Against The Grain – 5 Surprising Things You Never Knew You Could Cook in a Rice Cooker

Until recently, most Australians’ experience with rice cookers was likely to be a stolen glance behind the counter at their favourite Chinese or Japanese restaurant. As multiculturalism has boomed, Asian and Asian fusion foods have risen from a novelty to become part of the national gastronomic identity.

MasterChef has made names like Melissa Leong, Adam Liaw, Poh Ling Yeow, Brendan Pang, Jess Lemon, Khanh Ong and more instantly recognisable. Meanwhile, innovative chefs and restaurateurs like Luke Nguyen, Kylie Kwong, Elizabeth Chong and countless others have been towering figures who have redefined the local culinary scene.

It should therefore come as no surprise that more Aussies are cooking Asian-inspired food at home. In fact, a 2023 study found that four Asian cuisines make it into the top 10 styles that Australian families cook at home¹.

Unsurprisingly, alongside this trend, the amount of rice that Australian households consume has skyrocketed by around 300% in the past three decades². Whether we’re rolling sushi for a Zen-inspired Japanese feast, rocking your clay pot for an authentic home-made Korean-style bibimbap, or firing up your non-stick wok for a classic Chinese stir-fry, there’s going to be some rice involved.

If you’ve ever tried cooking rice on the stovetop, you’ll be familiar with the heartache and frustration that can ensue. With so many variables at play, even the slightest deviation can result in undercooked crunch or a gluggy, goopy mess.

High-quality rice cookers like GreenPan’s advanced non-stick, non-toxic rice cooker take the guesswork and margin for error out of cooking perfectly fluffy rice every time. If you’re still on the fence about whether to add a rice cooker to your kitchen armoury, there’s a good chance you’re wondering whether the investment is worth it for an appliance that essentially does one job.

Fortunately, we have some welcome news for you. There is way more to your average rice cooker than just the humble white (or brown) grain.

Our mission today is to reveal the secret powers lurking beneath the surface of your rice cooker. Once you’ve discovered how many and varied its talents are, you’re sure to realise that it’s a sound investment.

Rice Cooker Revelation - They’re Not Just For Rice

We call our snazzy unit a “Rice and Grains Cooker” for a very good reason. All grains are cooked using a variation on the same basic method, involving water and heat. Whether you’re churning out staples such as barley, oats and quinoa, or getting creative with farro, freekah, bulghur, millet or even beans and pulses, your rice cooker is up to the task. Be sure to check your unit’s recommended setting for each variety and get the right measurements to ensure great results every time.

If you still need more convincing, then hold onto your hats. We’re about to rock your world with a sneak peek into some things you never thought would be possible to whip up in a rice cooker. Ready? We are:

5 Surprising & Unusual Things You Can Cook in a Rice Cooker

If you still need more convincing, then hold onto your hats. We’re about to rock your world with a sneak peek into some creative, surprisingly simple and utterly delectable recipes you never thought would be possible to whip up in a rice cooker. Ready? We are:!

1. Superb Indian Quinoa Biryani

If you’re intrigued by the thought of cooking grains other than rice in your shiny, new rice cooker, but unsure where to start, this absolute banger of a dish will have you convinced of your gadget’s superpowers after one bite. Lovers of Indian food will delight in the authentic flavours, while using quinoa instead of rice delivers a surprisingly delectable twist. Don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients. If you’re the kind of person who loves to cook Indian food at home, you likely have most of the spices in your pantry. If not, we assure you that the end result is well worth the investment!

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups of quinoa, well rinsed
• 2 ½ cups of vegetable stock
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 3 cups of your favourite chopped vegetables (e.g. potato, carrot, peas, capsicum, green beans, cauliflower) Frozen vegetables work perfectly for this dish.
• 2 tbsp of neutral oil or ghee
• 2 tsp of minced ginger & garlic, combined
• 1 bay leaf
• 2–3 whole cloves
• 2–3 green cardamom pods
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• 1 tsp of cumin seeds
• 1 tsp of garam masala
• 1 tsp of ground coriander
• ½ tsp of turmeric powder
• ½ tsp of chilli powder (feel free to increase or decrease depending on your heat tolerance)
• Salt to taste

Optional (but highly recommended) extras for garnish

• Fresh coriander & mint leaves, chopped
• Toasted cashews or almonds
• Fried onions (store-bought is fine, but homemade is always better if you have the time and energy)
• Lemon wedges

