Last summer I went to a sushi making class and there were some real Asian Foodie nerds (I mean that in the nicest way) who were bragging about their extra fancy Japanese rice cookers and all the cool features it had. I didn't even own a rice cooker but was convinced in this class that even a cheap $20 dollar Wal-Mart rice cooker was going to change my Asian cooking life.
I used to ridicule my sister Heather when she received her first rice cooker as a gift. Don't you have a saucepot? What's next, you're going to buy a quesadilla maker? A cake pop machine? What a waste of metal! Now I am singing a different tune. Sorry Heather, you were right this one time.
I initially thought that I should invest in something that was going to last for a while and so I started doing my research. HOLY COW do people fork over a lot of yen for a fancy rice cooker, like hundreds of dollars which must be like a million yen (I'll need to check a converter) So I decided to go with the most affordable option with the best reviews on Amazon and waited patiently for 2 business days while it traveled to my doorstep. While I anxiously awaited it's arrival I went on Pinterest and just searched "Rice Cooker recipes". Lo and behold you can make so much more than rice in these wonder machines.
There's a gazillion grains you can stick in there, steam the heck out of veggies and meats and don't get me started on the delish looking bakery delights. I was dreaming of all the light, airy, Japanese cakes I would make Nate.
Then reality set in, if I made all these cakes someone would need to eat them and I can guarantee that I would devour at least 1/2 of all these cakes. *** Remember, I need to put on a wedding dress in the near future and not look like an albino stuffed sausage. So those recipes are on the backburner for after the wedding. (He can't get rid of me then, mwahahahahah)***
I have made some good things so far with this magical multi tasking machine. What I really enjoy making recently is a multi grain oatmeal. Oatmeal doesn't get all the credit it deserves sometimes. It's not just for breakfast, you can eat it any meal of the day and my favorite uses for it are the savory kinds. I was inspired by my sister Melissa and often pour chili and cheese over it for a quick lunch. Another favorite it to make it into a savory breakfast bowl with a soft cooked egg, cheese, scallions and diced ham. I had a hankering for something sweet and decided to top mine with chopped pecans (the nuts of the south), maple syrup (northern gold) and a diced banana. This batch makes enough for Nate and I to nibble on for a few meals. I even got extra fancy and used the steaming basket that comes with the rice cooker and steamed some apple chunks while the oatmeal cooked. DOUBLE TASKING QUEEN!!!! If you have room in your kitchen I would recommend taking one of these bad boys for a spin or just borrow your friends and try it out. You can thank me later by treating me to an alcoholic beverage in the near future.
Multigrain Oatmeal
1 cup steel oats
1 cup quick oats
1/2 cup millet or bulger, quinoa, etc
3 1/2 cups water
pinch of salt
Throw everything in rice cooker and press "cook white rice" If you don't have a magical rice machine you can adapt this to stove top. I don't know how, just get on the Google as Nate's Dad says (about searching for anything on the internet.) I'm too busy planning my future Japanese cakes. HAHAHAHA
I used to ridicule my sister Heather when she received her first rice cooker as a gift. Don't you have a saucepot? What's next, you're going to buy a quesadilla maker? A cake pop machine? What a waste of metal! Now I am singing a different tune. Sorry Heather, you were right this one time.
I initially thought that I should invest in something that was going to last for a while and so I started doing my research. HOLY COW do people fork over a lot of yen for a fancy rice cooker, like hundreds of dollars which must be like a million yen (I'll need to check a converter) So I decided to go with the most affordable option with the best reviews on Amazon and waited patiently for 2 business days while it traveled to my doorstep. While I anxiously awaited it's arrival I went on Pinterest and just searched "Rice Cooker recipes". Lo and behold you can make so much more than rice in these wonder machines.
There's a gazillion grains you can stick in there, steam the heck out of veggies and meats and don't get me started on the delish looking bakery delights. I was dreaming of all the light, airy, Japanese cakes I would make Nate.
Then reality set in, if I made all these cakes someone would need to eat them and I can guarantee that I would devour at least 1/2 of all these cakes. *** Remember, I need to put on a wedding dress in the near future and not look like an albino stuffed sausage. So those recipes are on the backburner for after the wedding. (He can't get rid of me then, mwahahahahah)***
I have made some good things so far with this magical multi tasking machine. What I really enjoy making recently is a multi grain oatmeal. Oatmeal doesn't get all the credit it deserves sometimes. It's not just for breakfast, you can eat it any meal of the day and my favorite uses for it are the savory kinds. I was inspired by my sister Melissa and often pour chili and cheese over it for a quick lunch. Another favorite it to make it into a savory breakfast bowl with a soft cooked egg, cheese, scallions and diced ham. I had a hankering for something sweet and decided to top mine with chopped pecans (the nuts of the south), maple syrup (northern gold) and a diced banana. This batch makes enough for Nate and I to nibble on for a few meals. I even got extra fancy and used the steaming basket that comes with the rice cooker and steamed some apple chunks while the oatmeal cooked. DOUBLE TASKING QUEEN!!!! If you have room in your kitchen I would recommend taking one of these bad boys for a spin or just borrow your friends and try it out. You can thank me later by treating me to an alcoholic beverage in the near future.
Multigrain Oatmeal
1 cup steel oats
1 cup quick oats
1/2 cup millet or bulger, quinoa, etc
3 1/2 cups water
pinch of salt
Throw everything in rice cooker and press "cook white rice" If you don't have a magical rice machine you can adapt this to stove top. I don't know how, just get on the Google as Nate's Dad says (about searching for anything on the internet.) I'm too busy planning my future Japanese cakes. HAHAHAHA
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