A rice cooker is an important kitchen appliance. Aside from using it *just* to cook rice, you can make easy one pot meals. These are our favorite rice cooker recipes.
Rice Cookers
Rice cookers are a staple in Hawaii home kitchens. Everyone I know had a rice cooker at home. And we use it daily...sometimes multiple times a day! It is bthe most important appliance in a Hawaii home kitchen.
Why? We eat rice with everything! If you look through the recipes on Onolicious you'll quickly see that most of the recipes are meant to be enjoyed with a big bowl of rice.
We love rice so much that we even have a store devoted to rice in Honolulu!
I love bread and I love noodles (very much so). But if I had to pick between rice, bread, or noodles for the rest of my life? Rice, no question about it.
Best Rice Cooker
The best rice cooker is the one you already have in your kitchen.
Don't have a rice cooker at home? Definitely get one asap! There are a million different brands and prices out there, but we've been using Zojirushi rice cookers for as long as I can remember.
Zojirushi makes many different rice cookers and I've owned several of them (different stages in life call for different styles and sizes of rice cookers) ^_^
The one we currently use is older model of this rice cooker.
In college I had a very basic rice cooker that I kept in my dorm room. All my mainland roommates were fascinated by it and we had many wonderful meals thanks to this rice cooker. It is pretty ideal if you need a rice cooker but don't have much room (hello, college dorms).
Why Rice Cooker Recipes?
Many reasons! Here are a few:
Everything is done in one pot (the rice cooker pot!)
The only clean up is the rice cooker. And maybe a cutting board and knife.
Layer all the ingredients in the rice cooker pot, press the "cook" button and walk away! No need to return until everything is done cooking.
To serve, just mix everything together with the rice paddle, spoon into a bowl and eat.
Rice cooker recipes don't require a lot of fat or oil (though there are a decadent rice cooker recipes if that's your thing ^_^). These are relatively healthy rice cooker recipes.
Even the butter in the scallop rice is optional (though it is very delicious).
Rice cooker recipes are super flexible when it comes to ingredients. Feel free to swap and tailor to your own tastes. Use more or less Chines sausage (lap cheong). Add more edamame or mushrooms. Change the type of mushrooms, change the seasoning flavors, etc. There's no right or wrong way to do it.
As you make more and more rice cooker recipes, you'll find a flavor and style that works best for you. It's all part of the rice cooker journey!
This is most important! These recipes are truly delicious and simple. We hope it will become part of your weekly cooking repertoire.
Rice Cooker Recipes
See below and enjoy ^_^
P.S. Check back often - I'll keep updating this page as we add more rice cooker recipes to the blog.
Lap Cheong (Chinese Sausage) and Rice
30-minute, one pot meal. You only need 2 ingredients: rice and Chinese sausage (lap cheong). Two ways to serve. Let's get cooking ^_^
Lap Cheong (Chinese Sausage) And Rice is a forever classic and the first rice cooker recipe we ever posted on Onolicious. It features the ever popular and beloved lap cheong in a very simple dish that both kids and adults love.
Scallops and Rice
A one-pot, rice cooker meal. Layer fresh scallops and rice together in the rice cooker, and cook! Finish with a pat of butter to make it extra luxurious. So simple. Flavorful and delicious.
Scallop and Rice is a very elegant rice cooker recipe. It looks all fancy and sophisticated but is super easy to make. Fresh scallops and butter (plus the rice) are the starring ingredients in this very impressive dish.
Edamame and Hijiki Rice
Simple and healthy rice dish prepared directly in the rice cooker. Season rice with dashi and soy sauce. Then add hijiki (a type of seaweed sold dried) and edamame. Enjoy!
We have two kinds of edamame rice cooker recipes! The first is this Edamame and Hijiki Rice. This recipe (as well as the one below) are great vegetarian rice cooker recipes. You can buy dried hijiki (a type seaweed) at any Japanese market. Just rehydrate in water and add it to the rice cooker pot.
Edamame Rice
A simple, seasoned rice dish with edamame, ochazuke wakame (a type of furikake), and nametake (seasoned mushrooms). A very popular Hawaii dish. Delicious and packed with tons of flavor.
The second edamame rice cooker recipe is just called Edamame Rice. This is the default edamame rice you'll find in Hawaii. Add it to your Japanese rice cooker recipes collection! It is popular at potluck parties and gatherings. This rice features edamame, nametake (seasoned mushrooms), and ochazuke wakame.
You can find all the ingredients at a Japanese supermarket. Lots of flavors and texture, all very complimentary. These are all bottled or frozen pantry ingredients. Buy a bunch and keep at home for when the craving hits ^_^
Turmeric Rice
Turmeric Rice is fragrant and delicious. Just sauté shallots and add them to the rice cooker along with chicken broth, turmeric powder, and salt. It's a fun way to make lunch or dinner a little extra special.
Turmeric Rice is a fun way to make basmati rice extra special (and colorful). We sauté shallots and layer that into the rice cooker with basmati rice, and a mixture of chicken broth with turmeric and salt. Feel free to replace the shallots with garlic. Cook in the rice cooker. Then fluff, mix, and enjoy!
Chinese Bacon Rice
Chinese Bacon Rice is delicious! A simple pot meal with just two ingredients: Chinese Bacon and rice. Rich and flavorful with the bacon fat lightly coating each rice kernel. Serve this dish as a standalone meal or pair with any vegetable side.
Chinese Bacon Rice is delicious and easy to make. We always keep Chinese Bacon (also called Lap Yuk or Chinese Cured Pork Belly) in the freezer. Just slice off a piece and cook with rice in the rice cooker. Slice, mix, and eat! Rich and flavorful.
Corn Rice
Corn Rice
Corn rice is a summer treat! All you need is rice, fresh corn, and salt for this easy recipe. The corn kernels cook directly with the rice, so it’s truly a one pot dish. Sweet, savory, and fresh, this rice is the perfect pairing for any meal. Or top it with a fried egg for a great standalone meal.
All you need is fresh corn, rice, and salt to make this beautiful dish. We look forward to Corn Rice all summer long. Grains of rice are studded with golden, sweet corn. It's a wonderful and easy way to brighten up an ordinary bowl of rices. Pairs well with practically anything that you'd eat with rice! Add soy sauce and butter (details in post) for an extra flavorful version of this dish.
I wonder if a similar grain like Farro would work as well as rice in the rice cooker?