Cooking food in a slow cooker is not only convenient and fast, but also allows you to make the dish tasty and healthy. Today's new technologies allow you to cook dishes at a certain time and turn off if the water boils away.
Housewives no longer have to worry about the rice burning or sticking together, or how to cook crumbly rice for a side dish. Even milk porridges and soups are much more convenient to cook in a slow cooker.
Cooking features
Modern kitchen gadgets simplify the housewife’s work, but they are not able to correct the mistakes made by an inept cook when preparing and storing food. Only by knowing the basic principles of cooking rice as a side dish can you cook a delicious dish, and a multicooker in this case will provide significant help.
- Choosing the right grain for a side dish is very important, since different varieties have different characteristics and are intended for preparing different dishes. For porridges and sticky side dishes like risotto, long-grain rice, which contains a lot of starch, is suitable. Long grain rice turns out fluffy and is most often used for preparing side dishes. There are special varieties of rice for paella, risotto, sushi, pilaf, although all these dishes can be made from other varieties of grain with similar characteristics. Proponents of a healthy diet often prefer brown and wild rice. Dishes made from such grains turn out crumbly without any tricks, but they require a lot of time to prepare.
- When buying rice, you need to pay attention not only to the type of cereal, but also to its quality. Before buying, it doesn’t hurt to inspect the rice to make sure that there are no dark or other spots or numerous chips on the grains. Dry rice grains gathered into a fist should creak. It should be difficult to bite through the grains, ideally impossible.
- Even high-quality and good rice must be sorted and washed before use. You can rinse the rice by placing it in a colander under running water. But more often it is placed in a bowl, washed, rubbing the grains against each other, and thrown onto a sieve. The manipulation is continued until the water that is drained from the rice remains completely clear. This means that all the starch has been washed off from the cereal and the grains will not stick together during cooking. For greater efficiency, the rice is washed the last time not in cool, but in warm water.
- Experienced cooks advise not only rinsing, but also soaking the rice before heat treatment in order to reduce its cooking time. Round rice is soaked for only 10–15 minutes, long grain rice for 20–30 minutes, brown and wild rice for at least an hour. But it will take 10–20 minutes, depending on the type of rice, so many cooks prefer to cook rice without pre-soaking it.
- If you decide to make risotto as a side dish, do not rinse or soak the rice, otherwise you will not be able to enjoy this popular Italian dish.
- Rice will cook faster and will not stick together if you fill it with hot rather than cold water.
- There is another trick that allows you to cook rice fluffy: first, fry it in butter or vegetable oil for several minutes, then pour boiling water over it and start cooking. This does not affect the cooking time.
- To obtain fluffy rice, you need to choose the right ratio of cereal and water (or broth, which is usually taken in the same amount). Round rice cooks quickly; take 1.5 cups of liquid per glass of this product. If it has been pre-soaked, you can even use a 1:1 ratio. Long grain rice is usually cooked using a 1:2 ratio, but if it has been soaked before, a 3:5 ratio will be more successful. How much liquid to use for cooking brown rice is better Check the product packaging, as the required ratio may vary.
- The cooking time for rice also depends on its type. Round grain is cooked in a slow cooker for 20–30 minutes (depending on whether it was first soaked or whether it was filled with cold or hot water). Long grain rice is cooked in a slow cooker for 30–40 minutes. It takes 40 minutes to 1 hour to cook brown rice. If you decide to steam rice, be sure to soak it first. After this, it is boiled for 30–60 minutes, depending on the variety.
- To cook rice as a side dish in a multicooker, you usually use the “Rice”, “Pilaf” or similar program, which is intended for preparing cereal dishes. If your appliance has a minimum number of functions, the “Cooking” (or even “Soup”) program is suitable. After cooking, the food can be left for 10–20 minutes in the heating mode, then it will become even tastier.
- Rice is often served as a side dish with vegetables. Vegetables can be used without additional heat treatment if they require less time to cook than the rice itself. But more often, vegetables are pre-fried or stewed. To do this, use the “Frying”, “Baking” or “Stewing” programs.
- To give rice an appetizing yellow color, add turmeric or saffron. Adding milk, on the contrary, will make it even whiter.
