I like to add diced vegetables (or peas) when I make rice in my rice cooker, but I'm not sure when is the best time to add them. I find if I add them too early they get mushy and flavorless, but if I wait until too late they don’t cook at all.
When is the best time to add vegetables to a pot of rice or the rice cooker?
It depends a lot on the vegetable. For frozen peas, I add them just when the cycle finishes; fold them in and close the pot, and 3 minutes later they are steamed to perfection. For a harder vegetable, like a raw carrot, or one where you want more breakdown, like onion, add it at the beginning.
You don't really want to open the rice cooker a bunch of times during the cycle as it loses steam and may affect your results, but if you have vegetables that you feel need something in between, I wouldn't hesitate to open it once, midway through.
You can cook diced vegetable separately and add them in the rice just before serving.
Rice typically takes about 20 minutes.
Carrots take about 10, Peas about 3 or 4, Beans about 5.
So add them at 20-t minutes, If you're a bit late, just leave the lid on and let them steam.
Hard vegetables can be added at the start of cooking, or when the water is bubbling/boiling. Softer/frozen vegetables can be added once most of the water has been evaporated or when the cooking stage has just finished (rice cookers usually have an internal thermostat to switch from "cooking" to "keep warm" modes.
