by Hui Leng Tay
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon grated ginger
½ pound ground pork
8 ounces long beans, blanched, then cut into finger-length pieces
1 green onion, finely chopped
Add oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the garlic and ginger and fry about 3 minutes until fragrant.
Add the ground pork (break up into smaller bits) and fry for 8 to 10 minutes until browned and cooked through. Dish out and set aside. Leave the remaining oil in the pot.
Add the long beans to the pot and fry for 5 to 8 minutes until soft and tender, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
Return the pork to the pot and fry with the long beans for additional 2 to 3 minutes. Add the green onions and mix well before serving.
Stir-Fried Chinese Cabbage
This dish is typically made by stir-frying cabbage and Chinese dried shrimp. Because the dried shrimp may not be readily available, this recipe substitutes shallots and slightly caramelizes them for extra flavor.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 OR 3
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
5 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 head (12 to 16 ounces) Chinese cabbage, thinly sliced
Salt and ground white pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons water
Add oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, fry shallots about 3 minutes until slightly caramelized.
Add the garlic and cabbage and fry for 3 to 4 minutes until cabbage slightly softens, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying. Add salt and white pepper and mix well.
Add the water, cover rice cooker, and allow to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until cabbage softens further and is cooked through. Switch to Warm if mixture starts to dry out too quickly.
Stir-Fried Asparagus with Scallops
If you do not want to bite on thin slices of ginger while enjoying this dish, substitute grated ginger.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 jumbo scallops, sliced into quarters
6 ounces thin asparagus, cut into finger-length pieces
½-inch piece ginger, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons water
Salt and ground white pepper, to taste
Add oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the scallops and fry each side, with rice cooker covered, for 1 to 2 minutes until scallops are cooked through (fully whitened). Dish out and set aside. Leave the remaining oil in the pot.
Add the asparagus and sliced ginger to the pot and fry for about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the water and allow asparagus to simmer until tender, stirring and covering rice cooker occasionally. Add salt and white pepper to taste.
Return the scallops to the pot and mix well with the asparagus before serving.
Curry Vegetables
This dish can be made into another popular dish known as Lontong, which is essentially the curry vegetables with ketupat (rice cakes) added.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 3 OR 4
8 dried red chili peppers, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes
5 shallots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1-inch piece ginger, peeled
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 cup coconut milk, divided use
3 cups Vegetable Stock
3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ (10-ounce) pack firm tofu, cut to 2-inch squares, ½-inch thick
1 pound long beans, cut into finger-length pieces
1 carrot, sliced into bite-sized chunks
½ pound round cabbage, coarsely chopped
3 cups water (adjust as needed during cooking)
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced into quarters, for garnish
Drain the chilies and combine them with the shallots, garlic, ginger, and curry powder in a food processor. Grind to create a smooth curry paste and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix ½ cup coconut milk with the vegetable stock and set aside.
Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the tofu and slightly fry about 5 to 8 minutes until brown on both sides. Remove and cut into smaller bite-sized pieces. Leave the remaining oil in the pot.
Add the curry paste to the pot and fry about 3 minutes until fragrant. Add the mixture of coconut milk and stock, cover rice cooker, and bring to a slight simmer.
Once simmering, add the long beans, carrots, cabbage, browned tofu, and 2 cups water and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, add remaining 1 cup water, switch to Warm, and simmer for about 12 to 15 minutes until vegetables are just tender but still firm.
Add remaining coconut milk and continue to simmer for about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and garnish with hard-boiled eggs.
Cooking Tip
For a more authentic version of this dish, galangal (Thai ginger) should be used. Galangal is aromatic and more pungent than ginger. This recipe has been adapted to the ingredients that are readily available in most supermarkets.
Indian Potato and Cauliflower (Aloo Gobi)
Quite simply, Aloo means potatoes, and Gobi means cauliflower. This is a popular dish in Indian cuisine. It is best served with basmati rice or Indian roti (bread).
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 3 OR 4
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 shallots, thinly sliced
½-inch piece ginger, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 large potato, boiled, peeled, and cubed (about 1-inch cubes)
3 cups cauliflower florets, blanched
½ cup diced tomatoes, with juice
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon garam masala
¼ teaspoon red chili powder
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ cup water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and stems
Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the shallots and fry about 3 minutes until soft.
Add the ginger and garlic and continue frying about 3 minutes.
Add the cubed potatoes and blanched cauliflower florets, followed by tomatoes, cumin seeds, garam masala, chili powder, and turmeric. Mix to ensure that the potatoes and cauliflower are well coated with the spices and fry about 5 to 8 minutes. Cover rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
Stir in the water, cover rice cooker, and bring to a simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Once simmering, switch to Warm and continue to cook for about 10 to 12 minutes until cauliflower becomes tender and potatoes start to turn soft and able to break up easily. Add cilantro and mix well before serving.
Cabbage and Cauliflower Curry with Peas
To keep this recipe as simple as possible, you could use only one kind of vegetable, either the cabbage or the cauliflower, and just use more of it.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 3 OR 4
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
3 cups cauliflower florets
8 ounces round cabbage, thinly sliced (about ½-inch thick)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 cup water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ cup coconut milk
Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the onion, garlic, curry powder, turmeric, and chili flakes and fry for
about 3 to 4 minutes until onion turns slightly soft and the mixture is fragrant, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of cooking.
Add the cauliflower, cabbage, peas, water, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Cover the rice cooker and allow it to come to a slight simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes, switching to Warm if the mixture bubbles too quickly or starts to dry out.
Toward end of cooking, slowly stir in coconut milk. Mix well and simmer for 2 minutes before serving.
