Rice Cooker Cookbook
Page 22
When onions are caramelized, add the sauce, cover the rice cooker, and allow the mixture to simmer until sauce slightly reduces (thickens) in about 3 to 5 minutes. Return the beef to the sauce and allow it to simmer at Warm, with the rice cooker covered, for 5 minutes or more until beef completely cooks through and sauce further reduces.
Stir-Fried Beef in Garlic Black Bean Sauce
You can substitute chicken in this recipe if you prefer white meat to red meat. The dish goes well with steamed rice or over rice vermicelli.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ pound beef fillet
1 green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 fresh red chili pepper, seeded and sliced
½ tablespoon black beans, slightly mashed
½ cup water
Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add beef and peppers and fry about 8 to 10 minutes until beef turns brown. Dish out and set aside. Leave the remaining oil in the pot.
Add the garlic, ginger, chili pepper, and black beans, and fry about 5 minutes until fragrant.
Add the water, cover the rice cooker, and allow to reach a simmer. Return beef and peppers to the pot; mix well. Cook for 5 minutes until beef completely cooks through and sauce reduces (thickens), switching to Warm if the mixture bubbles too vigorously. Serve with steamed rice or over noodles.
Cooking Tip
Use the drier salted whole black beans rather than the ready-paste “wetter” version. (Both are available bottled in Asian supermarkets.) When slightly mashed during preparation, the whole black beans add a chunkier texture and more body to the final dish.
Mini Beef Burger
For a healthier version, use leaner meat. However, remember that lean meat will have less flavor and tends to dry out (because it has less fat). The resulting patty will be less tender, less moist, and less juicy when cooked.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4
1 pound ground beef
½ onion, grated
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 egg
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided use (about 2 tablespoons per batch)
4 burger buns, halved
4 slices mozzarella cheese
2 tomatoes, sliced and divided use
8 to 10 lettuce leaves
½ onion, thinly sliced
Place the beef, grated onion, garlic, ginger, Worcestershire sauce, basil, salt, pepper, and egg in a large bowl. Mix with your hands until evenly combined. Divide meat mixture into 4 burger patties, each about 3 inches in diameter and ½-inch thick.
Add oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add patties (in batches) and fry about 5 minutes on each side or until browned and cooked through. Cover rice cooker while frying (using partial steam to cook the beef). Transfer the cooked patties to a plate, set aside, and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining oil and patties.
Place a patty on each burger bun and add cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and sliced onions, as desired.
CHAPTER 14
Legumes and Beans
Garlic Bean Soup
Potato and Pea Soup
Vegetable Soup with Pinto Beans
Lentil Soup
Quick Pea Curry
Black Bean Casserole in Tomato Gravy
Spicy Green Beans
Spicy Pinto Beans with Onions
Curried Chickpeas
Stir-Fried Mixed Beans
Quick Chick-A-Pea
Chickpeas with Peppers
Thai-Style Lentils
Black Bean Patties
Garlic Bean Soup
The flavor of garlic can be changed according to how it is prepared. If you add a whole garlic clove without crushing, mincing, or slicing it, it will give flavor without the “bite” (pungency and sharpness) of garlic.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 3 OR 4
1 cup dry white beans, soaked overnight
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium-sized onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon grated ginger
8 cloves garlic, crushed into a paste
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Salt, to taste
1 cup warm water
1 cup cooking liquid from boiled beans
½ cup thick coconut milk
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnish
Add soaked beans to the rice cooker pot, and fill with fresh water until totally immersed. Cover rice cooker, set to Cook, and boil about 30 to 45 minutes until beans turn tender (check for tenderness during boiling). Drain. Set aside beans and 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
Clean out rice cooker and wipe dry. Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the onions and fry about 5 minutes until soft. Add the ginger and garlic and fry about 3 minutes until garlic disintegrates further, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
Add the pepper, salt, water, cooking liquid from boiled beans, and the cooked beans. Partially mash the beans gently with the back of a ladle. Cover the rice cooker and allow to reach a simmer.
Once simmering, switch to Warm and continue simmer for about 15 minutes. Before end of cooking, with about 5 minutes to go, stir in coconut milk. Garnish with parsley.
Cooking Tip
Do not mash all the beans unless you favor a completely smooth and creamy soup. When you mash some of the beans, and leave some whole, the soup will turn out chunkier in texture. Create the texture you enjoy.
Potato and Pea Soup
Remember to wash your hands, including your fingertips, after seeding and removing the membranes from the chili pepper. The volatile oils from the peppers can irritate your skin and eyes if you unwittingly touch your face with your “spicy” fingers.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 3 OR 4
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 large potato, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon grated ginger
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon turmeric
4 cups Vegetable Stock
1 fresh red chili pepper, finely chopped
1 cup frozen peas
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro, for garnish
Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the onions and fry about 5 minutes until soft. Add the potato, garlic, and ginger and fry for about 5 minutes, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
Add cumin, garam masala, and turmeric and fry for about 1 minute.
Stir in vegetable stock and chili pepper. Cover rice cooker and bring to a simmer.
Once simmering, switch rice cooker to Warm and continue to simmer for 20 minutes until potatoes start to disintegrate.
Add the peas and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cilantro.
Vegetable Soup with Pinto Beans
As a variation, substitute cannellini beans for the pinto beans.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 3 OR 4
2 tomatoes, diced
1 small eggplant, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 leek, cleaned thoroughly and sliced into rings
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained, gently rinsed with water, then drained again
3 cups Chicken Stock or Vegetable Stock
1 teaspoon dried basil
Add all ingredients
except the basil to the pot. Cover rice cooker, set to Cook, and bring to boil.
