Thermal Cookers and Thermal Pots

This definitely ranks amongst the top of my list when it comes to cookware. My cooking khaki recommended this to me 6 years ago. It is a God-send for busy mums! My mum and my siblings have since bought their own sets too.

What's so wonderful about this cooker and how does it work?

A thermal cooker typically consists of two stainless steel pots, one within the other. The inner pot is used to bring the food to the boil and the outer thermal pot, which is double-walled with a vacuum between the walls, is used as the container to allow the cooking process to continue in the inner pot.

To use the thermal cooker, put food into the inner pot and bring it to the boil.  Let it boil for about 15-20 minutes to create sufficient latent heat. Then, place the inner pot inside the thermal pot to continue the cooking process for another 4-6 hours.  As the food is cooked using its own latent heat in the inner pot, do not open the cover of the inner pot as this will cause heat to escape.

For soups, you may want to consider bringing it to boil again around 2 hours before consumption to increase the latent heat and bring out the flavour. Before dinner, just bring the soup to a boil if you prefer piping hot soup. Reheating is not required for rice.
I own a Thermos Shuttle Chef which comes with 3 pots - 2 3-litre inner pots and a 6-litre inner pot.  I find that out of all the thermal pots available in Singapore, this is the most versatile set as it allows you to cook two items at the same time, and gives you the option to use the large pot for a larger quantity of food,  eg. oxtail soup or porridge for the whole family.  Thermos is also a trusted brand and a has been in the insulated flasks business for over 100 years.  Look out for deals at Isetan, Robinsons or Tangs when a complete set goes for around $300-$400.

The benefits of using thermal pots include: 

• Great for Chinese cooking. This cooking method works wonderfully for foods that need prolonged slow cooking and simmering. It is fantastic for Chinese soups and braised meats. The prolonged cooking really brings out the flavour.
• Nutritious food. As the cooking process is slow and gentle, and the food is cooked entirely in the pot, all the vitamins, nutrients and flavours stay in the food. 
• Saves time and fuel. Instead of boiling soups for 2 or more hours on the stove, the actual cooking time on the stove can be reduced to around 30 mins or so, including bringing a pot of water to the boil. This helps you save gas and fuel in the long run too. With good planning, you can prepare the food in the morning or early afternoon, and run out for errands. Dinner can be ready in a jiffy by the time you�re back.
• It�s safer! Imagine young children who think of the kitchen as a playroom� Having pots of food cooking on the stove can be dangerous. Having the food cooking in the thermal pot will reduce the risks of young children �playing with fire�. 
• It�s convenient! I bring my shuttle chef along for picnics and potlucks too. It�s portable and keeps food hot for up to 8 hours.

I�ve also used my shuttle chef to cook staples such as rice and pasta.  I�ve not used a rice cooker since I bought my shuttle chef. It�s very easy to use and very versatile.  Check these out.

Using Thermal Pot to Cook Pasta

Bring water to the boil in inner pot.  Add salt to taste.  Add pasta when the water boils, and stir gently so that the pasta doesn�t stick together.  Cover and switch off the fire. Put the inner pot into the thermal pot immediately for 20 minutes. The pasta will be al dente �. just perfect!  Do not exceed 20 minutes as the pasta will be too soft.  
During the 20 minute waiting time, you can go ahead to prepare and cook your pasta sauce and set the dining table. No more hot steam and hot kitchen from cooking pasta!

*Note: this method works for hard pasta such as spaghetti, macaroni, fusilli and penne pasta.  It won�t work for very thin pasta such as angel hair which only requires 2 minutes to cook.

Using Thermal Pot to Cook Rice

Wash the rice grains in the inner pot and add sufficient water as per your usual method.  Bring the inner pot to the boil and let it boil for 5 minutes.  Then put the inner pot into the thermal pot to allow the cooking process to continue.  You�ll have perfectly cooked rice in 30 minutes.  You can keep the rice in the thermal pot longer to keep it warm.