Steaming Veggies: Using Your Rice Cooker For Healthy Meals

Steaming vegetables is a great way to cook them without losing nutrients, and it can be done in a rice cooker! In fact, rice cookers with a steam basket allow you to steam vegetables and rice simultaneously, saving time and counter space. The process is simple: add water to the rice cooker, place vegetables in the steam basket, and close the lid. Depending on the type of vegetable, they should be steamed for 5-15 minutes. For harder vegetables like squash or pumpkin, it's recommended to cut them into smaller pieces and place them flesh-down in the basket. Additionally, you can add flavour to your vegetables by marinating them with salt, herbs, and spices before steaming.

Choose the right rice cooker

Size

Firstly, you need to consider how much rice you will be cooking on a daily basis. Rice cookers come in various sizes, with the smallest capacity being 3 cups of uncooked rice, and the largest being 10 cups. If you only cook 1-2 cups of rice daily, a 3-cup rice cooker is the most suitable size for you. If you cook 2-5 cups, a 5-cup cooker is best. If you cook more than 5 cups, a 10-cup cooker is the best option.

It's also worth noting that if you regularly have guests over, you may want to consider buying a slightly larger rice cooker. However, be aware that using a rice cooker that is much larger than you need for your regular cooking can damage the inner pot and shorten its lifespan.

Type and Features

The next thing to consider is the type of rice you usually cook and the features you need. There are four kinds of rice cookers: traditional, jar-o-mat, micro-computerized, and induction heated (IH).

• Traditional rice cookers are user-friendly and fast, with a one-touch button for plain white rice. They have a single heating element at the bottom, which can produce a crust on the cooked rice, and a glass or plastic lid that partially seals in heat.
• Jar-o-mat rice cookers are also user-friendly and fast, with a one-touch button for plain white rice. They have multiple heating elements on the bottom, sides, and sometimes the lid, which ensures even cooking and no crust on the rice. They have a hinged lid and rubber gasket to seal in heat.
• Micro-computerized rice cookers use 'fuzzy logic' to warm the rice before cooking it, cook it at varying temperatures, and then warm it again before serving, resulting in fluffier, better-tasting rice. They have a longer cooking time of around 50 minutes, but this can be overridden with a 'quick cook' function. They also have additional functions such as a brown rice cooking function, porridge cooking function, slow cooking function, and steaming function.
• Induction heated (IH) rice cookers are the most advanced type, using electromagnetic power to heat up the internal pot itself. They are the most expensive option, but they produce the fluffiest, best-tasting rice, and heat the fastest and most evenly.

Other features to consider include a timer function, which allows you to preset a cooking time, and additional cooking functions such as for sweet rice, rinse-free rice, sushi rice, or baking cakes.

Inner Pot

The inner pot of your rice cooker will determine the fluffiness and taste of your rice, as well as the speed at which it cooks. There are three main types of inner pots: non-stick, stainless steel, and ceramic.

• Non-stick inner pots are convenient, but they will need to be replaced if they become scratched or damaged.
• Stainless steel inner pots are scratch-resistant and dishwasher-safe, but rice may stick to them, making them difficult to clean.
• Ceramic inner pots are non-stick but are made of breakable material.

Brand

Finally, it's worth considering the brand of your rice cooker. Japanese brands such as Panasonic, Tiger, and Zojirushi are known for their good design, quality, and durability. These brands have a reputation for producing long-lasting products, and many customers report using their rice cookers for over 10 years.

Prepare vegetables for steaming

Preparing your vegetables for steaming is a simple process. First, select the vegetables you would like to steam. You can use a wide variety of vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, green beans, mushrooms, corn, potatoes, and squash.

Once you have chosen your vegetables, wash them thoroughly under running water to remove any dirt or residue. Then, cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces or stripes. Smaller-sized vegetables will cook more quickly, so keep that in mind when deciding on the size of your pieces. Vegetables with stiff skin, like squash or pumpkin, should be placed in the steamer basket with the flesh side down.

After cutting your vegetables, you can season them with salt, pepper, herbs, or spices of your choice. You can marinate the vegetables separately or altogether, depending on your preference and the tastes of those who will be eating.

If you want to get creative, you can place the vegetables on a banana leaf or any edible leaf before steaming. This will catch the nutritious juice that the vegetables release during the steaming process, preventing it from being discarded.

Add water to the cooker

Adding water to the rice cooker is a crucial step in the steaming process. The amount of water you need will depend on the capacity of your rice cooker and the quantity of vegetables you intend to steam. As a general rule, aim to have 1 to 2 inches of water in the bottom of the cooker. Be careful not to add too much water, as it may overflow during steaming.

If you're using a rice cooker with a steaming basket or tray, place it inside the cooker before adding the water. This will ensure the water goes into the bottom of the cooker, where it should be.

The water in the rice cooker will be heated and turned into steam, which will then cook the vegetables. This is why it's important to ensure you have the right amount of water—too much, and it will overflow; too little, and there won't be enough steam to cook your vegetables.

If you're cooking rice at the same time as steaming your vegetables, you'll need to add enough water to cook the rice as well. Check your rice cooker's instruction manual for guidance on how much water to use.

Preheat the cooker

To steam vegetables in a rice cooker, you'll first need to prepare the cooker. This involves adding water to the cooker, which will create the steam needed to cook the vegetables. The amount of water required will depend on the capacity of your rice cooker and the amount of vegetables you plan to steam. As a general rule, aim for 1 to 2 inches of water in the bottom of the cooker. Be careful not to add too much water, as it may overflow during the steaming process.

Once you've added the appropriate amount of water, it's time to preheat the rice cooker. Close the lid and turn on the cooker. Allow the water to heat up and come to a boil. This is an important step, as it ensures the cooker reaches the right temperature for steaming. The preheating process will take several minutes, so be sure to factor this into your cooking time, especially if you're planning on serving steamed vegetables for dinner.

While the rice cooker is preheating, you can prepare your vegetables. Wash the vegetables thoroughly and cut them into uniform-sized pieces to ensure even cooking. You can also season the vegetables with salt, pepper, herbs, or spices, or marinate them with olive oil, lemon juice, and herbs for extra flavor.

Place the vegetables

To steam vegetables in a rice cooker, you'll need to place them in the appliance's inner pot or steam basket. If your rice cooker has a steam basket, you can use this to steam vegetables at the same time as cooking rice. If you're cooking rice and steaming vegetables simultaneously, it's recommended that you add the vegetables part-way through the rice cooking cycle. This is because vegetables steam-cook in a much shorter time than rice—usually between five and 15 minutes, depending on the type of vegetable.

If you're using a steam basket, place the vegetables in a single layer to ensure even cooking. If you're steaming vegetables with stiff skins, like squash or pumpkin, place them in the basket with the flesh side down. You can also add seasoning to your vegetables before steaming them.

If you're not using a steam basket, place the vegetables directly into the inner pot of your rice cooker. Add the water and oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place the rice cooker's lid on top and choose the 'Plain' function, or the steaming function if your model has one.

Frequently asked questions