10 Things to Cook in a Rice Cooker Besides Rice

A rice cooker earns its counter space every single day in a Sri Lankan kitchen, but most households only ever use the "cook" switch for one thing: plain white rice. That's a waste of a machine that holds steady, even heat and switches itself to keep-warm the moment it's done. Below are 10 things your rice cooker can genuinely handle: some using the pot itself, some using the steamer tray that comes with the Green Life 1.8L and 2.8L rice cookers, each with the settings that actually work.

10 things to cook in your rice cooker

Kiribath (Milk Rice) for Poya Days

Rinse 2 cups of white rice, add to the pot with 1.5 cups water and a pinch of salt, and cook on the normal cycle. When it switches to keep-warm, stir in a cup of thick coconut milk and let it sit on keep-warm for 5 minutes before spreading it flat in a tray to set. This is the single most common "besides rice" use in Sri Lankan homes, especially before a poya day or a new job, exam, or journey.

Kaha Bath (Turmeric Yellow Rice)

Same base method as plain rice, but sauté a pandan leaf, a few cloves, cardamom, and a pinch of turmeric in a teaspoon of ghee before adding to the pot with your rinsed rice and water. Cook on the normal cycle; the rice cooker holds the gentle, even heat that yellow rice needs to avoid scorching the bottom layer.

Simple Dhal (Parippu) Curry

Rinse a cup of red lentils, add to the pot with 2.5 cups water, a sliced onion, green chilli, curry leaves, and a pinch of turmeric. Run the normal cook cycle once, stir, and run it a second time if the lentils haven't fully broken down. Finish with a coconut milk tempering in a separate pan; the rice cooker does the slow, unattended part.

Steamed Vegetables via the Steamer Tray

Add water to the pot, place the steamer tray on top, and load it with sliced carrots, beans, or leafy greens like kankun. Run the cook cycle and check after 8 to 12 minutes depending on the vegetable. This is the fastest way to get a side dish going while the main curry cooks on the stove.

Steamed Fish Parcels

Wrap seasoned fish fillets in banana leaf or foil parcels and place them on the steamer tray with water in the pot below. 15 to 20 minutes on the cook cycle gives you gently cooked, moist fish without a single pan to scrub.

Boiled Eggs, No Stovetop Needed

Place eggs directly on the steamer tray with water in the pot below and run the cook cycle for 12 to 14 minutes for firm yolks. Useful when the stove is already occupied with curry and rice.

One-Pot Pasta

Add pasta, a chopped tomato, garlic, a splash of oil, and just enough water to cover, then run the normal cook cycle. Stir once halfway through if your model allows lid access, and finish with grated cheese or a quick tempering. Works especially well in the 2.8L Green Life rice cooker for a full family portion.

Rice Porridge (Kanji)

Use a thinner ratio (1 cup rice to 4 to 5 cups water) and run the normal cycle, checking at the halfway point. This is the go-to comfort food for anyone unwell at home, and the rice cooker's keep-warm function means it stays at the right temperature until it's needed.

Simple Sponge Cake

Grease the inner pot, pour in a basic sponge batter, and run the cook cycle. Most rice cookers will click over to keep-warm before the cake is fully done, so run the cook cycle a second time if the centre is still wet. It won't brown like an oven cake, but the texture comes out soft and reliable, which makes this a popular trick for households without an oven.

Reheating and Holding String Hoppers or Roti

Place string hoppers or roti on the steamer tray with a small amount of water in the pot, and use the keep-warm function to hold them soft and warm for up to an hour, genuinely useful for a family breakfast where everyone eats at slightly different times.