Read 7 Days of Rice - Rice Cooker Recipes for Free Online

Table of Contents
     
Introduction
     
About the Author
     
Choosing a Rice Cooker
     
How to Wash Rice
In a Rice Cooker Bowl | In a Seive
     
     
Recipes
Mushrooms and Rice
Green Peas, Sweetcorn and Rice
Rice Chili Stew
Imo Gohan
(Rice with Sweet Potatoes)
Mujaddara
(Lentils and Rice)
Sweet Rice Porridge with Dates
Sweet Apple Rice Porridge
     
Further Reading
     
Choosing a Rice Cooker
     
Rice cookers range in price dramatically. You can find them on Amazon for under $20 for the budget models, all the way up to over $500 for the most advanced models. In my experience, I have found the Japanese company Zojirushi to make what I consider to be the best rice cookers. Personally, I recommend Zojirushi Induction Heating rice cookers. This technology provides the most even heating to the rice cooker cooking bowl and makes what I consider to be superior rice.
     
     
Below are the different types of rice cookers commonly available (from cheapest to most expensive):
     
     
Electrical rice cooker
     
Has an on/off switch and uses a heating element under the cooking bowl to heat the rice. This type of rice cooker may or may not have a 'keep warm' function.
     
     
Micom rice cooker
     
This style of rice cooker has a 'Micro Computer' which controls the heating cycle. A micom rice cooker will typically cost over $100. It has a number of rice cooking options, e.g. white rice, brown rice, porridge, etc. These rice cookers utilize a heating element under the heating bowl.
     
     
Induction Heating rice cooker
     
An Induction Heating (IH) rice cooker includes Micom technology. The difference is in the heating method. Rather than a heating element, an IH rice cooker uses an electrical current to create a magnetic field which heats the cooking bowl directly. The heat comes from all around the cooking bowl which ensures the most even heat distribution.
     
     
Pressure rice cooker
     
In addition to Micom and IH, the top of the range models also feature pressure cooking. This helps to reduce the cooking time of the rice.
     
     
Even though I have used, and sometimes still use, pressure rice cookers, they are not my number one choice. Technically one could argue that they are more advanced than more basic Induction Heating models. However, the downside to the pressure rice cookers, other than their higher cost, is that we can't open them during the cooking cycle. This isn't a problem if you simply want to make plain rice. However, for all-in-one recipes, it is advantageous to have the option of opening the lid while the rice cooker is on.
     
     
How to Wash Rice
     
When cooking Japanese rice, a very important step is to wash it before cooking. Short grain rice is particularly starchy and if we don't wash it beforehand, it can become too sticky when cooked. I always wash my rice regardless of whether I am using short or long grain rice. Brown rice can simply be rinsed. The following procedure is a simple way to wash white rice. You can watch a video of me washing rice on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtQR2_mZKRA
     
     
Measure out the rice into the rice cooker cooking bowl.
Add a little bit of water and then mix the rice round with the tips of your fingers for about 10 seconds.
Add more water to the cooking bowl (about 1/2 full) then pour the water away. Be careful not to lose any rice!
Repeat steps 2 and 3 twice more.
Your rice is now washed.
     
Note: If you're concerned about wasting water, the "rice water" is an excellent natural fertilizer for the garden.
     
     
The other way I like to wash rice is using a sieve and bowl. This is handy when I don't want to add rice at the start of a recipe, for example Rice Cooker Stew
     
     
This video demonstrates the sieve washing technique: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knGf1OBxYxc
     
     
Measure out the rice into the sieve inside a bowl.
Place the bowl under the tap in the sink.
Turn the tap on gently and mix the rice round with the tips of your fingers for about 10