What can the steaming function be used for and can I cook rice and steam veg/meat at the same time?
The steaming feature on compatible rice cookers is a versatile way to prepare all kinds of food. You can use it to steam vegetables, meat, fish, dumplings, seafood and much more.
You have two options when using the steaming function:
Steam while cooking rice – allowing you to prepare two parts of a meal simultaneously.
Use the cooker separately as a steamer – without cooking rice underneath.
This makes the steaming function particularly useful for preparing complete meals in one appliance.
Steam While Cooking Rice
If you want to steam food while your rice is cooking, there is a maximum amount of rice you should cook at the same time.
The reason for this is simple: rice expands considerably during cooking. If too much rice is cooked, it can expand upwards into the steaming basket and potentially push against the basket and lid.
For this reason, the recommended maximum amount of uncooked rice when steaming simultaneously is:
Rice Cooker | Maximum Rice |
|---|---|
Panda | 1 cup |
Kumo | 1 cup |
Sakura | 3 cups |
Bamboo | 3 cups |
Fuji | 2 cups |
NS-TSQ10 | 2 cups |
NS-AAQ10 | 2 cups |
NS-TSQ18 | 4 cups |
NS-AAQ18 | 4 cups |
These are the maximum recommended rice quantities specifically when steaming at the same time as cooking rice. The maximum rice capacity of a cooker may be higher when the steaming basket is not being used.
Why Is There a Maximum?
During the cooking cycle, uncooked rice absorbs water and expands. If you use too much rice while steaming, the expanding rice can rise sufficiently to push the steaming basket upwards and interfere with the lid.
Keeping within the recommended quantities leaves enough room for the rice to expand safely while allowing the steaming basket and lid to remain correctly positioned.
What Can You Steam?
The possibilities are extensive. You can use the steamer for:
Vegetables
Meat
Fish
Dumplings
Seafood
Eggs
And many other foods suitable for steaming
For example, you can cook rice in the inner bowl while steaming vegetables, fish or dumplings above it, allowing you to prepare a complete meal at the same time.
Use It as a Standalone Steamer
The steaming function can also be used without cooking rice.
This means you can use your compatible rice cooker as a standalone steamer whenever you want, making it a genuinely useful additional cooking function rather than something that is only available when preparing rice.
Models Without a Steaming Function
Please note that the following Zojirushi models do not have a steaming function or supplied steaming basket:
NS-LAQ05
NL-BGQ05
NS-YSQ10
NS-YSQ18
In short: if you're steaming while cooking rice, always keep the rice quantity within the recommended limit for your particular model. This ensures there is sufficient space for the rice to expand without pushing against the steaming basket or lid.