Rice / Rice Cookers / Meal Prep

Raymond Lin · 8 Dec 2021 at 14:28

I know rolled oats porridge don't take any hour...I did say that too and why I said you need to play with the ratio and why I brought it to attention that the button for porridge is not what you think it is, as pointed out from the Zojirushi website.

Rolled oats, Steel cut, it's still oats, it's not rice. It's different grain, OBVIOUSLY.

I feel like i am just repeating myself now. Just know that Porridge button is for rice porridge, as stated on the website.

jpaul · 9 Dec 2021 at 09:43

we want to get to the bottom of their porridge capability with different style of oats - steel cut cooks like rice - tough cookies, I use them 3 times a week,
the 3kg bag I bought is taking some getting through.

.. on the other hand I cook rice maybe once every couple of weeks, often for kedgeree or egg rice, where, rice cooker is also less useful, as you want to cook through other ingredients, once the rice is cooked , so doing it on a hob with more power is more efficient.

jpaul · 9 Dec 2021 at 21:52

eventually read this
https://ask.metafilter.com/352093/What-Am-I-Missing-With-Rice-Cooker-Oatmeal

... so rolled oat porridge preparation really a no-no , and I'd need to switch permanently to steel-cut porridge if I wanted a breakfast porridge ready for breakfast.

dlockers · 22 Dec 2021 at 08:36

Guys,

Does anyone have any good links to rice cooker recipes?

I'm finding it a real chore to get basic, simple instructions for things like rice and peas/ rice and kidney beans etc? Either they don't exist or I'm searching the wrong terms.

jpaul · 22 Dec 2021 at 09:17

oxymoron but I concluded dedicated rice cookers are only good for cooking rice , and that even rolled oat uk porridge would not be possible unless thy provided a manual override on cooking time, you can't throw in peas, especially uncooked/cold.

so was now considering/bookmarked products like aroma 994 and it's successors.
https://mdm8ew4ao84ccj431fh9jzie-wp...-content/uploads/2021/08/ARC-994SB_manual.pdf

Raymond Lin · 22 Dec 2021 at 09:34

dLockers said:
Guys,

Does anyone have any good links to rice cooker recipes?

I'm finding it a real chore to get basic, simple instructions for things like rice and peas/ rice and kidney beans etc? Either they don't exist or I'm searching the wrong terms.

Rice cooker will be used to make plain rice 99% of the time.

the other uses for it would be things to go with your meal, using the rack to steam dishes. I would avoid putting vegetables in it unless you want it to overcooked and turn out like mush.

Like this, which is a classic.

https://chineserecipesforall.com/recipes/view/pork-ribs-in-black-bean-sauce-rice-cooker-recipe

You can, replace the water with chicken stock to give the rice a base flavour. I have been doing that with some ham bouillon that I have lying around.

dlockers · 22 Dec 2021 at 10:22

Raymond Lin said:
Rice cooker will be used to make plain rice 99% of the time.

the other uses for it would be things to go with your meal, using the rack to steam dishes. I would avoid putting vegetables in it unless you want it to overcooked and turn out like mush.

Like this, which is a classic.

https://chineserecipesforall.com/recipes/view/pork-ribs-in-black-bean-sauce-rice-cooker-recipe

You can, replace the water with chicken stock to give the rice a base flavour. I have been doing that with some ham bouillon that I have lying around.

Thanks - I can see that, the Zojirushi recipe list is quite funny. Lots of elaborate recipes but the only involvement of the rice cooker is the rice itself

.

I guess what I was looking for was uses for the "mixed" button on the machine. I swear I have seen a few folk throw kidney beans or peas in?

Raymond Lin · 22 Dec 2021 at 10:26

dLockers said:
Thanks - I can see that, the Zojirushi recipe list is quite funny. Lots of elaborate recipes but the only involvement of the rice cooker is the rice itself .

I guess what I was looking for was uses for the "mixed" button on the machine. I swear I have seen a few folk throw kidney beans or peas in?

You can throw anything into the rice. I sometimes put in a tin of mackerel (Korma flavour) and the whole rice cooked with curry flavour with the mackerel embedded in it. That makes an easy, cheap and healthy meal. Can put in some frozen peas too if you want.

Anything you throw in will get cooked, but know that it will get to 100c long enough to cook raw pork so any veg will be overcooked. Not a problem for things like beans but peas will be not be green and carrots will be mush.