Indian Braised Okra
Use grated garlic and ginger instead of minced to reduce preparation time.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 OR 3
½ tablespoon butter
3 shallots, thinly sliced
½ pound fresh okra, cubed (about ½-inch cubes)
½-inch piece ginger, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
½ cup diced tomatoes, with juice
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ cup water
Salt and 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, add the shallots and fry about 3 minutes until soft.
Add the okra, followed by all the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Switch the rice cooker to Warm. With the rice cooker covered, simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until okra is tender. Serve with either rice or Indian roti (bread).
Indian Eggplant Stew
Stewing is a good method to cook eggplants since you can control the amount of fat. Use 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil instead of butter for a healthier recipe.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 OR 3
½ tablespoon butter
3 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
½-inch piece ginger, finely minced
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
1 medium-sized eggplant, cubed (about 1-inch cubes)
½ (14½-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
3 tablespoons water or Vegetable Stock
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, add the shallots, garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, and red chili flakes and fry for about 5 minutes until shallots are soft, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
Add the eggplant and mix well with the spices. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring and covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of cooking.
Add the tomatoes, water or stock, salt, and pepper. Mix well, switch to Warm, cover the rice cooker, and simmer for about 15 minutes or more, stirring occasionally until eggplant is tender. Serve with either rice or Indian roti (bread).
Brussels Sprouts in Oyster Sauce
Undercooked Brussels sprouts usually taste slightly bitter and may turn off many people.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 OR 3
8 Brussels sprouts, cut into halves
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
½ cup warm water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, finely minced
½ teaspoon grated ginger
Salt and ground white pepper, to taste
Place Brussels sprouts on a plate that will fit into the steamer insert or basket. Set aside.
Fill the rice cooker pot with water to about the 4-cup mark, cover, and set to Cook.
In a small bowl, mix the oyster sauce with warm water. Set aside as sauce.
When the water in the rice cooker boils, place the steamer insert or basket that holds the plate of Brussels sprouts into the rice cooker and steam, with the rice cooker covered, for 3 to 4 minutes until sprouts slightly soften. Drain excess water from the Brussels sprouts and set aside.
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 garlic and ginger, followed by Brussels sprouts, placed cut-side down. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, covering the rice cooker occasionally in the process of cooking.
Add the sauce mixture, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Allow to simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, switching to Warm if mixture bubbles too vigorously.
Cooking Tip
Brussels sprouts seldom come in uniform sizes. To prepare the bigger sprouts for cooking, use a paring knife to cut a small cross at the bottom, about ½-inch deep into the sprouts. This will ensure that the bigger sprouts cook faster than they otherwise would and all the sprouts will be cooked evenly in the same amount of time.
Buttered Brussels Sprouts
As this recipe uses only a few basic ingredients, try to play on the spice factor by mixing white and black pepper to give more depth, flavor, and aroma to the dish.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 OR 3
8 Brussels sprouts, cut into halves
½ tablespoon butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Place Brussels sprouts on a plate that fits into the steamer insert or basket. Set aside.
Fill the rice cooker pot with water to about the 4-cup mark. Cover the rice cooker and set to Cook. When the water in the rice cooker boils, place the steamer insert or basket that holds the plate of Brussels sprouts into the rice cooker and steam, covered, for 3 to 4 minutes until sprouts slightly soften. Drain excess water from the Brussels sprouts and set aside.
Clean out the rice cooker and wipe dry. Add the butter to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add Brussels sprouts, cut-side down, and fry for about 2 to 3 minutes until tender. Before serving, add salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss well.
Kale with Mushrooms
Add pine nuts to give an added crunch and texture to this otherwise soft-textured dish.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups tightly packed, finely chopped kale
4 ounces cremini mushroom caps, thinly sliced
½ cup water (adjust as needed during cooking)
Salt and freshly 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 kale and mushrooms, and pan-fry for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the vegetables become tender. Add water if mixture is too dry.
Add salt and pepper and toss well for another 1 to 2 minutes before serving.
French Green Beans and Carrots with Herbs
When Asians refer to long beans, they usually mean Chinese long beans or yard-long beans. These are different from the shorter-length green beans or French green beans. The taste is different as well, so it may be tricky if you choose to substitute.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, grated
1 teaspoon grated ginger
8 ounces French green beans, cut into finger-length pieces
1 cup shredded carrots
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add garlic and ginger, followed by beans and carrots. Pan-fry for about 2 to 3 minutes, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
Gradually stir in the water, cover rice cooker, and allow to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until beans and carrots become tender and cook through, switching to Warm if the mixture bubbles too vigorously or dries out too quickly.
Before serving, sprinkle dried oregano over the vegetables. Best served as a side dish with a main course of grilled fish.
Creamed Spinach
If using fresh baby spinach, make sure the moisture from blanching the spinach is fully drained. You must try to remove as much moisture as possible so that it will not affect the creamy consistency of
the final dish.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2
1 tablespoon butter
¼ cup finely chopped shallots
½ pound frozen spinach, thawed
¼ cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly 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, add the shallots and pan-fry for about 2 to 3 minutes, until shallots turn soft and slightly caramelize.
Add the spinach and cook, stirring about 5 minutes, just until the liquid is released.
Slowly add the cream and cook about 8 to 10 minutes until cream reduces by almost half, covering rice cooker in the process of cooking. Switch to Warm and simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until the mixture is thick and creamy.
Add salt and pepper and stir well into the creamed mixture. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.
Buttered Kai Lan with Shallots
Also known as Chinese broccoli or Chinese kale, Kai Lan has slightly bitter leaves and thick stems. It is a popular vegetable, especially in Cantonese cuisines. This recipe uses some butter to bring a richer taste and aroma to the dish.