Methods:

1. Heat the oil or ghee in a pan.
2. Add the cumin seeds, bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon until the seeds start to crackle, then cook for another 30 seconds.
3. Add the sliced onion and sauté until golden. Stir in ginger-garlic paste until well blended, then add the tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes soften.
4. Add the turmeric, coriander powder, chili powder, and garam masala. Stir constantly for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
5. Mix in the vegetables and salt, ensuring that all the vegetables are evenly coated in the spice mix.
6. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly to remove bitterness and put it in the rice cooker bowl.
7. Add the masala spice base, chopped vegetables, and stock and stir well. Once everything is mixed well, taste and adjust the salt and/or spices according to preference, if necessary.
8. Close the rice cooker lid and set it to “Quinoa” mode.
9. When the cooker switches to “Warm”, let it rest covered for 10 minutes for the flavours to meld.
10. Fluff the quinoa gently with a fork.
11. Garnish with fresh coriander, mint, fried onions, and toasted nuts.

2. Creamy Pumpkin & Parmesan Risotto

While usually worth the effort, risotto demands constant attention and stirring. One wrong move and you could face an epic disaster. In a rice cooker? Cooking risotto is practically effortless.

Ingredients:

• 250 g of arborio rice
• 500 ml of vegetable stock
• 200 g of pumpkin, diced into ½ centimetre cubes
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 50 g of grated parmesan
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Methods:

1. Heat the olive oil in the rice cooker bowl. Add the onion and garlic, then sauté until fragrant.
2. Add the pumpkin and rice, stirring to coat.
3. Once the rice is well coated, pour in the stock, close the lid, and set to “white rice” function.
4. When the cycle ends, stir in the parmesan cheese, season with salt and pepper according to your taste, and serve hot.

Result: Creamy, flavour-packed risotto without babysitting the pot.

3. One-Pot Hainanese Chicken Rice

This hugely popular Asian dish is the subject of a significant degree of culinary controversy. Despite (unsurprisingly) originating in China’s southern island province of Hainan, other Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam have adapted it with their own signature flair, and vigorous debate rages as to which country can lay claim to the authentic - and tastiest version. The Asian restaurant boom in most major Australian cities has brought this international rivalry to our shores. While opinions may differ as to who is the victor, everyone agrees that Aussie diners are the big winners. If you’re craving the succulent, melt-in-your-mouth flavour and texture of this hugely popular specialty, here’s a quick and easy way to make the perfect version at home:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of jasmine rice (rinsed until water runs clear)
• 2–3 bone-in chicken thighs or 1 small chicken maryland (leave the skin on for extra flavour)
• 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 slices of fresh ginger
• 2 stalks of spring onion (separate the white part for cooking,and the green part for garnish)
• 2 ½ cups of chicken stock (or water with 1 tsp of chicken powder)
• 1 tbsp of sesame oil
• 1 tbsp of neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
• 1 tsp of salt
• Sliced cucumber for garnish
• Chili sauce

Methods:

1. Rinse the rice well and place it into the rice cooker bowl.
2. Heat the neutral oil in a small pan. When hot, add the garlic, ginger, and white part of the spring onions. Sauté the ingredients until they’re lovely and fragrant (usually about 1–2 minutes).
3. Add the aromatic mixture to the rice in the rice cooker.
4. Place the chicken thighs or Maryland on top of the rice with the skin side up.
5. Season lightly with salt and drizzle with sesame oil.
6. Pour the chicken stock into the rice cooker until it reaches the 2-cup rice mark. This should be about 2 ½ cups of liquid in total.
7. Set the rice cooker to "Cook" as if you were cooking plain rice. The chicken will steam-poach as the rice cooks.
8. When the cooker switches to “Warm,” let everything sit covered for 10–15 minutes. This allows the rice to finish steaming and the chicken to become extra tender.
9. Remove the chicken and slice it into bite-sized pieces.
10. Gently fluff the rice with a fork or paddle, incorporating the chicken juices back into the rice.
11. Serve the chicken on top of fragrant rice, garnished with sliced cucumber and spring onion greens. Serve with chilli sauce on the side. Alternatively, combine soy sauce and sesame oil to use for dipping.

