Huang suggests playing around with aromatics and fat to add flavor ... and mix-ins. Garlic, dried mushrooms, paprika, adobo seasoning, and more can all work in the rice cooker.

“I’m sure people have said this before, but it really is the Lamborghini of rice cookers,” she says, noting that even if you add too little or too much water, it will self-correct.

The rice cooker — which, of course, should never be limited to merely rice cookery — is a magical tool that has fully mastered the ins and outs of grains, liquids and cooking time. Even highly ...