If you haven’t yet taken the plunge into cooking with your rice cooker, now’s the time to get to know this incredibly useful kitchen appliance. The great thing about rice cookers is that they can be used not only to make perfect rice dishes, but also for steaming vegetables, simmering soups, and even making desserts like flan or cheesecake! Rice cookers are especially great if you don’t want to heat up your kitchen during the hot summer months and want to be able to prepare a hot meal quickly and efficiently.



Brown rice


If you’re looking for alternatives to plain white rice, try brown rice. Brown rice is still gluten-free, but it has more flavor and nutrients than white rice. It also comes in handy when you want to make couscous or other whole grains it only takes 30 minutes to cook, versus 45 minutes or longer with some of its whole grain cousins. Simply follow these instructions: Add 1 cup of rinsed brown rice and 2 cups of water (or broth) to your cooker. Close the lid securely, set the dial to cook and press start. When done, let stand for 5 minutes then fluff with a fork before serving.


White rice

If you’re looking for something that cooks quickly and has a mild flavor, white rice is probably your best bet. It has more carbohydrates than brown rice but fewer than many other grains. When cooking, you want to make sure you have plenty of water; use about 1 cup of liquid for every cup of rice and add salt to enhance flavor. Brown or wild rice: Made from unmilled whole grains, these are better-for-you varieties that take longer to cook (45 minutes to an hour). As their name suggests, brown rice has more color and nutrients than white, though they have similar nutrient profiles otherwise. Wild rice has unique nutty flavors not found in any other type of grain it’s lower in calories than either variety too.


Wild rice

In order to cook wild rice in your rice cooker, you'll need to prepare it first. This is done by washing and rinsing it under cold water until it runs clear, then placing it into a pot with three parts water and one part vinegar. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce heat to low, cooking for 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat, drain well and let cool before storing in an airtight container or freezer bag until ready to use. Note that uncooked wild rice will last indefinitely when stored properly.


Pearl barley


If you’re looking for an alternative to rice, pearl barley may be worth a try. Though similar to brown rice, it has its own distinct taste, somewhere between wild rice and oatmeal. Pearl barley is loaded with fiber, protein and minerals like selenium and manganese that are thought to play important roles in brain function and development. And because pearl barley isn’t processed unlike white or brown varieties it retains more of its nutrients. While it can be used in any recipe calling for cooking grain, pearl barley makes especially tasty side dishes; try using it with dried fruit and thyme instead of rice at your next meal.


Conclusion


The two best options for cooking couscous are either using an ice cooker or any other cookware that can keep its temperature below boiling. I would suggest you do it because if not then your couscous is going to get burnt and stick to your ice cooker. So make sure you follow these tips, and you will have amazing tasting couscous every time! Let me know what you think about my couscous recipe, so feel free to leave comments! - Thank You For Reading.