Rice Cooker Cookbook
Page 28
Mushrooms in Ginger and Soy
There is always confusion about whether mushrooms should be washed prior to using. If you prefer not to wash the mushrooms under water to clean off dirt remnants, you can use a clean, damp cloth to gently wipe the caps and stems (if using the stems).
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1-inch piece fresh ginger, thinly shredded
½ pound fresh shiitake mushroom caps, sliced into quarters
Salt and ground white pepper, to taste
3 drops sesame oil
In a bowl, combine the grated ginger, dark soy sauce, sugar, and water. Mix well and set aside as sauce.
Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the shredded ginger and fry about 3 minutes until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and mix well with the ginger.
Stir in the prepared sauce and mix it well with mushrooms. Add salt and pepper, cover rice cooker, and allow to reach simmer. Lift up rice cooker lid and continue to simmer about 5 to 8 minutes until sauce slightly reduces and thickens.
When sauce almost reduces, cover rice cooker, switch to Warm, and simmer for 5 more minutes.
Drizzle sesame oil over the mushrooms before serving.
Stir-Fry Mushrooms with Celery and Carrots
Japanese beech mushrooms are also known as buna shimeji mushrooms. The most common varieties found in supermarkets are the brown and white beech mushrooms.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
½ cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 stalk celery, sliced into thin strips similar to the length of the mushrooms
½ carrot, sliced into thin strips similar to the length of the mushrooms
1 (3½-ounce) pack Japanese beech mushrooms 4 fresh shiitake mushroom caps, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
1 fresh red chili pepper, seeded and thinly sliced, for garnish
In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, oyster sauce, and water. Set aside as sauce.
Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the garlic and fry about 3 minutes until fragrant.
Add the celery, carrots, and mushrooms, and fry for 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the prepared sauce mixture, mix well, cover rice cooker, and allow to reach a simmer. Once simmering, lift up rice cooker lid and continue simmering about 5 to 8 minutes until sauce slightly reduces (thickens).
When sauce almost reduces, add the pepper, cover rice cooker, switch to Warm, and simmer for about 10 minutes until vegetables are just tender and cooked.
Garnish with red chili before serving.
Lightly Spiced Mushrooms with Beef
This is not a curry dish and does not have much sauce or gravy, though it should still be moist when served.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 shallots, thinly sliced
½ pound ground beef
1 (3½-ounce) pack Japanese beech mushrooms
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon curry powder
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons water
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 slightly soft.
Add the ground beef (break up into smaller bits) and cook about 8 to 10 minutes until beef turns brown on the surface and is partially cooked through. Dish out and set aside.
Add the mushrooms to the pot and fry for about 5 minutes, until slightly soft, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of cooking.
Return beef to the pot, mixing well with mushrooms. Add oyster sauce, curry powder, salt, pepper, and water; mix well again. Cover rice cooker and allow to cook for about 10 to 12 minutes, until beef cooks through and mushrooms turn soft and tender. If the mixture bubbles too vigorously or dries out too quickly, switch to Warm to continue cooking for the remainder of the 10 to 12 minutes until mushrooms and beef absorb most of the sauce.
Cooking Tip
It is important to cook ground beef thoroughly because it has a larger ratio of surface area to volume than does a whole piece of meat, and therefore is at greater risk of contamination by bacteria in the air.
Garlic Mushrooms
Spoon these mushrooms over warm toasted bread to serve. For more garlic flavor, rub crushed garlic on the toast and slather with some butter before topping with mushrooms.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 OR 3
2 tablespoons butter, divided use
2 cloves garlic, crushed whole
½ pound mixed mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Add 1 tablespoon butter to the rice cooker and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the garlic and fry about 3 minutes until fragrant.
Add the mushrooms and fry for 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, stirring and covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of cooking. If the mushroom mixture dries out too quickly on the Cook setting, switch to Warm and continue to cook the mushrooms.
Once the mushrooms turn completely soft, add the parsley, salt, and pepper and mix well.
Buttered Mushrooms with Onions and Herbs
Cremini mushrooms are richer in flavor and nutrients than the white button mushrooms.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 shallots, thinly sliced
½ pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
½ tablespoon butter
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried basil
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 slightly soft.
