How to Cook Lentils in a Rice Cooker?

Lentils are a type of pulse that is often served as a side dish but can also be found in soups and stews. They are an excellent source of protein for vegetarians and vegans. Lentils are also known to be easy to cook with minimal effort – lentils only need about 30 minutes of cooking time. If you’re looking for quick, healthy meals this article may help!

In this article, you will find how to cook lentils in a rice cooker with a bunch of tips that will make your life a lot easier. If you are new, you will love the writeup as it was written keeping new cooks in mind.

How to cook lentils in a rice cooker

There are many ways you can cook lentils. Here we will describe the most basic dish that is quick to make and easy to taste.

Step one

To start off, the rice cooker should be plugged into a socket and turned on. Step one is to add water to it with a ratio of two cups for every cup of lentils.

Step two

Next, you need to wash your lentil thoroughly under running tap water. This step might make some people feel like they are wasting too much water, but it is necessary to remove any unwanted elements that might be found in the lentils.

Step three

After washing your lentil place them inside the rice cooker with two cups of water for every cup of dried lentils. Some people also prefer adding half a teaspoon of olive oil which helps reduce sodium intake and give taste to the dish.

Step four

Set the rice cooker to cook for 30 minutes on high heat. After cooking, you can add salt and pepper if desired. The dish is ready when it has turned into a thick mushy texture that can be eaten with bread or brown rice. Some people also like adding in different spices such as garlic powder and basil at this point.

Other Lentil recipes

As we have said before. There are numerous amount of recipes with lentils. Especially when you consider Asian and Indian cuisine. But most of these recipes are just tweaking the recipe we have mentioned in the article above.

Here we mention four of the most common and delicious dishes that you can make with lentils.

1. Lentil Curry
2. Lentil Hash
3. Fritters Recipe
4. Onion and lentils

You can cook many more like these. However, if you are new, you should start with them.

Lentil curry in a rice cooker

Here is another recipe from the Indian cuisine that most people like.

Step one– In a rice cooker add two cups of lentils for every cup of water that was added into it.

Step two – Add in a tablespoon of vegetable oil and a tablespoon of curry powder.

Step three– Add in tomatoes, onions, garlic, ginger, and green chilly to the mixture.

Step four– Cover with a lid and cook on high heat for 20 minutes or until most of the water is gone.

This recipe can be served with cucumbers, tomatoes, and lemon juice.

Tips on cooking lentils in a rice cooker

Some tips to be aware of when cooking lentils in a rice cooker:

• It is not recommended to cook lentils in a fragile, non-stick pan as the quality of the rice cooker will also affect the taste of the meal.
• To make sure your dish is not too juicy, you can drain the water after the rice cooker is done and then mash with a wooden spoon or masher.
• If you like, you can add additional spices after cooking such as garlic powder and basil.
• When buying dry lentils it is important to observe the expiration date and buy only if they will be used within the time frame.
• Be sure to follow instructions on how long to cook lentils for if they are not found in the recipe.
• To reduce sodium intake omit salt and use low-sodium soy sauce or no salt added canned vegetables.
• When cooking lentils in a rice cooker, always add enough water to cover the uncooked lentil by one inch.

As you can see, cooking lentils in a rice cooker is easy to do and only takes 30 minutes. In the time it would take you that long just to cook the rice, you can have an entire meal prepared.

Types of lentils that can be cooked in a rice cooker

Here are a few types of lentils that can be cooked in a rice cooker:

1. Red Lentils
2. Brown Lentils
3. Beluga Lentils
4. Black Lentils

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most common questions that you will see people asking online. Here are the easy answers to these simple questions.

Q: Is it safe to cook lentils with rice cooker?

Yes, you can easily cook lentils by following the steps mentioned in the instruction portion of the article.

Q: Can I make lentil soup with rice cooker?

Of course, you can cook any kind of lentils to make a delicious dish in your rice cooker.

Q: Can I cook red or green lentils using this method?

Yes, both kinds are fully cooked within 30 minutes after rinsing them off and adding them to the pot.

Q: What should I do if the lentils don’t cook through?

If your lentil isn’t completely cooked after 30 minutes, you can add an extra half a cup of water and continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes until done.

Q: Do lentils need to be soaked?

That’s an easy answer – No, most lentil varieties do not require soaking prior to cooking so they will be ready in about 20-30 minutes.

Q: What should I do if the lentils don’t cook through?

If your lentil isn’t completely cooked after 30 minutes, you can add an extra half a cup of water and continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes until done.

Conclusion

I hope that this article was helpful to anyone who wanted to cook lentils in a rice cooker. The recipe is really easy to follow and will be done in no time at all!