Using a rice cooker is the easiest and most consistent way to cook rice. Simply measure out your rice and water, turn on the rice cooker and let the magic happen for perfectly cooked rice every time. The best part is that when the rice is cooked, the cooker will automatically turn it to a warming setting, ensuring that your rice never overcooks.
There are many different brands and types of rice cookers out there, but they all come with simple and easy-to-understand instructions on how to use them. Generally, the ratio of rice to liquid in a rice cooker is about 1.5:1, but simply follow the instructions for specific ratios.
When using a rice cooker, I always rinse my rice under cold running water for a couple minutes to take any excess starch off the outside of the rice, which helps prevent the grains from sticking together. Also be sure to grease the inside of your rice cooker with cooking spray before filling it with rice and water so that the rice does not stick the bottom or sides of the cooker.
About this Cajun Dirty Rice Recipe
| Rating: 4.5/5 | Serves: 4 Servings | Difficulty: Easy | Approx. Cost: $17.00 |
| Prep Time: 30 Minutes | Cook Time: 40 Minutes | Total Time: 70 Minutes |
While rice cookers are wonderful for cooking plain rice, they can also be used for a host of great compound rice dishes such as Dirty Rice, Paella, Rice and Beans, Coconut Rice, Biryani and many others.
This recipe is an incredibly simple, yet wonderfully delicious way to prepare rice in a rice cooker. Sweet sautéed vegetables, meaty red beans and a handful of herbs and spices all permeate the rice with a terrific array of delicious Cajun flavors.
Simply sauté all the vegetables with some aromatics, throw them into the pot with the rice and liquid and let the rice cooker do its thing. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 cups long-grain white rice
- 3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons red wine or apple cider vinegar
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced fine
- 1 large white onion, diced fine
- 2 ribs celery, diced fine
- 6 cloves garlic, sliced thin
- 2 cups (500 ml) vegetable stock
- ½ cup (125 ml) water
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 sprigs thyme
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 14.5-ounce can (410 grams) red kidney beans, drained
- 2 tablespoons butter
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup (5 grams) chopped parsley, for garnish
Directions
- Rinse the rice under cold running water in a fine mesh colander. Gently massage the rice with the water running until the liquid coming from the rice runs mostly clear, this may take 4-5 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a large sauté pan, add the tomato paste, vinegar, peppers, onions, celery and garlic to the pan. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, just until the vegetables are slightly translucent and the vinegar has cooked out. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Grease the inside of the rice cooker pot with cooking spray.
- Place the rice into the rice cooker pot, add the vegetables, vegetable stock, water, thyme, bay leaves and spices.
- Turn on the rice cooker and cook according to the instructions.
- Remove the thyme and bay leaves once the rice is cooked. Fluff the rice with a fork and add the red beans and butter to the pot. Stir to incorporate the beans fully and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Garnish the rice with parsley and serve immediately.
Image: Congerdesign