5 Things You Can Cook in a Rice Cooker Beyond Rice — Khichdi, Oats & More

A rice cooker is one of the most underused kitchen appliances in Indian households. Most people use it only for plain rice — but the same controlled, even heat that makes perfect fluffy rice works equally well for five other everyday Indian dishes.

This guide covers 5 non-rice dishes that your rice cooker handles better than the stovetop for certain reasons — with exact quantities, water ratios, and tips for each.

Recipe 1 — Dal Khichdi (The Perfect One-Pot Meal)

Ingredients (Serves 3-4)

• 1 cup basmati or short-grain rice

• Half cup yellow moong dal

• 2 tablespoons ghee

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• Half teaspoon turmeric

• Salt to taste

• 2.5-3 cups water (more water for softer khichdi)

• Optional: diced carrot, peas, green beans

Method

Wash rice and dal together. In the rice cooker pot, heat ghee using the cook setting. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Add turmeric, salt, washed rice and dal, and water. Add vegetables if using. Press Cook. The rice cooker will automatically switch to Keep Warm when done. The khichdi stays warm and ready for 2-3 hours on the Keep Warm setting without overcooking.

Dal khichdi in a rice cooker is genuinely easier and more consistent than stovetop — no risk of burning at the bottom, no need to watch and stir.

Recipe 2 — Oats Porridge

• 1 cup rolled oats

• 2 cups milk (full-fat for creamy result) or 2 cups water

• Pinch of salt

• Optional: banana, honey, dates, or cinnamon for sweetness

Add oats and milk/water to the rice cooker. Press Cook. Ready in 10-12 minutes. The rice cooker's even heat prevents the milk scorching that happens on the stovetop when you walk away. Add toppings after cooking. For savory oats: replace milk with water, add salt, and stir in sauteed vegetables after cooking.

Recipe 3 — Steamed Momos

Most rice cookers come with a steamer tray. Add 2-3 cups of water to the rice cooker base. Place the steamer tray on top. Arrange momos on the tray (not touching each other). Press Cook — the water boils and creates steam that cooks the momos in 12-15 minutes. This is a genuine steam cook, not approximated steam like the air fryer method. Excellent for soft, traditional steamed momos.

Recipe 4 — Upma

• 1 cup semolina (rava/sooji)

• 2 cups water

• 1 tablespoon oil or ghee

• Mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chilli, onion, ginger

• Salt, lemon juice

Toast the rava in a dry pan first until lightly golden — this is the stovetop step that must be done separately. Then add oil to the rice cooker, saute the mustard seeds and aromatics briefly (if your model allows this), add the toasted rava and water, and cook on the standard cook cycle. The rice cooker gives a consistently non-lumpy upma.

Recipe 5 — Pasta

• 1 cup pasta (any short pasta — penne, fusilli, macaroni)

• 2 cups water

• Half teaspoon salt

• Seasoning of choice

Add pasta, water, and salt to the rice cooker. Cook cycle runs 12-15 minutes. Pasta absorbs most of the water and comes out cooked. Drain remaining water. Toss with butter, garlic powder, pepper, and cheese for a quick mac and cheese. Or toss with jarred marinara and cheese. This is particularly popular for children's quick meals.

Best Wonderchef Rice Cookers

The Nutri-Cook 1.8L is the simple, reliable rice cooker for daily Indian household use. Single non-stick bowl, Cook + Keep Warm function, anti-skid base. For dal khichdi, oats, and plain rice for 3-4 people, this handles everything. The non-stick bowl makes the bhunao step for khichdi practical and cleanup easy.

The Regalia 1.8L with single bowl is the best value rice cooker for daily use. Clear indicator lights show cooking vs. keep warm status. Cool-touch side handles for safe handling. Auto-switch to Keep Warm when cooking completes. For dal khichdi, oats porridge, and steamed momos — all five non-rice recipes in this guide.

The Regalia 1.8L 2-bowl version is the family choice — the second bowl means you can cook dal khichdi in one, rinse, and cook oats for breakfast in the other without waiting for the bowl to fully cool and dry. The double-bowl feature is particularly useful for households using the rice cooker for multiple dishes through the day.

Related Guides

→ How to Cook Perfect Jeera Rice in a Rice Cooker

→ 5 Easy Slow Cooker Recipes for Indian Dals, Curries & Halwas

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make dal khichdi in a rice cooker?

Yes — rice cooker dal khichdi is one of the easiest Indian one-pot meals. Wash rice and moong dal together, add water in 1:2.5-3 ratio with turmeric, salt, and ghee. Cook cycle takes 20 minutes. Switches to Keep Warm automatically. Stays hot and ready for 2-3 hours without overcooking.

Can I cook oats in a rice cooker?

Yes. Rolled oats in 1:2 ratio with milk (or water). Cook cycle: 10-12 minutes. The rice cooker's even, controlled heat prevents milk scorching that happens on the stovetop. Result: creamy, consistently textured oats without stirring.

Can I steam momos in a rice cooker?

Yes — using the steamer tray that comes with most rice cookers. Add 2-3 cups water to the base, place momos on the steamer tray, press Cook. 12-15 minutes for fully steamed momos. This is true steam cooking, giving the soft, proper steamed momo texture.

Which rice cooker is best for khichdi?

The Regalia Rice Cooker 1.8L and Nutri-Cook 1.8L both handle dal khichdi well. The non-stick bowl prevents sticking and makes cleanup easy. For families who make khichdi as a frequent meal, the Regalia with its cool-touch handles and indicator lights is the more convenient option.

How much water for dal khichdi in a rice cooker?

1 cup rice + half cup dal: add 2.5-3 cups water. For softer, more porridge-like khichdi (for sick days or baby food): 3-3.5 cups water. The rice cooker adjusts to the water content — more water gives a softer, more liquid result.

Conclusion

A rice cooker is a one-pot cooking tool that goes far beyond plain rice. Dal khichdi, oats porridge, steamed momos, upma, and pasta — all work in the same appliance you already have. The consistent heat and automatic switch to Keep Warm make it the most hands-free cooking method for these everyday Indian dishes.

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Nutri-Cook 1.8L | Regalia 1.8L (1 bowl) | Regalia 1.8L (2 bowls) — for rice and beyond.