Add the mushrooms and butter and fry for about 10 minutes, until mushrooms turn soft. Cover the rice cooker occasionally in the process of cooking. If the mushroom mixture dries out too quickly, switch to Warm, and continue to cook the mushrooms.
When mushrooms turn completely soft, add the salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. Mix well, cover rice cooker, set to Warm, and simmer for 2 minutes.
Spicy Mushrooms
Using a variety of mushrooms not only adds depth to a dish; it also provides a balanced nutrition profile.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 OR 3
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon chili sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 green onion, green top and white bottom portions separated, finely chopped and set aside separately
2 garlic cloves, crushed whole
½ pound mixed mushrooms, sliced
In a small bowl, combine the oyster sauce, chili sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, pepper, sugar, and water. Set aside as sauce.
Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the green onions (white portions), followed by garlic. Fry about 3 minutes until fragrant.
Add the mushrooms and prepared sauce mixture and stir-fry for 5 minutes until mushrooms turn soft and cook through, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of cooking. If the mushroom mixture dries out too quickly, switch to Warm, and continue to cook the mushrooms.
Once the mushrooms turn completely soft, garnish with
remaining green onions (green portions).
Mushrooms and Nutrition Different varieties of mushrooms contain different minerals. For example, cremini mushrooms are a rich source of selenium and B vitamins, but their iron content may not be as high as shiitake mushrooms.
CHAPTER 19
Desserts
Sweet Taro Crisps
Sweet Corn Pancakes
Caramelized All-Spiced Sweet Potato
Steamed Egg Cupcakes
Steamed Egg and Milk Custard
Barley Drink
Green Bean Soup
Red Bean Soup
Taro and Bananas in Sweet Coconut Milk
Steamed Black Rice Pudding
Sweet Snow Fungus and Ginkgo
Pink Lemonade with Basil
Honeydew and Snow Fungus in Sweet Coconut Milk
Sweet Taro Crisps
For something different, you can substitute chocolate chips for the sugar.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4
1 pound taro, cut into small pieces (about 2-inch cubes)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon honey
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided use
Fill the rice cooker pot with water to about the 4-cup mark. Cover the rice cooker and set to Cook. Place the taro on a plate that will fit into the steamer insert or basket.
When the water boils, place the steamer insert or basket that holds the taro over the boiling water. Cover the rice cooker and steam for 15 to 20 minutes until taro softens and cooks through. Dish out.
Peel the taro and mash it gently and completely with the back of a fork. Combine with sugar and honey. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the mashed taro and mix well until oil is completely blended with the mashed taro.
Add remaining 3 tablespoons oil into the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, form flat patties (about 2-inch diameter, 1-inch thick) from the mashed taro mixture and add (in batches) to the rice cooker. Pan-fry each side 3 to 4 minutes, until brown and crisp, covering rice cooker while frying each side.
Serve taro crisps with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.
Cooking Tip
Steam the taro with the skin on to retain nutrition, flavors, and moisture. The skin can be easily peeled after the taro is steamed.
Sweet Corn Pancakes
To uniformly coat the base of the rice cooker pot with oil, use a food oil spray or a brush. You can also dab a piece of paper towel in vegetable oil and use that to coat the base of the pot.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4 TO 6
½ pound self-rising flour, sifted
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons castor sugar
2 egg yolks
1 cup whole milk
½ (16-ounce) can corn kernels, drained
½ cup vegetable oil, divided use
In a large mixing bowl, combine sifted flour, salt, and sugar.
In another bowl, combine the eggs and milk and whisk gently.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and slowly pour in egg mixture. Stir to form a thick batter. Gently stir in corn kernels.
Add half the oil into the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, drop tablespoons of batter (about 2 tablespoons batter to form about 3-inch diameter pancakes) into the pot. When bubbles appear on the surface of the pancakes in about 5 to 8 minutes, flip over to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until golden brown, covering pot while cooking each side. Continue until all batter is used up and adding remaining oil if oil added previously has been used up.
Serve finished pancakes warm with butter and honey.