4. Hearty Lentil & Vegetable Stew

There are few things more delightful in winter than the fragrant warmth of comforting, hearty soups and stews. You may be shocked to find such a recipe in a rice cooker how-to guide. However, you will be even more pleasantly surprised when you realise how perfectly these winter warmers can come out in your versatile little powerhouse. Just follow the simple recipe below for the perfect antidote to the plummeting mercury:

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 celery sticks, chopped
• 1 cup red lentils (200 g)
• 800 ml of vegetable stock
• 1 tsp of cumin
• 1 tsp of smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper

Methods:

1. Place the onion, carrot, celery, cumin, and paprika in the rice cooker.
2. Stir everything briefly to combine the flavours and spices, then add the lentils and stock.
3. Close the lid and set the cooker to “brown rice” mode.
4. After about 35–40 minutes, the lentils should be tender and the stew thickened. Season to taste.

5. Rice Cooker Chocolate cake

No, you don’t need glasses; you read that just right. Another hidden superpower that few people realise their rice cooker has is the ability to cook mind-blowing cakes and other baked goods. The secret lies in the heating element, which provides a reliably consistent temperature crucial for outstanding results, and the airtight cooking space that traps the heat in. Here is a simple, classic chocolate cake recipe to get your rice cooker-based baking journey started:

Ingredients:

• 120 g of plain flour
• 50 g of cocoa powder
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 150 g of raw sugar
• 100 ml of milk
• 50 ml of vegetable oil
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract

Methods:

1. Grease the rice cooker bowl well so the entire surface is well covered
2. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, milk, oil, and vanilla together until combined.
3. Sift in the flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Stir the entire mixture into a smooth batter.
4. Pour the mixture into the rice cooker bowl, then close the lid.
5. Set to “white rice” cycle. When finished, check the cake with a skewer. If the skewer comes out dry, your cake is done. If there’s still some wet batter sticking to it, run another short cycle to complete the baking process.

Convinced yet? Hopefully, these recipes convince you that a rice cooker is an indispensable tool that you need in your kitchen. However, there are so many options on the market - which one to choose?

Let’s just say we have a strong recommendation. Introducing the…

GreenPan Bistro Rice & Grains Cooker

We may be biased, but whichever way you look at it, our beautiful, versatile, high-performing rice cooker has it all. Let’s look at the outstanding product highlights and features that make it such an exceptional addition to your kitchen:

• Large capacity: With a capacity of two litres, it can produce up to 8 cups of cooked rice, enough to feed a hungry family.
• Unmatched versatility: Our rice cooker comes with four handy presets (white rice, brown rice, quinoa, steel-cut oats). Just choose the correct mode for the job, set and forget.
• PFAS-free, non-toxic construction: Like all our products, the bowl boasts our trademark Thermolon^TM ceramic non-stick coating, which is free from PFAS, PFOA, lead, cadmium and other potentially harmful chemicals.
• Easy clean-up: Food glides right off the non-stick surface, making clean-up a breeze. Better still, all parts are dishwasher safe!
• Fuzzy logic: In-built intelligence is always at work, automatically adjusting settings to ensure you get perfectly cooked results, every time.
• Compact and attractive design: The sleek, space-saving design ensures the unit fits snugly on any countertop, adding to the aesthetic appeal of your kitchen space.
• Easy-to-use, one-touch controls panel: No complex array of buttons, just simple, intuitive controls that make using this rice cooker child’s play.

The GreenPan Rice & Grains Cooker isn’t just about perfect rice. It’s about expanding your cooking repertoire with minimal effort. With its ceramic non-stick interior, handy presets, compact size, and beautiful design, it’s the ultimate proof that a rice cooker should be on your list of appliances you need in your kitchen.

In the market for more superbly functional, stunning-looking toys that can help you cook better and healthier? Explore GreenPan’s exceptional range of electrical appliances, featuring slow cookers, air fryers, electric frypans, and teppanyaki grills, and more. Our range will help you elevate your cooking game from good to great.

Note:
1. Medianet - August 21st, 2023: Australia’s most popular cuisine has been revealed in a new survey which shows how patriotic Aussies truly are
2. Helgi Library - November 16th, 2023: Rice Consumption Per Capita in Australia
3. SBS Food - March 8th, 2022: From Hainan to Saigon: How Hainanese chicken took flight