USING THE FIRELESS COOKER AS A FOOD USING A FIRELESS COOKER
WARMER.
The same insulated baskets are very helpful for The fireless cooker cooks using heat already absorbed
keeping food warm. Food can be cooked ahead of time
and kept hot in the basket to be eaten later. This has by the food. In order to cook with the fireless cooker
many advantages: - food needs to be heated on a fire or stove first.
• It helps women to take more control over their
COOKING RICE IN A
time.
FIRELESS COOKER
• Food can be cooked at the most convenient time, Rice is the easiest food to cook in a
and also served at the most convenient time. fireless cooker. It produces good
• If one member of the family is late the food can quality rice and will never burn.
be kept warm and does not have to be reheated. • Bring the water to the boil.
• Food can be carried to another place once • Add the rice in the usual way.
cooked. This is very good for
• Simmer for two minutes.
communal or shared meals.
• Cover the pan and transfer it to
• It helps prevent arguments in
the fireless cooker, and cover
marriages because hot food can
with the cushions.
be ready when a husband wants
• Leave the rice to cook in its own heat for half an
it without inconveniencing his
hour.
wife.
• The food warmer can also be
COOKING BEANS IN A FlRELESS COOKER
used for keeping bath water warm.
You need to cook the beans over a fire in the normal
• It can also be used to keep foods cool. It is way for about 45 minutes before putting the pot in the
useful for carrying frozen food from the shop. fireless cooker. It then needs to be left in the basket for
4-6 hours. This needs planning ahead, but when used,
REAP, can save a lot of time and help women take control
P.O. Box 21083, over the day.
Ngong Road If beans are soaked in water overnight first, the
Nairobi, 00505, cooking time can be reduced.
Kenya.
REAP Teaching Leaflet #1
Other foods can also be cooked in a Fireless cooker. The following table gives some guidelines, but
experiment on the basis of ideas here:
Food Type Time on Fire Time in Basket Comments
Maize and beans 45 min – 1 hr 4-6 hours Takes less time if soaked before the actual
cooking. Green maize and beans takes less
time to cook, so reduce the times accordingly
Meat Stew 5-10 min 2-3 hours Cutting meat into smaller pieces will make it
cook faster. Wash the meat before, not after,
cutting it
Matumbo 10-15 min 2-3 hours Soak in bicarbonate of soda, Magadi soda or
lye to cook quicker
Fish 10 minutes 1 hour Dried fish takes longer than fresh fish
Potatoes 10 minutes 30 min - 2 hr If you cut these into smaller pieces before
Plantains cooking, they will cook faster. Place the lid on
Arrowroots very firmly to have enough heat for cooking
Green Grams 20 minutes 2 hours Put the grams in already boiling water to help
them get tender quicker
All these times are guidelines. As with all cooking, experiment and find out the most suitable use for
your own situation.
REAP Teaching Leaflet #1
