How To Cook Grains and Lentils
In A Food Steamer

By the way, you can also steam up some tempeh.

And organic Corn on the Cob also steams beautifully and takes about 15 minutes. I like to cut the cobs into thirds and stand them up in steamer, but they can also be laid down horizontally, depending on the size of your steamer.

How To Cook Grains/Lentils In A Food Steamer: Presoaking Your Grains/Lentils

We're going to use brown rice in the example on this page, just to keep things simple. But the same general rules apply to steaming most whole grains, lentils, and small legumes (such as mung beans or aduki beans).

First, soak your brown rice for 5-12 hours, or overnight. You can even leave them for 24 hours. Drain, rinse, and drain again.

Why should you pre-soak your grains and legumes? Because it makes them easier to digest and the nutrients become more available.

There are some "grains" that aren't grains at all but "pseudocereals" (such as quinoa and buckwheat) that don't HAVE TO BE presoaked.

But I'm pre-soaking ALL of my grains AND pseudocereals these days because I just feel better when I do.

How To Cook Grains/Lentils In A Food Steamer: Measure and Cook

Fill the base of your steamer to the line indicated in your steamer's instructions. It's usually to the highest water (FULL) line. You may or may not have to add the drip tray, depending on the steamer. Next, add the steamer basket.

(Look at our Kitchen Tools page for more information.)

Now, let's get the rice ready.

1. We usually start with 2 cups of brown rice BEFORE soaking.
   
   Since the rice will swell during the soaking process, you'll end up with more than the 2 cups you started with.
   
   
2. Since we started with 2 cups, and it's customary to add the same amount of water to cook, go ahead and add 2 cups of water to the rice-steaming bowl along with the pre-soaked rice.
   
   (Of course, you can soak as much or as little as you like. But if you always use the same amount, you never have to sit there wondering "Damn, how much did I soak this time?")
   
   
3. Add your bowl filled with the rice/water combo to the steamer. Place lid on top of the whole shebang.
   
   (If you're using the 3-in-1 cooker that we recommend, you will simply add the water/rice combo directly to the cooker bowl itself. There is no need to add additional water to the base of the cooker or you'll destroy the electric component!)

How To Cook Grains/Lentils In A Food Steamer: Cooling and Storing Your Grains

When timer goes off, it's okay to let it sit for 10 minutes or so to cool slightly and allow any additional liquids to be soaked up.

Using oven mitts, remove rice bowl from steamer. Set aside to cool. Fluff with a fork.

Scoop out what you need into a bowl to season.

Before storing the rest away, be sure rice is completely cooled.

What I like to do is spread the rice out into the bottom and up the sides of a large bowl. Takes about 20 minutes or so to cool completely. Set a timer so you don't forget about it. Spoon into a jar or other container with a lid.

Store in the fridge for 3-5 days. We've noticed after 5 days the rice starts to dry out.

How To Cook Grains/Lentils In A Food Steamer: Mix and Match!

Be sure to mix and match like we did here with a mix of brown rice, wild rice, barley, green split peas and yellow split peas. Here they are before cooking: