During times like these, my rice cooker is usually my best friend. There are so many things you can cook in a rice cooker, surprisingly. 

1. Steamed salmon with rice 

This is one of my go-to meals whenever I’m swamped with work. It comes together in a rice cooker and the best part is, you can replace the salmon with a white fish if the salmon is too fishy. Rice cookers usually come with a steaming tray that sits above the rice, and I just put foil underneath to prevent the juices from dripping into the rice. Season the fish up however you like; I personally like fish sauce, sugar and black pepper, topped with aromatics like Thai chilis, lemongrass, and ginger. For some veggies, I like green beans. Set the rice cooker to quick cook, and it’s done in practically 15-20 minutes.  

With leftover salmon, you can make a salmon rice bowl Emily Mariko style. 

2. Roasted chicken thighs and jacket potatoes 

Okay, this one might take some extra time, but the end result is worth it. Preheat your oven to 220C, then wash some potatoes, poke some holes in them, then throw them in the microwave for five minutes. This reduces the cooking time in the oven. Season up some chicken thighs however you like. Take the potatoes out of the microwave and coat them in some olive oil (or any oil will work) and salt. Put the chicken and potatoes on the same tray with a tinfoil wall separating the two. Set a timer for roughly 30 minutes, depending on your oven and flip the potatoes halfway through to ensure a crispy skin. For extra veggies, I like to do some quick honey roasted carrots: just some olive oil, salt, pepper and honey next to the chicken. 

3. Rice with kimchi tuna and fried egg 

This one is so simple, yet so filling. I like to get cans of kimchi tuna at Lucky Fortune market and save them in my pantry for whenever I’m busy. All you have to do is cook up one portion of rice on the stove, mix in your canned tuna, and top it off with a fried egg. For some freshness, I like to pair it with cucumber on the side. The hardest part of this recipe is just cooking the rice. 

4. All-Dressed ramen 

Instant ramen by itself isn’t the most filling, but there are plenty of ways you can dress it up so it suits your nutritional needs. By simply adding some more veggies like shiitake mushrooms,  bean sprouts, bok choy, or sliced white cabbage, you just increased the nutritional value with little to no work. Hardest part? Probably just slicing the cabbage and washing the produce. Adding an egg for some extra protein while it’s cooking makes the best poached egg. Pop the yolk, stir it into the broth and it adds a level of creaminess to the broth.