There are a huge number of rice side dish options. All these dishes can be prepared in a slow cooker. Knowing the basic principles of this process, you will be able to make rice as a side dish according to your own recipes, without fear that it will stick together or burn.
Cook rice in a saucepan
You can also cook rice in a regular pan by pouring it into boiling salted water, although Eastern cooks believe that salt makes the rice sticky. How long does it take to cook rice in a saucepan? Usually, 20 minutes of cooking with the lid closed over low heat is enough, although some housewives still stir the dish at the first stage so that it does not burn. It’s better not to do this, of course. Steamed rice is cooked a little longer - about 25 minutes, and it increases 3 times in volume. Red, brown and wild rice are cooked in a 1:3 ratio for 30-40 minutes, although each case is individual and you should read the cooking instructions on the rice package. So, the principle of cooking rice can be expressed in a few words - bring water to a boil, reduce the heat, cook until tender, without interfering with the complex process, and let it brew.
Azerbaijanis steam rice with a piece of butter - this way it retains its crispness and all the beneficial substances. The Japanese take one part of rice and one and a half parts of water, cook the cereal on maximum heat for the first 3 minutes, on medium for the next 7 minutes, and in the last 2 minutes reduce the heat to low. After that, they simmer the dish under the lid for another 10 minutes, and the rice turns out very tender and crumbly. By the way, it was the enterprising Japanese who invented a special saucepan - the rice cooker, the sister of the multicooker.
A simple recipe for cooking rice as a side dish in a slow cooker
- long grain rice – 0.4 kg;
- water – 0.8 l;
- salt, seasonings - to taste;
- butter (optional) – 40 g.
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Fill with warm water, after a couple of minutes drain the water, place the rice in the multicooker bowl.
- Add salt and spices according to your taste. Fill the rice with water.
- Turn on the multicooker by selecting the “Rice”, “Pilaf” or similar program. If the unit does not turn off automatically when the dish is ready, set the timer for 40 minutes.
- When the main program finishes, add butter to the rice. Stir it, leave it in heating mode for another 10 minutes.
After the specified time, the rice can be laid out on plates, the main dish placed next to it and family members invited to the table.
Rice with minced meat
A very quick and simple dinner in a slow cooker can be prepared from rice and minced meat. For the dish you will need a large onion and a medium carrot, 500 grams of minced meat and two glasses of steamed rice.
Fry the chopped onion and carrots in a bowl on the “Fry” mode until golden brown. Then add the minced meat, after mixing it with 1 glass of water. Mix everything thoroughly and cook at the previously set mode for 5 minutes. Then add the rice, mix everything again and add two glasses of water. Add salt and spices to taste. Set the “Stew” or “Multi-cook” mode and after 30-40 minutes enjoy the delicious dish. This recipe is for those who are interested in how to cook steamed rice in a slow cooker in an unusual and tasty way.
Yellow rice as a side dish, cooked in a slow cooker
- round grain rice – 0.2 kg;
- water or broth - 0.3 l;
- turmeric – a large pinch;
- salt - to taste;
- olive oil – 40 ml.
- Rinse the rice until clean.
- Pour oil into the multicooker bowl. Turn on the unit by selecting the “Frying” program. If it is not available, you can select the “Baking” program.
- Pour rice into the multicooker container and fry it for 5 minutes.
- Boil water or broth.
- Add salt and turmeric to the rice, pour hot broth over it.
- Launch the program "Pilaf" or similar. Cook rice for 20 minutes. Then switch the unit to heating mode.
After 10–20 minutes, the rice can be placed on plates and used as a side dish. It will acquire an appetizing yellow color and will be tender and crumbly.
Cooking time and rules
Steamed rice can act not only as a side dish, but also as a basis for preparing salads and rolls. For each dish, the cereal must have a certain consistency. Therefore, it is necessary to know the rules and cooking time of the product.
For garnish
You can cook steamed rice for a side dish not only in a saucepan, but also in the microwave, as well as in a slow cooker. The main thing is to prepare the cereal correctly so that it turns out crumbly.
