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Last week, when I was cooking beans in my pressure cooker, I was thinking about how much use I get out of my 21 year old pressure cooker. I often refer to my pressure cooker as my Grandma’s microwave. She is the one who taught me to prepare all of the ingredients for Pork Roast with Sweet Potatoes or Swiss Steak in the morning and then place them in the pressure cooker 30 minutes before my husband gets from work, so I can have dinner ready when he walks in. My favorite way to use my pressure cooker is to quickly make rice. I remember the rice cooker craze of the early ‘90’s and at the time thought “why would I add another gadget when I already have a method for quickly cooking rice?” There are very few one-purpose tools in my kitchen because I would rather find a way to make something I already own do something new than purchase something new. However, I realize that now, people are more likely to have a rice cooker than a pressure cooker. This evening I was wondering how versatile a rice cooker actually was and started exploring the internet and discovered a few sites that have a variety of recipes for the rice maker:
Teczcape has many rice cooker recipes.
Gaper’s Block has an article that includes 7 basic recipes: The Rice Cooker is Your Friend
Food.com has 80 different rice cooker recipes, including mac and cheese and a frittatas.
If you have a rice maker are you only using it to make rice or are you using it as the one pot wonder that it actually is? Do you have any other specialty items that are actually quite versatile?
Zojirushi Master says
Good article. Another good source of rice cooker recipes and a host of information on rice cookers is Rice Cooker Fetish.
Swathi says
I have two rice cooker and few pressure cookers are there.
A Cooks Quest says
No rice cooker for this cook. I'm not a gadget person. I'm from the school of using quality pots, pans, knives, and utensils to get cooking done. So my rice is done on the stove in a regular pot with a tight fitting lid. I can't live without my stand mixer though because it makes bread making so so easy.
Laura says
I have used a rice cooker for more than 30 years (living in Japan will do that to you) and although I usually only use it for rice, I do cook other grains in it as well, like quinoa, bulgur, etc. because it's so easy. I like that my current rice cooker does brown rice (my first one didn't). We eat a lot of rice though, so it gets used a lot even if it's primarily only used for one thing.
My son took a small rice cooker to college and used it to make all sorts of stuff.
My current cooker (bought in 1996) is pretty banged up and I'm looking at replacing it in the next couple of years. Something else to save for, but I really, really can't imagine not having a rice cooker!
Zimms Zoo says
I don't have a rice cooker and have often thought about getting one because I saw a blog that she cooks her oatmeal in one too.
But I use my slow-cooker for rice and just about everything else like that. My beans, ground beef, etc. My mom LOVES her pressure cooker though and has had one for about 40 years.
Melynda says
I am guilty of too many 1 task machines (I love kitchen stuff!) but a rice cooker I have never wanted. I have a pressure cooker and will need to try your recipes, because I already know I don't use it enough. thanks.
Hodgepodgemom says
I don't own a rice cooker but maybe after seeing all you found!