Things you can do with a rice cooker.

[OtterInDisgrace]

So, first of all, I need ease of use and convenience because my kitchen is minute; gets boiling hot in summer and i don’t have a dishwasher. I also need to lose weight. So just bought a rice cooker (yum Asia mini panda) to help with this.

i used to cook, many years ago when I had a decent kitchen but since living here it’s really been down to ready meals and convenience.

I know you can cook all sorts in a rice cooker so am looking for ideas.

seriously, feel free to talk to me like it’s cliff notes for rice cookers as I have no idea!

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put in rice and water, then halfway through cooking throw in chopped vegetables and some pasta sauce. the rice and vegetables should finish cooking at the same time. turn off the cooker and stir in a tin of tuna.

Very simple and hearty meal and the only fat is whatever is in the pasta sauce. Even heartier if you add garbanzo or other beans with the vegetables.

or if you don't love tuna and tomato you can cook the rice and veg together then add pad Thai or green curry sauce, and put prawns in at the end instead of tuna.

Get a pressure cooker instead. A rice cooker is just an electric pan!

I put rice, spring onions, soy sauce, garlic, any abandoned vegetables and frozen dumplings from Aldi into ours. Cook for 15 minutes.

Easy and cheap dinner for when you have nothing in. I chop up enough veg for a few dinners and freeze, making it even lazier the next time.

Thanks for the recipes so far. I have a slow cooker but don’t use it. I’m happy if the rice cooker is just a pan - at least it’s only one pan!

I just bought the exact same one!!! I believe it can be used as a slow cooker too. My rice cooker instruction book has a recipe section in it.

I have enjoyed using it for brown rice, which I hated cooking on the hob. Also steaming Asian dumplings rather than frying.

I have this rice cooker, I like it. Fry off one of the little packs of chopped chorizo so the fat comes out, add to the rice with peppers, sweet corn, paprika, herbs.
or risotto with mushrooms. Leftover cooked chicken near the end.
think of all those Uncle Bens rice packets in the supermarket, and improvise your own additions!
I like the convenience of it keeping the rice warm if the main dish on the hob is not quite done, and how you don't have to keep an eye on a simmering pan. And it does do nice fluffy rice.

Just remembered they have a website with loads of recipes and ideas.