Step-by-step process of cooking the product:
- First you need to soak the grains in water for 40 minutes. Afterwards, the liquid must be replaced with a new one, keeping the rice for another 15 minutes. Then the product must be rinsed and drained in a colander.
- Add 2 parts water and salt to taste to the container. As soon as the liquid boils, you need to pour in 1 part of the rice.
- The composition must be mixed immediately. The workpiece will need to be boiled under a closed lid for about 35 minutes.
Then you need to drain the water and leave the rice in a closed pan for about 15 minutes. To improve the taste, the finished side dish can be supplemented with any spices (for example, rosemary, cumin, cinnamon).
For the salad
To create fluffy rice for salad, you must follow a detailed cooking process:
- The cereal should be rinsed well under water and placed in a container.
- Rice grains will need to be filled with hot water in a ratio of 2:3, respectively.
- The container must be covered with a lid and placed on the stove.
- The product must be boiled over low heat for about 12 minutes.
- Afterwards, the container should be set aside for another 12 minutes.
The lid should not be opened during cooking. Otherwise the dish will not be crumbly.
For rolls
To prepare rolls, it is better to use polished, round rice, as it holds its shape better. Steamed cereal will disintegrate.
Step-by-step description of making rice porridge for rolls:
- You will need to thoroughly rinse 200 g of cereal and add 250 ml of water.
- As soon as the liquid begins to boil, the product should be boiled for about 15 minutes. under a closed lid.
- Then the container must be wrapped in a warm blanket.
- Next 4 tbsp. l. You will need to mix rice vinegar with a pinch of salt and 5 g of sugar. The composition should be placed on the stove and wait until the bulk ingredients dissolve.
Afterwards, pour the hot sauce over the rice and stir. Parboiled rice is a healthy food product because it contains a huge amount of nutrients necessary for the body. Rice side dishes are especially popular among other grains. Based on the cereal, you can prepare not only delicious porridge, but also pilaf, risotto, paella, as well as a base for salads and rolls.
How to cook rice as a side dish in a slow cooker
Cooking time: 30 minutes.
There are so many delicious side dishes. Rice is one of the most popular among them. Indeed, it goes well with a wide variety of dishes. Moreover, it has an important advantage not only in the form of its taste, but also ease of preparation.
If you want to make rice as a side dish, use the Redmond multicooker. This will make your task much easier and save you a lot of time. Rice prepared this way will be excellent in every way. The Redmond RMC-M60 model is good because it has a special program - “Rice - Cereals”.
Method for preparing rice as a side dish in a Redmond multicooker
1) Like many other grains, rice must first be washed. This is done under cold running water for 5-10 minutes.
2) The next step is to grease the multicooker bowl with butter so that the rice does not stick to the walls during cooking.
3) Next, add rice to the bowl, fill it with water, add salt and mix everything.
4) Close the lid, press the “Menu” button, select the “Rice - Cereals” program. Set the timer to 30 minutes.
5) Press the “Start/Heat” button. Now all that remains is to wait for the end of the program, after which the rice for the side dish will be ready.
How to make rice tastier: a few useful tricks
When cooking rice on the stove, you should never pour cold water over it, otherwise it will stick together and lose its appetizing appearance. It might seem like a small thing, but the fate of the whole dish depends on it! Many Asian cooks add butter or vegetable oil to the water with rice during cooking for a delicate and velvety taste. Some recipes recommend cooking the rice in the oven - this makes it even tastier.
Rice turns out bright and piquant if you add spices and aromatic herbs during cooking. Bay leaves, peppercorns, turmeric, saffron, curry, rosemary, lemon zest, garlic and herbs go very well with rice. Sometimes water is mixed with milk to give the rice a creamy hue. However, true connoisseurs of this dish cook rice without additives to enjoy its natural taste and fragrant aroma.
How to cook fluffy rice as a side dish in a slow cooker
No one will probably argue that porridge is a healthy side dish. Therefore, it is important to know how to cook fluffy rice in a slow cooker. Interestingly, it is called a rice cooker in European countries, which indicates its intended purpose. After all, it is not always possible to get crumbly porridge by simply cooking it using a saucepan over a fire.
