What do you use your rice cooker for?

[legend_018]

I'm not one to really like too many kitchen gadgets, but I have to admit my 3 cup rice cooker is pretty cool. I actually prefer to make my rice on the stove, so I've been using it to cook potatoes. It works so well. I have tried just putting a steamer basket in and I also tried just putting it on the tiny little rack it comes with that sits on the bottom. Some of the potatoes do end up sitting in the water, but it just feels so comfortable and I usually know how long it will take to cook the potatoes. I haven't tried vegetables yet.
I know you can cook all this stuff inside pots on the stove, but for some reason I'm liking it.

Anyone like there rice cooker? Anyone use it besides rice?

 

[B'sgirl]

So you steam the potatoes?

I use mine to cook quinoa. It's really great if you cook it with a little lime juice and then add fresh cilantro when it is done.

 

[legend_018]

Yes, I think they are pretty much steamed, other than a few that might lie in the water. I actually originally got the idea from Katie a long time ago when we were talking about potatoe salad. Now I alwasy cook my potatoes in there for potatoe salad. except I only have a 3 cup rice cooker so I can only make a small batch of potatoe salad. Last night, I had bought these baby yellow potoates and cooked them in there. Mixed them around in some butter and salt and served them with dinner. Yummy!!! Came out so soft and tender too.

 

[B'sgirl]

That sounds so good! It's a brilliant idea and I think I'm going to try it.

 

[MostlyWater]

i would love to try potatoes-do i need to peel and cut them up first or what ?

 

[GB]

My rice cooker is a fuzzy logic kind. Those you can not really use for steaming things. I love mine for rice. I also make the best risotto in it. You would think that risotto needs the constant attention you always here about, but my rice coorer version would fool just about anyone into thinking that it was made on the stove top.

 

[suziquzie]

care to share GB?
I'd love to try the potatoes for salad, thanks for the idea!

 

[GB]

I will have to look up the recipe when i get home Suzi and then put it into my own words as it is from a cookbook. I will try to remember to do that. If I forget then feel free to PM me to remind me to do it.

 

[roadfix]

We have Japanese rice cooker made by Tiger. We only use it to make rice, everyday.

 

[suziquzie]

I will have to look up the recipe when i get home Suzi and then put it into my own words as it is from a cookbook. I will try to remember to do that. If I forget then feel free to PM me to remind me to do it.

Thanks!
Now I just need to remember to remember to remind you to remember....

 

[legend_018]

I have done peeled and not peeled potatoes. the baby yellows I didn't peel and when I used the red potatoes (cut in 1/2) for potatoe salad recently, I also didn't peel it. I suppose if your going to make mashed potatoes, you might want to peel them. i've only done red and baby yellows.

 

[suziquzie]

When I make my potato salad I boil in water and 1/2 cup vinegar....
Would you put the vinegar in the steaming water or set the potatoes in a bit of water / vinegar mix?

 

[legend_018]

dont see any reason why vinegar can't be put into the water that goes into the rice cooker.

 

[GB]

Risotto Milanese

care to share GB?

3 cups chicken stock
pinch of saffron threads
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup plus 2 tbsp medium grain rice such as Arborio or Carnaroli

To Finish
1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan
salt

Heat 1 cup of stock and add the saffron, crushing it between your fingers as you add it. Set aside.

Set rice cooker to regular cycle and turn on. Put olive oil and butter into the rice cooker bowl and stir till the butter melts. Add the onion. Cook, stirring, until onion is soft. Add the wine and cook for another minute.

Add the rice and stir every once in a white until you see just a little white dot in the center of each grain. The ends of each piece of rice should be transparent or close to it. Add the chicken stock and the saffron (all of the stock).

Reset the rice cooker and close the cover. Set on the regular cycle and let it go until it is done (just like making regular rice at this point. With my cooker I find that Before I reset it I need to take the bowl out and let it cool for about 5 minutes first otherwise the rice cooker won't turn back on.

When the rice cooker is done, give it a stir. It will be a little soupy. This is OK. Add the butter and cheese and stir until the butter is melted. Serve right away.

These instructions are for fuzzy logic rice cookers. I am sure it can be done with a regular rice cooker too. You might just need to do everything up until you reset the cooker and close the lid on the stove top instead of the cooker.

 

[suziquzie]

Thank you GB!

 

[GB]

My pleasure.