Steaming Dumplings: Tiger Rice Cooker's Hidden Talent

You can steam frozen dumplings to perfection with a rice cooker, as long as your cooker has a steamer basket. If your rice cooker doesn't come with its own basket, you can use an adjustable metal steamer basket with feet that fits inside your cooker. Fill the bowl of a rice cooker about a quarter of the way up with water, cover the rice cooker with the lid and turn it on to the cook or high setting, bringing the water to a low boil. Attach the metal steamer basket insert onto the rice cooker. If using an adjustable steamer basket, place it inside the rice cooker, ensuring the water does not touch the bottom of the steamer basket. Line the steamer basket with parchment paper to prevent the dumplings from sticking. Add the frozen dumplings to the lined steamer basket in a single layer, cover with the lid and steam for 15 to 25 minutes, until the dumplings are fully heated through.

How to steam dumplings in a rice cooker

Step 1: Prepare the Rice Cooker

First, fill the bowl of your rice cooker with water. The amount of water you need will depend on the type of rice cooker you have. If you have a rice cooker with a steamer basket, fill it about 1/4 of the way up. If your rice cooker doesn't have a steamer basket, fill it with an inch of water and place a bowl in the center, which will hold the dumplings.

Step 2: Prepare the Dumplings

If your dumplings are frozen, there is no need to defrost them first. Place the dumplings in a single layer in your steamer basket or bowl. If you are using a steamer basket, line it with parchment paper first to prevent the dumplings from sticking. You can also brush the basket with sesame oil, but be aware that this will affect the flavor of your dumplings.

Step 3: Steam the Dumplings

Place the steamer basket or bowl of dumplings in the rice cooker, ensuring that the water does not touch the bottom of the steamer basket. Cover the rice cooker with the lid and turn it on. If your rice cooker has a steam setting, use this. Otherwise, set it to "cook" or "high".

Let the dumplings steam for 10 to 20 minutes. Frozen dumplings may take longer to cook through, up to 30 minutes. Check the dumplings periodically to ensure they do not overcook.

Step 4: Serve

Carefully open the rice cooker, being cautious of the hot steam. Let the dumplings rest for a few minutes to allow excess moisture to evaporate, then transfer them to a serving tray. Serve with a dipping sauce of equal parts sesame oil and soy sauce.

How to steam frozen dumplings without a steamer basket

Yes, you can steam frozen dumplings in a Tiger rice cooker. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to steam frozen dumplings without a steamer basket:

Firstly, fill the bowl of your rice cooker with water. The ideal amount is about a quarter of the way up, but if you are using a bowl placed inside the cooker, fill it with an inch of water. Cover the cooker with the lid and turn it on to the "cook" or "high" setting to bring the water to a low boil.

If you are using a metal steamer basket, attach the insert to the cooker, ensuring that the water does not touch the bottom of the basket. If you don't have a steamer basket, you can place a bowl in the center of the cooker and fill it with dumplings.

Line the steamer basket or bowl with parchment paper to prevent the dumplings from sticking. You can also use a light coat of sesame oil for this purpose.

Arrange the frozen dumplings in a single layer in the basket or bowl. Cover with the lid and steam for 15-25 minutes, or until the dumplings are fully heated through. You can check this by cutting one open after 15 minutes, and giving it another 10 if needed.

Once the dumplings are cooked, carefully open the rice cooker and let them rest for 5 minutes to allow excess moisture to evaporate. Then, transfer them to a serving tray.

You can serve steamed dumplings with a dipping sauce made from equal parts sesame oil and soy sauce.

How to make sure dumplings don't stick to the steamer basket

Yes, you can steam frozen dumplings in a rice cooker, but you'll need to make sure it has a steamer basket. If your rice cooker doesn't have one, you can use an adjustable metal steamer basket with feet that fits inside your cooker.

To make sure your dumplings don't stick to the steamer basket, you can try the following:

• Line the steamer basket with parchment paper. This will help keep the dumplings from sticking.
• Use lettuce or cabbage leaves as a liner. This acts as a natural parchment paper, keeping the dumplings from sticking and adding a slight flavour.
• Cut parchment paper to size and make small holes in it to allow the steam to circulate.
• Grease the steamer basket with a little cooking oil using a pastry brush. This will ensure the dumplings can be easily removed after cooking without sticking.
• Place a damp, wrung-out towel in the basket. This is an old-fashioned method, but it works! The towel acts as a liner, and you can place your dumplings on top of it.

Remember to fill the bowl of your rice cooker about a quarter of the way up with water, and do not let the water touch the bottom of the steamer basket.

How to make homemade dumplings

Yes, you can steam frozen dumplings in your Tiger rice cooker. Here's how: fill the bowl of the rice cooker about a quarter of the way up with water, then turn it on and bring the water to a low boil. If your rice cooker has a steamer basket, attach it now. If not, you can use an adjustable metal steamer basket with feet that fit inside your cooker. Just make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the basket and adjust the amount of water if necessary.

Line the steamer basket with parchment paper, then add the frozen dumplings in a single layer. Cover with the lid and steam for 15-25 minutes, or until the dumplings are heated through. Check one dumpling after 15 minutes by cutting it open, and give them another 10 minutes if they're not ready.

Now, for how to make homemade dumplings:

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• White sugar
• Salt
• Butter or margarine
• Milk
• Chicken broth (optional)
• Sour cream (optional)

Steps

• Gather your ingredients. Stir together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl.
• Cut in the butter or margarine until the mixture is crumbly, then stir in the milk. Mix until a batter forms that is thick enough to be scooped with a spoon. Allow the batter to rest for 3-5 minutes.
• Drop batter by spoonfuls into boiling broth, soup, or stew. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
• Serve hot and enjoy!

You can also add parsley flakes to the dry ingredients for parsley dumplings, or sift the flour mixture for a finer consistency.

If you want to make chicken and dumplings, start by cooking several chicken thighs (skin on) in a large pot with chicken bouillon cubes, salt, and pepper. Once the chicken is cooked, remove the skins and bones, and set the meat aside. You can then use the broth as the base for your dumplings.

For extra tender dumplings, add some rich broth and sour cream to the dumpling dough. The dough will be slightly wet, but that's ok! Roll it out on a floured surface and cut it into strips. Don't overwork the dough, and be sure to roll it out thinly (about 1/8 inch thick). The dumplings will double in thickness as they cook.

When you're ready to cook the dumplings, bring the broth back to a boil and drop a few floured dumplings into the pot at a time, making sure they don't stick together. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and cook for 15-25 minutes, or until the dumplings are tender.

And there you have it—homemade dumplings, steamed to perfection in your rice cooker!

How to make sure dumplings are fully cooked

Yes, you can steam frozen dumplings in a Tiger rice cooker. Here's how to make sure they are fully cooked:

First, fill the bowl of your rice cooker about a quarter of the way up with water. Cover the rice cooker and turn it on to bring the water to a low boil. If your rice cooker has a “steam” button, you can use that. Otherwise, simply set it to “cook” or “high”.

Next, attach a steamer basket insert and line it with parchment paper. This will help prevent the dumplings from sticking. If your rice cooker didn't come with a steamer basket, you can use an adjustable metal one that fits inside. Just make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the steamer basket.

Now, place your frozen dumplings in a single layer in the basket. Cover and steam for 15-25 minutes. Check if they're fully heated through by cutting one open. If not, let them cook for another 5-10 minutes.

To ensure your dumplings are fully cooked, you can also pierce one with a fork or toothpick. If it comes out clean, your dumplings are ready to be served!

Frequently asked questions