It would seem that nothing could be simpler than cooking porridge. But rice is sticky. Therefore, it is very difficult to cook it in a regular pan. It is necessary to withstand a range of technologies. Let's take a closer look at how to make rice in a slow cooker.
After all, she will definitely prepare a crumbly dish that will not remain undercooked or stick together. Although, to cook rice, even using new technologies, you need to know the secrets.
What ingredients are needed?
When answering the question of how to cook fluffy rice in a slow cooker, it is important to take the right ingredients. To begin with, we need one glass of cereal, also two glasses of water. Also use multi-glasses. In fact, the quantity does not matter, it can be smaller or larger, the main ratio is one to two, that is, one part of cereal and two parts of water. You also need to add salt to taste.
You will need twenty grams of butter and, if desired, the required amount of spices. When the ingredients are ready, you can proceed directly to cooking. All you need to do is take everything correctly, and the multicooker will cook everything itself and give a signal that the dish is ready.
Porridge with seafood
For those who value their time, preparing this dish in a slow cooker is the best option. Steamed rice in a slow cooker can be prepared with either one type of seafood or an assortment. For the dish you will need your favorite sea creatures in the amount of 300 grams (you can take a “Sea Cocktail” or just a mixture of seafood) and 2 cups of rice.
Seafood must be thoroughly washed and placed in a multicooker bowl. Add rice and spices with salt to them. Fill everything with water 0.5 cm above the food level and select the “Stew” function. Steamed rice porridge in a slow cooker with seafood is a dietary and healthy dish.
This dish is best served with half a lemon; you can garnish with herbs. It is important that seafood is completely cleaned, otherwise it is simply impossible to choose it from rice.
Cooking steps
Let's look at one way to cook fluffy rice in a slow cooker. First of all, we take the cereal, which we wash thoroughly. It is important to do this carefully, because the taste of the porridge directly depends on how well the cereal was washed.
One tip is to place the rice under cold running water. Leave it to rinse for ten or even twelve minutes. Just don’t turn on the hot water, it will ruin the taste of the porridge. Rinse until clear water appears.
Now let's proceed directly to the preparation. Remember that nothing gets soaked. Otherwise you will end up with overcooked porridge. Immediately after washing, place the rice in the slow cooker and fill it with water. As already noted, it is important to maintain the correct proportions, that is, two to one (two parts water and one part porridge).
At the last step we add salt. It is important to note that you can use broth obtained after cooking meat or chicken instead of water.
In the third step, add butter. You can, of course, cook without it, or use vegetable oil. Only when you add exactly creamy, you can achieve a piquant taste. In addition, the porridge will be much tastier.
The next step is to add spices. For example, you can use cumin, turmeric, use saffron. It is also possible to buy a store-bought bag with a mixture of spices, which you can use instead of seasoning. Although this is not the most important thing, because the rice will turn out very tasty in a slow cooker.
Important Steps
The fifth step is to launch one of the modes. It's called "spaghetti". There is no need to set the time, since the mode is automatic. There is no need to stir anything, as the pan will not allow anything to burn. When the dish is cooked, the automatic heating mode will turn on.
This means that after the cooking time has expired, the multicooker must be turned off. Otherwise you will end up with a tasteless sticky mass. Delicious rice as a side dish in a slow cooker will turn out very appetizing.
How to cook rice as a side dish in a slow cooker
Rice is very popular in many cuisines around the world. There are many recipes. But not every housewife knows how to prepare it correctly for a particular dish. The easiest way to cook rice is in a slow cooker. There is no need to control the cooking process or interfere.
The rice in the slow cooker turns out tasty, crumbly and does not stick to the bottom. And the water does not run away, as happens when you cook on the stove.
Before you cook rice in a slow cooker, you need to decide what you will make from it. After all, different dishes will require different varieties and preparation of the product. If you are going to cook fluffy rice as a side dish or pilaf, you need to rinse it well in warm water to remove excess starch. Then the rice will not stick together. For real Uzbek pilaf and as a side dish, you need to choose unpolished, long-grain rice: devzira, basmati, jasmine, wild, steamed, brown, golden. They contain less starch and the rice turns out fluffy.
