Rice Cooker Rice Pilaf - Yuko's Kitchen - Japanese Cooking 101

Yuko shows you how to make Rice Cooker Rice Pilaf, a rice dish that takes little time to prepare and no effort to cook. All you need to do is to cut up some vegetables and put everything in a rice cooker.

In this recipe, frozen peeled, deveined, and tail-off shrimp was used without being defrosted. Onion and carrot are not even sauteed in a frying pan before cooked with rice. The point of this recipe is being easy! This is a perfect dish to cook on a busy day.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup long-grain white rice (such as basmati or jasmine)
• 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup diced carrots
• 1/4 cup frozen peas (optional)
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds (for garnish, optional)
• Fresh parsley or chives, for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Start by rinsing the rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cold running water until the water runs clear. This helps remove excess starch and prevents the rice from becoming too sticky.
2. In your rice cooker, set it to the "Sauté" or "Browning" function if available. If not, you can sauté the ingredients in a separate pan on the stovetop.
3. Add the butter or olive oil to the rice cooker's inner pot and let it heat up.
4. Sauté the chopped onion and diced carrots for a few minutes until the onions are translucent and the carrots are slightly softened.
5. Add the rinsed rice to the pot and continue sautéing for another couple of minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice turns slightly translucent.
6. If you're using frozen peas, add them to the pot and sauté for a minute.
7. Sprinkle in the salt, black pepper, and dried thyme (if using). Give it a quick stir to combine.
8. Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth. Stir everything together.
9. Close the lid of your rice cooker and switch it to the "Cook" or "White Rice" setting.
10. Let the rice cooker do its job. Once it switches to "Warm," let the pilaf sit for a few more minutes to allow any remaining liquid to be absorbed.
11. While the pilaf is resting, you can toast the slivered almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat until they become lightly golden. Keep an eye on them as they can burn quickly.
12. Fluff the pilaf with a fork and sprinkle the toasted almonds over the top for a nice crunch.
13. Garnish with fresh parsley or chives, if desired, and serve your rice cooker rice pilaf as a delicious side dish.