The rice cooker cooks healthy recipes in one pot, saving time and effort

The core logic of a one-pot rice cooker is to use the device's built-in stewing + steam cycle temperature control. As long as the order of ingredients is properly matched, there is no need to turn on an open flame, stir-fry in the middle, or stand by the stove, etc., and it can be prepared in 30-40 minutes in line with the recommendations of the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents" A fully nutritious meal requires only washing 1 inner pot and 1-2 food preparation bowls. It takes less than half the time of traditional three dishes and one soup, and the amount of fumes is less than 1/10. It can be used directly by renters, office workers, and families with children. It fully meets the requirements of a healthy diet with low oil and salt.

The first time I came across this method was when I was working on a project last year and ate takeaways that were heavy in oil and salt for two months. I had stomach acid reflux and went to the emergency room in the middle of the night. My colleague couldn't stand it and gave me a recipe she had saved. I scoffed at it at first - what the hell? Isn't it just a big mess? Can vegetables, meat and rice be delicious if mixed together? I was immediately slapped in the face the first time I tried it, and now I do it at least three or four times a week. After teaching it to my mother last week, she can now make my dad’s dinner in 20 minutes after returning home from square dancing. She no longer has to complain about "it takes one hour to cook and ten minutes to eat."

Nowadays, there are actually two schools of thought on the Internet regarding the one-pot cooking method, and they are quite quarrelsome: One school is the "layered steaming pie", which advocates that all the ingredients are placed in layers in the steamer, with the rice at the bottom, so that the ingredients do not touch each other and there is no odor transfer at all. It is suitable for friends with light mouths, or those with elderly and children at home.； The other pie is the "stacked pie on the same floor". There is no need for a steaming grid, but the ingredients are placed directly in the inner pot according to the degree of cooking resistance. The stewed rice is soaked in the aroma of meat and is very tasty. Friends who have a heavy mouth or like to eat delicious meals will love this.

I've tried both, and each has its own benefits. I didn't have time to start the fire last Wednesday when I was catching up on the weekly report, so I used the method of stacking them on the same layer: wash 150g of rice, add water to cover a knuckle, put 3 pieces of ribs marinated 10 minutes in advance with a little light soy sauce, ginger slices, and white pepper, and put peeled and cut into small pieces of baby pumpkin around it, and use the quick cook button to count down to 12 minutes I opened the lid and threw away a handful of washed okra. I waited until the rice was cooked and simmered for 5 minutes before opening the lid. The okra was very crisp and tender, not yellowing at all, the pumpkin was sweet and glutinous, the ribs were off the bone, the rice was soaked in some gravy and it was so fragrant, and there was no extra salt. The average per capita was only 380 calories, so it is no problem to eat it during the fat loss period.

I have seen someone say before that "stewed vegetables lose more nutrients and are not as healthy as stir-fried vegetables." I also checked relevant tests from the School of Food Science and Technology of China Agricultural University. Green leafy vegetables steamed for a short time (within 15 minutes) have a vitamin C retention rate of 83%, which is 12 percentage points higher than the retention rate of stir-frying at 180°C. On the contrary, it locks in more nutrients.

To be honest, I really stepped on a lot of mistakes at the beginning: the first time I made it, I threw the broccoli directly on the bottom and cooked it with the rice. It came out yellow like pickles, and when I took a bite, it was soft and full of watery taste.； Another time I added too much salt to the marinated meat, and the whole pot of rice was too salty to eat. ； Another time, too little water was added, and the raw meat with the rice was not fully cooked. Later, I figured out the rules: put grains, potatoes, roots, and meats that are resistant to cooking on the bottom layer or put them together with the rice. Put green leafy vegetables and easy-to-cook seafood for the last 10-15 minutes. The amount of salt in the marinated meats should be 1/2 of the usual stir-fry, which is completely delicious.

I often make layered pies. My mother has bad teeth and likes to eat light meals, so I make multigrain rice as a base for her. I put the longli fish cubes covered with shredded ginger on the first layer of the steamer, and put minced garlic in a small dish on the second layer. After 10 minutes of cooking, open the lid and throw it away. Shanghai Qing, just pour a little bit of soy sauce on the steamed fish when it comes out of the pot. No oil is needed. The fish is so tender that you can squeeze out the water. The vegetables are crispy and sweet. The rice has the aroma of grains and no odor at all. My mother said it takes half the time compared to her cooking three dishes, and the kitchen is clean and free of oil smoke.

Some people also say that "one pot is only made by lazy people and cannot be cooked on the table." I think that for office workers who are so tired from get off work every day that they can't even stand still, or mothers who are raising their children alone and don't even have time to drink water, being able to spend 20 minutes cooking a healthy and delicious meal is better than anything else. In fact, you don’t have to follow a strict recipe. You can throw in whatever leftover ingredients you have at home. If you have sausages, cut them and throw them in. If you have corns, add them. You can even wash them and throw them in the rice. Whatever is convenient for you, after all, when it comes to eating, you have to be healthy and save trouble, right? If cooking makes you sweat profusely, who would want to eat at home every day?