooker for any corn-based applications although I frequently make polenta and other cornmeal items. Rice cooker for grits, perhaps?

[ElsieD]

@Shel_B I have a book called The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook by Beth Hensperger.  She has some recipes for grits in there and says they can be cooked on the regular or porridge cycle.  She also has recipes for grains - yesterday I cooked farro in my rice cooker to make a farro, corn and tomato salad.

[rotuts]

@ElsieD

 

that's a fine book.

 

I saw it in the library years ago when it was new

 

and it converted me from an on //off rice cooker

 

 

fine for rice

 

to a fuzzy

 

the porridge cycle handles milk well , does not scorch the milkj

 

and that's how I now make my steel cut oats.

 

I got a fuzzy for my father , and he made paella and risotto i  it

 

w no fuss at all.  w excellent results.

[Shel_B]

13 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

@Shel_B I have a book called The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook by Beth Hensperger.  She has some recipes for grits in there and says they can be cooked on the regular or porridge cycle.  She also has recipes for grains - yesterday I cooked farro in my rice cooker to make a farro, corn and tomato salad.

Thanks for the tip.  The book is available through a number of used booksellers for as little as $2.00.  I may go ahead and get a copy even though I've not decided on buying a cooker. It might help me make a decision.

[Tropicalsenior]

The book is also available as an ebook. That's how I have it and it is one of the better ones to be able to read online.

[ElsieD]

15 minutes ago, Tropicalsenior said:

The book is also available as an ebook. That's how I have it and it is one of the better ones to be able to read online.

 

Mine is a Kindle and I find it easy to navigate.