After five years of being without a rice cooker, I really thought I was past the coveting stage. I resisted getting one, because for the amount we usually needed at home, it was easy enough to make some in a pot on the stove — and much quicker. I can have a cup of rice steamed and ready in less than 15 minutes, counting the time it takes to bring the water to a boil. The rice cooker takes an hour, and sometimes I’m not even thinking one hour ahead.

But oh, when I did finally commit, I went the whole nine yards. I got the fancy one that slow cooks to perfection and sings at the finale. Is it a Pavlovian response they’re looking for? At that point, I figured I should also go with the good rice. New crop and all. If we are going to do this, we are going to do it right.

I remembered why it’s nice to have a rice cooker. I think my oldest has used it nearly every day. We’ve talked several times about using it to cook other things, but so far it’s just been rice. I guess we really like rice.
Then I saw a video about steaming Chinese sausage while cooking your rice. I’m not sure why I never thought of this before. You have to simmer it anyway, and you are definitely going to have rice with that meal, so there’s no reason to not do it at the same time. Easy peasy. With a few seasonings, you have a very simple one pot meal. Add an egg and chile oil on top and I’ll be there for dinner.

Rice Cooker Lup Cheong
Ingredients:
• 2 rice cooker cups short-grain rice
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (addaccording to preference)
• 2 teaspoons mirin
• 2 cloves garlic, minced finely
• 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
• 4 Chinese sausage (lup cheong)
• 1/3 cup chopped scallions

Directions:
Wash the rice and add water according to the cooker directions.
Sprinkle the oil, fish sauce, soy sauce, mirin, garlic and ginger over the water (do not stir).
Add the lup cheong sausage, resting over the top of the rice in the water.
Cook rice as normal.
When completed, remove the sausage and slice into bite-size pieces. Return to the pot.
Add green onions and stir the rice together with a rice paddle.
Serves 4.

Mariko Jackson writes about family and food. Email her at thelittlefoodie@gmail.com.