A rice cooker can prepare the rice for fried rice, and some multicookers can sauté the other ingredients. A dump-and-cook dish is seasoned rice rather than stir-fried rice. Use a mixed-rice recipe approved for your model, or cook the rice separately and finish it in a frying pan.
Steps to Make Fried Rice in The Rice Cooker without The “Sauté” Function
Simple rice cookers usually have only a Cook and Keep Warm function.
Some of them may have controls for different types of rice but rarely include a “Sauté” function.
Use an approved mixed-rice recipe for the method below. If your rice cooker only permits plain rice, cook it separately and finish the dish in a frying pan.
1. Prepare the Rice for Cooking
Choose the right type of rice for the best results.
Jasmine is a long-grain rice commonly used for fried rice. Other varieties give different textures; follow the recipe you choose.
These varieties of rice will produce a nice and fluffy texture.
After measuring the desired amount of rice, rinse it properly to clean the rice and get rid of any excess starch.
You may have to wash the rice two to three times to get this right.
2. Prepare the Rest of The Ingredients
You can use a wide variety of ingredients and various recipes to make fried rice.
Some of the most used ingredients are frozen vegetables, butter or oil, and eggs.
You can also add sausages, seafood, chicken, or other types of meat based on your preferences.
Large pieces of meat will remain uncooked if you directly add them to a rice cooker.
For the simplest safe method, cook meat or poultry fully in a separate pan before combining it with the rice.
Do not rely on small pieces or partial cooking as proof of doneness. Use a thermometer: poultry needs 165°F, ground meat 160°F, and fish 145°F.
Also, prepare the flavoring ingredients like onions, garlic, spring onions, fish sauce, soy sauce, and chicken broth for a stronger flavor.
Chop all the ingredients finely to use them in the recipe.
3. Add the Ingredients to The Rice Cooker
For an approved mixed-rice recipe, the ingredient amounts and order matter. Do not add raw meat or eggs to an unspecified rice cycle.
Follow the model’s mixed-rice capacity and cooking instructions.
So once you have assembled and measured the ingredients, you can proceed to this step.
Add the rice, chopped onions, garlic, spring onions, soy sauce, fish sauce, and butter or oil to the cooking pot. Give it a swirl to make it mix.
Follow the approved recipe for vegetables and liquid. For a generic method, prepare the meat and scrambled egg separately, then combine them with the cooked rice rather than leaving raw egg and meat to an unspecified rice cycle.
4. Enable the “Cook” Function
After adding all the ingredients, close the lid of the rice cooker. Then engage the “Cook” button. The rice cooker will start cooking.
Let the approved program run as directed. An automatic switch does not establish the safe temperature of added meat or eggs.
When the rice cooks and absorbs all the moisture, the rice cooker will automatically switch to “Keep Warm” mode or shut down.
Wait for a few minutes to open the rice cooker lid. This will allow the rice and vegetables to absorb any remaining moisture.
5. Mix the Contents
After waiting for a few minutes after the rice cooker switches to “Keep Warm” or shuts down, you can open the lid.
Gently fluff up the rice and mix the ingredients with a fork or spatula. The purpose of doing so is to separate the rice and make it softer.
Combine the cooked ingredients and serve promptly. Egg dishes should reach 160°F; leftovers being reheated need 165°F throughout.
Steps to Make Fried Rice in The Rice Cooker with The “Sauté” Function
Some multicookers have a Sauté function, but many advanced rice cookers do not.
In this case, you can fry the vegetables to enhance the taste of the fried rice.
Here are the steps to make fried rice in a rice cooker with the “Sauté” function.
1. Prepare the Rice
Rinse and wash the rice so it’s devoid of dirt. Also, get rid of any excess starch by washing it two or three times.
Measure the accurate amount of liquid to cook the rice.
2. Prepare the Rest of The Ingredients
If the rice cooker has a sauté function, you can use it to gently fry the fried rice ingredients.
Engage the “Sauté” function on the rice cooker and add enough oil to fry the vegetables and meat.
Cook vegetables and meat according to the approved sauté recipe. Browning the outside does not establish that meat is cooked through.
The heat and browning results depend on the appliance.
Follow the approved recipe rather than assuming the cooker will brown ingredients like a wok.
You can add the rice and mix it in with the sauteed vegetables and toss it around a few times.
3. Add the Broth or Water to The Cooking Pot
The next step is to add the cooking liquid to the cooking pot with the rest of the ingredients.
Also, add the soy sauce and other ingredients for flavoring at this stage.
Unless the manufacturer’s recipe specifically includes raw eggs at this step, scramble the eggs separately and add them after the rice cooks.
4. Switch to Cooking Mode
After adding the cooking liquid and seasonings, close the lid and switch to the “Rice-cooking” mode.
Let the approved cooking program run as directed by the manual. Follow its supervision and lid-opening instructions.
5. Check the Finished Dish and Serve
After the approved cycle and any required pressure release or resting time, open the lid carefully. Fluff the rice with a utensil that will not scratch the pot.
Mix the cooked components gently and check the required safe temperature before serving. Use Keep Warm for mixed rice only if the manual permits it; otherwise refrigerate leftovers promptly.
An Alternative Method to Make Fried Rice in A Rice Cooker
If the rice cooker has no suitable Sauté function, use it to prepare the rice and finish the fried rice in a frying pan.
It would, however, involve an additional step.
For this method, you will prepare the rice separately in the rice cooker.
For the rest of the ingredients, you will have to use a frying pan for cooking.
Here are the steps involved:
- Cook the rice in the rice cooker as usual.
- Meanwhile, place the frying pan on the stove.
- Add oil and wait till it’s hot to add ginger and garlic, followed by the vegetables and meat.
- Stir while cooking, and verify that any meat or poultry reaches its safe internal temperature. Crispness and surface color are not enough.
- Once these ingredients are done, push them to the side of the pan and break the eggs in the center.
- Scramble the eggs till they are well done and mix with the vegetables and meat.
- Add the cooked rice and mix over heat as needed. If using refrigerated rice, heat the whole dish to 165°F before serving.
- Drizzle soy sauce and garnish with spring onions for serving.
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within two hours, or one hour above 90°F. Do not leave cooked rice cooling in a switched-off cooker.
