The Student News Site of Macalester College

The Mac Weekly

The Student News Site of Macalester College

The Mac Weekly

The Student News Site of Macalester College

The Mac Weekly

Of Rice and Ramen: Thinking outside the box – Creative recipes for your rice cooker

Of+Rice+and+Ramen%3A+Thinking+outside+the+box+%E2%80%93+Creative+recipes+for+your+rice+cooker

My rice cooker is probably the most trusty component of my kitchen, so this week I want to take the Asian theme of this column in a different direction. The rice cooker was a gift, and was really a solid investment on the part of the giver. I love rice as much as the next college student (it’s cheap and filling), but with limited space in my apartment kitchen, I need versatility from my kitchen gadgets. I present three recipes for your rice cooker that aren’t actually rice. (I have a small five-cup rice cooker. If you have a larger machine, I suggest doubling the first two recipes, which depend on the bowl of the rice cooker for shape.)

Quinoa Salad

Quinoa salad
Quinoa salad

– 1/2 cup canned corn
– 1/2 cup black beans
– 1 small tomato, chopped
– 1 cup quinoa
– 2 cups water
– 2 tsp. salt
– 1 tsp. onion powder
– 1 tsp. chili powder
– 1 tsp. ground cumin
– 1 tbsp. dried cilantro, or 1/4 cup fresh chopped
– Cilantro (1 tbsp. dried or 1/4 cup fresh chopped)

Put it all in the rice cooker, give it a stir, and press start! Serve with a spoonful of salsa and sliced avocado for a hands-off vegan lunch.

Vegetable Frittata

Vegetable Frittata
Vegetable Frittata

– 6 eggs
– 1 small tomato, sliced into rounds
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
– 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
– Salt and pepper
– Olive oil, to grease the bowl

Oil the rice cooker bowl and layer the tomato slices to cover the bottom. Crack the eggs into a medium bowl and whisk until frothy. Mix in remaining ingredients and pour over tomato layer. Give it a pass through a regular rice cooker cycle, and enjoy alongside crusty bread.

Apple Tatin Cake

Apple Tatin Cake
Apple Tatin Cake

– 2 medium apples
– 2 tbsp. butter
– 7 tbsp. sugar
– 1/2 cup flour
– 1 tsp. cinnamon
– 1 tsp. baking powder
– 2 eggs
– 3 tbsp. melted butter

Peel and slice the apples. Melt two tablespoons of butter in a pan and add the apple slices. Let the apples cook for five minutes and add three tablespoons of sugar and the cinnamon. Continue cooking until the sugar caramelizes, then remove apples from heat. Mix the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl (batter will be thick). Arrange the apples in a single layer in the bottom of the rice cooker bowl and pour the batter over the top. Cook for one rice cycle and enjoy as a tea cake.

All photos by Ashley Hung ’16.

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    Evan ClarksonSep 7, 2019 at 3:01 pm

    Great write-up, I’m normal visitor of one’s web site, maintain up the nice operate, and It’s going to be a regular visitor for a lengthy time.

    Reply