Once boiling, switch to Warm and continue to simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables become tender.
Add basil and stir well. Serve warm.
Cooking Tip
Ingredients should be cut and sliced into uniform sizes to ensure uniform cooking time.
Lentil Soup
They are many types of lentils, with brown and red being the most common. Dried lentils need to be soaked overnight before boiling in a fresh batch of water.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 3 OR 4
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ (14½-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (14½-ounce) can canned lentils, drained, gently rinsed with water, then drained again
2 to 3 cups water or stock
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro, for garnish
Add the butter to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm and butter melts, add the onions and fry about 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and fry about 3 minutes until fragrant, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
Add garam masala, turmeric, chili powder, and cumin and fry briskly for 1 minute.
Stir in tomatoes, lentils, and water or stock. Cover rice cooker and bring to a simmer.
Once simmering, switch to Warm and continue to simmer for about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cilantro and serve with Indian roti (bread).
Quick Pea Curry
Garbanzo beans are also called chickpeas. They have a nutty taste and buttery texture. This legume is used in many Middle Eastern and Indian dishes such as hummus and curries.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 3 OR 4
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 teaspoons curry powder
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon red chili powder
½ pound round cabbage, thinly shredded
1 cup frozen peas
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained, gently rinsed with water, then drained again
2 cups water or Vegetable Stock
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the onions and fry about 5 minutes until slightly soft.
Add the ginger, garlic, curry powder, turmeric, and chili powder and fry about 5 minutes until onions become completely soft and the mixture is fragrant, covering the rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
Add cabbage, peas, and beans and mix well with spices.
Add vegetable stock or water, cover rice cooker, and allow to simmer.
Once simmering, switch to Warm and simmer for about 30 minutes until cabbage becomes soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Black Bean Casserole in Tomato Gravy
If using canned beans, try buying low-sodium or no-salt versions.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon grated ginger
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon red chili powder
½ (14½-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 fresh green chili pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 cup water
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained, gently rinsed with water, then drained again
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the onions and fry about 5 minutes until soft, covering the rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin, garam masala, and red chili powder and fry about 3 minutes until fragrant.
Add tomatoes and green chili. Mix well. Add the water and beans, cover rice cooker, and allow to simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes until gravy slightly reduces (thickens).
Once simmering, switch to Warm and continue cooking the black beans for about 5 minutes until they reach a gravy-like consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cooking Tip
Canned beans may need to be drained and rinsed thoroughly to reduce their gascausing properties. Beans cause gas because they contain a sugar, oligosaccharide, that the human body cannot break down. By rinsing the beans, you are trying to remove as much of the gascausing sugar as possible.
Spicy Green Beans
Turmeric can stain the fingers yellow and subsequently stain your clothes. Be careful when using.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 OR 3
½ tablespoon butter
5 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
½ pound green beans, cut into ¼-inch pieces
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons water
Add the butter to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm and butter melts, add the shallots and fry about 3 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and fry about 3 minutes until fragrant.
Add the green beans, mix well, and fry 8 to 10 minutes until green beans turn slightly tender, covering the rice cooker occasionally in the process of cooking.
Add cumin, turmeric, and chili pepper flakes; mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add the water, mix well with green beans, cover rice cooker, and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes until water almost evaporates, then switch to Warm for about 15 minutes or more, simmering the green beans until completely soft.
Spicy Pinto Beans with Onions
“Pinto” means “painted” in Spanish, and it perfectly describes the colorful nature of this bean, which when dried is light beige with a reddish brown splash. When cooked, the colored variation disappears, and the beans exhibit a shade of creamy pink.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 OR 3
½ tablespoon butter
3 shallots, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ carrot, diced into ¼-inch cubes
3 tablespoons water
1 (14½-ounce) can pinto beans, drained, gently rinsed with water, then drained again
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Add the butter to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm and the butter melts, add the shallots and fry about 3 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and fry about 3 minutes until fragrant, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
Add the cumin, turmeric, and carrots. Fry briskly about 3 minutes and mix well.
Add the water, cover rice cooker for about 5 minutes, and allow carrots to cook and become softer.
Add the pinto beans, cover rice cooker, and allow mixture to cook slightly for about 5 minutes. Switch to Warm for about 10 minutes until carrots turn completely soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Benefits of Turmeric
Part of the ginger family, turmeric is used extensively in Southeast Asian cooking, especially in Indian cuisine. Turmeric is also believed to act as an anti-inflammatory agent. The yellow-orange pigment in turmeric, called curcumin, is known to be the primary pharmacological agent in this spice, which is often used in traditional C
hinese and Indian medicine.
Curried Chickpeas
Fresh curry leaves are the best in terms of flavor and aroma. Curry leaves have a short storage life. Store them in an airtight plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 OR 3
½ tablespoon butter
3 shallots, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
3 curry leaves
½ tablespoon curry powder
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon red chili powder
1 (14½-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained, gently rinsed with water, then drained again
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Add the butter to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm and the butter melts, add the shallots and fry about 3 minutes until soft.
Add the garlic and curry leaves and fry about 3 minutes until fragrant, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
Add the curry powder, cumin seeds, turmeric, and chili powder, and fry briskly for about 3 minutes.