Caramelized All-Spiced Sweet Potato
As a taste variation, you can try using five-spice powder instead of cinnamon and nutmeg powder. Five-spice powder is a blend of star anise, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, and Szechuan pepper.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4 TO 6
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced (about ¼-inch thick)
¼ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Add oil into the rice cooker, cover, and set to cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the sweet potatoes. Fry for 6 to 8 minutes, until sweet potatoes turn crisp on the outside but remain soft inside, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
Add the brown sugar, switch rice cooker to Warm, and stir gradually and evenly until the sugar melts. When sugar completely caramelizes in about 10 to 12 minutes, sprinkle in cinnamon and nutmeg powder.
When entire mixture becomes dry and sticky in about 8 to 10 minutes, dish out and serve warm.
Five-Spice or Seven-Spice
While five-spice is mostly related to Chinese cooking, seven-spice is related to Japanese and sometimes Thai cuisines. In Japanese cuisine, seven-spice is a mixture that may include spices such as sesame seeds, dried orange or tangerine peel, poppy seeds, chili, and nori seaweed. In Thailand, seven-spice is a mixture that may be a blend of chili powder, garlic, ginger, coriander, star anise, cloves, and lemon peel.
Steamed Egg Cupcakes
The oil called for in this recipe is used to lightly grease the cup molds (ramekins) so that the cupcakes do not stick. It is also easier to remove the cupcakes from the molds (ramekins) after steaming.
INGREDIENTS | YIELDS ABOUT 6 CUPS
1 egg
1 tablespoon castor sugar
¼ cup whole milk
2 ounces self-rising flour, sifted
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Fill the rice cooker pot with water to about the 4-cup mark. Cover the rice cooker and set to Cook.
In a medium bowl, lightly whisk the egg and sugar in a bowl. Slowly add the milk and mix to combine. Add the sifted flour and mix well, forming a pourable batter.
Use the vegetable oil to grease the molds. Pour the mixture into cup molds, filling about 90 percent full. Cover the cups with foil and set aside on a plate that will fit in the steamer insert or basket.
When the water in the rice cooker boils, place the steamer insert or basket that holds the cup molds over the boiling water. Cover the rice cooker and steam for about 15 minutes.
Steamed Egg and Milk Custard
This is a popular dessert in Cantonese cuisine. The specialty dessert stalls in Hong Kong have a steamed milk version made solely from milk and egg white.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 OR 3
2 eggs, lightly whisked
1 cup warm milk
1 tablespoon castor sugar
Fill the rice cooker pot with water to about the 4-cup mark. Cover the rice cooker and set to Cook.
In a separate bowl, slowly add the warm milk to the lightly whisked eggs. Then add sugar and mix well with a fork. Pour the mixture into serving bowls that will fit in the steamer insert or basket and cover the bowls with foil.
When the water in rice cooker boils, place the steamer insert or basket that holds the covered serving bowls over the boiling water. Cover the rice cooker and steam for 10 minutes.
Cooking Tip
For ginger-flavored custard, add 2 to 3 teaspoons of ginger juice into the milk and warm the milk in microwave. Then proceed as directed in this recipe.
Barley Drink
Rock sugar is often used in Chinese sweet dessert soups or drinks. Rock sugar, which is made from large sugar crystals, brings subtle sweetness to a dish. As a substitution, use sugar or honey.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4
2 cups raw barley, cleaned, soaked and drained according to package instructions
4 cups water
3 or 4 screwpine leaves, cleaned and knotted
8 small rock sugar crystals
Add the water to the rice cooker pot, cover, and set to Cook. Once the water boils, add the barley and screwpine leaves.
Allow the mixture to return to a boil. Once boiling, tilt the rice cooker lid slightly to vent excessive steam.
Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add rock sugar and stir again. Continue to simmer for 15 to 30 minutes until barley is cooked. Drain the barley and screwpine leaves and discard. Retain the barley water to serve as a drink, warm or cold as preferred.
Green Bean Soup
Green beans are also mung beans. The Chinese believe that this is a “cooling” food for the body systems and is best eaten when the weather is warm.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4 OR 5
1 cup dried green beans (mung beans), cleaned, soaked overnight, and drained
6 cups water
5 or 6 screwpine leaves, cleaned and knotted together
2 tablespoons sugar or more, to taste