What can I cook in my rice cooker besides rice?

[MonkeyFunk]

I got a rice cooker for xmas.

I was watching Iron Chef earlier, and the contestant put rice, potatoes and prawns in the cooker.

Evidently, it turned out well. But I never thought of cooking anything other than rice in my cooker. Gimme yummy recipes! I'm guessing brisket won't work, but I'm open to ideas.

[SeattleGirl]

1. Veggies.

You can steam them, same as the rice!

[MonkeyFunk]

2. tell me how...

do I add twice as much water as veggies? Isn't that boiling?

[SeattleGirl]

3. Gad, you had to ask me that at o'dark thirty!

Did your steamer come with instructions and receipes? I'm asking because every model is different.

And no, it wouldn't be boiling if the water level was below the veggies. What you want to do is have enough water to garner steam, but not immerse the veggies in it.

[pokerfan]

4. What SG said

My Hitachi came with a raised platform thingy for steaming veggies. If yours didn't, then you could fashion one out of anything. Just so long as the veggies aren't in the water. Your rice cooker will still shut off (or go into warm mode) once the water's boiled off. Experiment with the amount of water for taste/texture. I prefer my veggies very lightly steamed.

Rice cooker recipes:
http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,rice_cooker,FF.html

[MonkeyFunk]

5. It did

come with a little rack. I had no idea what it was for.

I'll try using it. Will it work with Brussels sprouts? They're my favorite (oddly).

[pokerfan]

6. I have done brussel sprouts (I like them too)

The worst thing you can do to brussel sprouts is over cook them so steaming works best.

[MonkeyFunk]

7. Agreed!

most people hate Brussels sprouts because they've never had well-cooked ones.

[NMDemDist2]

8. i bet it would do cereals too, like oatmeal

but i'd google around to check first

i know in the cooking and baking forum lots of people make oatmeal overnight in their crockpots

[eyesroll]

9. Oatmeal exploded in my rice cooker.

:shudder:

I've steamed everything in the insert, though, from potatoes (to mash) to green veggies to homemade bean buns (<-- not a good idea) and pot stickers (<--a good idea).