Martynt74 · 7 Mar 2022 at 08:19

Just to revive this slightly. I'm after a rice cooker to get out of the lazy habit of buying those pots of veetee rice.

Has anyone used a Ninja Foodi/Instant pot for rice cooking? Feels like it'd be useful to have all the other options too.

*For note, i am definitely not a rice expert, just someone who's useless at cooking rice in a pan 8 times out of 10

robj20 · 7 Mar 2022 at 09:06

Martynt74 said:
Just to revive this slightly. I'm after a rice cooker to get out of the lazy habit of buying those pots of veetee rice.

Has anyone used a Ninja Foodi/Instant pot for rice cooking? Feels like it'd be useful to have all the other options too.

*For note, i am definitely not a rice expert, just someone who's useless at cooking rice in a pan 8 times out of 10

Not as good as doing it in a pan of you ask me, just get a rice cooker a look on Yum Asia.

Martynt74 · 7 Mar 2022 at 10:25

Cheers. I've gone with the lower Yum Asia Kumo. I was considering the Sakuro and then standard scope creep to the Bamboo, but for us i think the Kumo will be sufficient.

Might consider an Instant pot style thing in the future though as a decent steamer would be good for veg. I'm not a big fan of boiling it.

robj20 · 7 Mar 2022 at 10:29

Martynt74 said:
Cheers. I've gone with the lower Yum Asia Kumo. I was considering the Sakuro and then standard scope creep to the Bamboo, but for us i think the Kumo will be sufficient.

Might consider an Instant pot style thing in the future though as a decent steamer would be good for veg. I'm not a big fan of boiling it.

I have the Kumo it's spot on. Let us know how you get on with it. I love the simplicity and convenience.

I have an Instant Pot Pro Crisp as well, rice in that is rubbish compared to the Kumo.
It's great for other things though, potatoes for mash in 2 minutes.
Does Sous Vide pretty well as well.

Martynt74 · 7 Mar 2022 at 10:32

I was eying up this one just because it's cheap

https://www.costco.co.uk/Appliances/Instant-Pot-Duo-Gourmet-9-in-1-57L-Multi-Pressure-Cooker/p/9146

However i think the air frying function would be useful (we borrowed my mother in laws Actifry once and liked it), so it would make sense to combine everything into one rather than cheaping out and missing out on functionality.

Raymond Lin · 7 Mar 2022 at 10:45

Martynt74 said:
I was eying up this one just because it's cheap

https://www.costco.co.uk/Appliances/Instant-Pot-Duo-Gourmet-9-in-1-57L-Multi-Pressure-Cooker/p/9146

However i think the air frying function would be useful (we borrowed my mother in laws Actifry once and liked it), so it would make sense to combine everything into one rather than cheaping out and missing out on functionality.

I have that instant pot and also a dedicated rice cooker and air fryer, the difference on the rice to me is night and day. Your taste buds might tell you otherwise.

I wouldn't get an instant pot for rice if rice is your main aim. If pressure cooking is your aim and rice secondary then that's more the angle i would approach it from.

There are a lot of videos online looking at the capability of the instant pot doing rice and air frying.

jpaul · 8 Mar 2022 at 16:26

Still looking for one that will do pinhead/steel-cut oats ready for breakfast - none of the rice cookers seem to have a versatile delayed, cook for just 20-30mins option;
quinoa might be interesting too, which doesn't take much more cooking, but I usually put some sauteed onions/celery in first.

Ideally there would be a cooking pot, with app, where you just specify the temperature/duration, and delayed start

Raymond Lin · 8 Mar 2022 at 19:08

jpaul said:
Still looking for one that will do pinhead/steel-cut oats ready for breakfast - none of the rice cookers seem to have a versatile delayed, cook for just 20-30mins option;
quinoa might be interesting too, which doesn't take much more cooking, but I usually put some sauteed onions/celery in first.

Ideally there would be a cooking pot, with app, where you just specify the temperature/duration, and delayed start

Thermomix?

jpaul · 9 Mar 2022 at 08:17

yes - good idea looks like thermomix can be programmed and would do rice/quinoa, can't immediately see a video of oat porridge, but don't see why not.
Rice Cooker Mode in the Thermomix® TM6
they're $$$ but the chefbot compact maybe more viable.
Chefbot Compact Multifunctional Chef Robot, Compact Design

hadn't realised thermomix does sous-vide