Starchy, round-grain varieties are suitable for preparing milk porridges, paella, risotto, and sushi: arborio, Krasnodar rice.
This section contains a huge number of step-by-step recipes with photos, according to which you can cook delicious rice in multicookers and multicookers-pressure cookers Redmond, Polaris, Panasonic, etc. Here are the most popular recipes for delicious rice dishes:
Rice casserole
In a multicooker you can easily prepare a large number of different baked goods. For example, a rice casserole for breakfast will delight everyone in the household. For the dish you need: 250 grams of cottage cheese, 1 glass of rice, 100 grams of sugar, 3 eggs, vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons of semolina.
Rice should be boiled until half cooked. In this case, cooking steamed rice can be done either in a saucepan or in a slow cooker. In a separate form, beat cottage cheese, eggs, sugar and vanillin until smooth. Combine rice and curd mass, mix thoroughly.
Grease the multicooker bowl with sunflower oil and sprinkle with a thin layer of semolina. Pour the curd-rice mixture on top and turn on the “Baking” mode. In 60 minutes the dish will be ready. You can serve with sour cream or fresh fruit when slightly cooled.
How to cook delicious fluffy rice in a slow cooker
Rice is one of the most popular side dishes on our table, but not everyone can boast of their ability to cook delicious fluffy rice in a slow cooker. It is not so difficult. The main thing is that you need to follow certain rules. In order for the rice in the multicooker to turn out crumbly, you need to:
- Choose less starchy varieties so that the rice does not stick together. Typically, this is long grain rice and contains less starch. The shorter or whiter the grain, the softer it is and the more water it takes, the more it boils and the more sticky it becomes. Therefore, inexpensive white milled rice, which we most often buy in the store, is not suitable for these purposes. It is more used for making porridges and puddings. It is better to use special varieties: basmati, jasmine, dev-jeera, unpolished brown, steamed, wild, red, black.
- Rinse rice in warm water to remove starch.
- Maintain the correct proportions of rice and water.
- There is no need to stir the rice during cooking.
- Observe the cooking time for the rice. There are varieties that cook in 15 minutes, and others that need to be cooked for an hour, such as wild rice. And if you pre-soak the rice in warm water, the cereal cooks much faster, it only takes 5-10 minutes.
Biochemical composition of parboiled rice
After steaming, approximately 80% of the nutrients are retained in rice. Therefore, the biochemical composition of the product is characterized by a large amount of vitamins and mineral elements.
Parboiled rice includes the following compounds:
- Monosaccharides. They saturate the body with the necessary energy that is needed for growth.
- Disaccharides. They perform the same function as monosaccharides. However, if the product is consumed excessively, such compounds can provoke obesity, as well as the development of heart and vascular diseases.
- Polysaccharides. They take part in normalizing blood circulation, reducing cholesterol levels in the blood, as well as improving the functioning of the stomach and intestines.
Nutritional value of the product:
- proteins – 7.51 g;
- fats – 1.03 g;
- carbohydrates – 80.89 g;
- ash – 0.71 g;
- water – 9.86 g.
Steamed rice contains vitamins E, as well as PP, which have a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and hair, normalize the functioning of the central nervous system and normalize hormonal balance.
However, the product contains B vitamins to a greater extent, namely:
- Pantothenic acid . Produces hormones of the adrenal cortex.
- Pyridoxine. Normalizes amino acid metabolism.
- Riboflavin. Helps synthesize other elements, as well as convert amino acids.
- Thiamine. Takes part in metabolic processes that occur in the body.
- Folic acid. Takes part in the production of endorphin.
Among the trace elements in the product there are substances such as phosphorus, sodium, manganese, calcium and cobalt, zinc, potassium and iodine, magnesium, and iron.
In addition, the product contains amino acids, namely: choline, lysine, cysteine, methionine and lecithin. All these nutrients are the main element of protein compounds.
Classic recipe for fluffy rice in a Redmond slow cooker
- We take the correct proportions of rice. As a rule, this is one volume of rice and two volumes of water. Although there is rice that can be cooked in three volumes of water, it is black rice. You can measure using either multi glasses or regular glasses, the main thing is to maintain the proportions.
- Wash the rice in warm water until the water is clear of starch.
- Place the washed rice in the multicooker bowl.
- Fill with water if you are cooking rice in water for a side dish. In addition to water, you can use vegetable, chicken or meat broth.
- Add some salt to the water. Add salt to your taste.
- You can add your favorite spices to the rice. Turmeric, curry, cumin, saffron, ginger, garlic, barberry, black pepper are suitable for rice.
- And also, if you are not on a diet or fasting, you can add a piece of butter.
- Close the lid of the multicooker.
- Turn on the appropriate mode. In a Panasonic multicooker it can be pilaf and buckwheat. In the Redmond multicooker you can cook in the normal cooking mode for 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the type of rice. In the Polaris multicooker, rice can be cooked in the cereal mode, setting the time to 25 minutes.
- These are automatic programs during which it is not recommended to open the lid. Stirring rice is also not recommended.
- After the end of the program, the fluffy rice in the multicooker is ready. You can sprinkle it with herbs and serve as a side dish for fish, meat, and vegetable dishes.
Rice with pumpkin
One of the healthiest and most delicious dishes is rice with pumpkin. To prepare, take 200-300 grams of pumpkin and a glass of rice. This dish can be prepared with either milk or water.
If you decide to cook rice with milk, then mix 250 ml of this product with the same amount of water. Cut the pumpkin into small cubes. The size depends on your taste preferences. Place rice, pumpkin, sugar and salt in a bowl, fill everything with water or milk (2 cups of liquid). We turn on the device to the “Stew” or “Porridge” function. After cooking, add 10-15 grams of butter and two tablespoons of honey to the hot porridge (these ingredients are optional). This dish can be a wonderful dessert or a full breakfast.
How to cook rice in a Polaris multicooker
Multicookers of different models have different capacities and a different set of programs, so the preparation of dishes in them will be different. Such a popular side dish as rice has its own subtleties of preparation in each model. Let's look at how to cook rice in a Polaris multicooker (Polaris 0517 AD) and what program you need to use.
In order for the rice in the Polaris multicooker to turn out crumbly, you must follow all the rules for preparing crumbly rice, which we mentioned above. That is, choose the right type of cereal, rinse it thoroughly in warm water and use the correct proportions of rice and water: one to two.
Most often, when cooking rice, the “cereals” program is used. In this mode, the default time is set to 25 minutes, which is exactly how long the rice is cooked. But if you want to experiment, you can use Multicooker. It adjusts both time: from 5 minutes to 12 hours, and temperature from 40 to 160 degrees. This program is convenient because you can cook different varieties. To cook plain white rice, set the standard time to 25 minutes and a temperature of 100 degrees. If you cook steamed or brown rice, it will take more time. The rice turns out crumbly.
How to cook brown and steamed rice in a Panasonic multicooker
Unfortunately, the Panasonic multicooker does not have a manual mode. But there is a Pilaf program there. It is perfect for cooking brown and steamed rice, because unpolished varieties take longer to cook. On it, the rice cooks well, but retains its shape and the rice turns out crumbly.
Wash one multi-cup of rice thoroughly in several waters and pour into a multi-cooker bowl. Fill with hot water, add salt and spices as desired. Turn on the pilaf mode. As soon as the signal sounds, the steamed or brown rice in the Panasonic multicooker is ready. We serve it with meat, fish, or vegetables, which can be steamed at the same time.
Rice porridge with milk
Everyone loves delicious rice porridge: both adults and children. The main thing is to cook it correctly, and this can be done easily and quickly in any slow cooker.
Housewives should understand that steamed rice will make the porridge somewhat crumbly. For the recipe you need 500 ml of milk of the fat content that suits you, a glass of rice, salt, sugar to taste and dried fruits.
Typically, for 1 serving of rice add 2 parts milk and 3 parts water. Pour water and milk into a bowl and immediately add salt and sugar. If you like your porridge drier, then there should be less water, and vice versa. Then add rice and turn on the “Porridge” mode. Once cooked, you can add raisins, prunes or dried fruits. A piece of butter and a spoonful of honey wouldn't hurt.