Softer texture
The white often sets, but yolk doneness depends on cooker temperature and egg starting temperature. A 71°C centre remains the safety endpoint.
⚖️ Portions and weight conventions
Rice quantities mean uncooked dry weight; vegetable quantities mean raw edible weight after trimming. Meat and fish ranges use raw weight before cooking. Cooked batch-prep portions are explicitly labelled to avoid mixing conventions.
| Element | Single-meal reference | Conversion and role |
|---|---|---|
| Rice | 60–90 g dry | The lower end supports lower total-energy needs. Cooked weight varies with rice variety and water, so it is not a fixed calorie proxy. |
| Poultry, fish, beef, lamb | 160–220 g raw | Typical moisture loss produces roughly 120–175 g cooked, with substantial variation by cut, fat, and time. |
| Tofu | 200–300 g | Lower protein density than meat or fish; it can be paired with one or two eggs. |
| Vegetables and fungi | 200–300 g raw | Two meals provide 400–600 g and make the Chinese guideline of at least 300 g vegetables, half dark-coloured, easier to cover. |
| Oil and sauces | 5–10 g oil | Rice, oil, nut pastes, and sweet sauces are more effective total-energy levers than low-starch vegetables. |
Starch substitution: corn, potato, sweet potato, Chinese yam, taro, and lotus root contribute significant starch. Adding 80–120 g can replace roughly 15–30 g dry rice.
🍚 One cooking sequence
The order depends on water measurement. With a scale or measuring cup, rice and ingredients can enter first, followed by measured water poured around the edge. With the inner-pot line, rice and water must reach the line before toppings are added, because toppings displace water and distort the reading.
- Rice.
Wash and level the dry rice. With the pot-line method, water enters at this stage. - Durable ingredients.
Add 1–2 cm pieces of roots, squash, cabbage, and fungi. Raw chicken intended for a full cycle also enters here. - Water last.
With the weighed-water method, pour the measured water down the side without mixing the toppings into the rice. Tomato and frozen vegetables release extra water. - Late ingredients.
Add fish and eggs for the last 10–15 minutes and thin leafy greens for the last 5–10. Cooked protein is more reliable in cookers without a countdown.
| Full cycle | Late addition | Better pre-cooked |
|---|---|---|
| Tomato, large broccoli florets, cauliflower, carrot, squash, zucchini, winter melon, daikon, lotus root, eggplant, peppers, purple cabbage, red onion, corn, shiitake, button, shimeji, oyster and enoki mushrooms, wood ear | Eggs and small fish pieces for 10–15 minutes; spinach, bok choy, choy sum, lettuce, water spinach, and other thin leaves for 5–10 minutes | Beef brisket, large beef or lamb pieces, bone-in fish, thick fish steaks, and large poultry pieces that cannot be temperature-checked |
Tomato and broccoli can cook for the full cycle. Tomato breaks down and makes rice wetter; half to one medium tomato often corresponds to 10–30 ml less water. Broccoli becomes softer and darker. These are texture outcomes, not safety boundaries.
🥚 Eggs in the final 10–15 minutes
Shallow wells in the rice hold one or two cracked eggs. Continued covered heating creates a steamed, braised-egg texture and carries flavours from tomato, fungi, and soy sauce.
Fully set
Both white and yolk are more likely to set. Timing begins after the lid is closed and steam production resumes.
Protein add-on
One typical egg contributes about 70 kcal and 6 g protein. One or two eggs supplement a main protein but rarely form a high-protein meal alone.
Cracking raw eggs only after the cooker switches to warm is unreliable because holding temperatures vary. Fully set white and yolk, or a 71°C centre, provides a stronger endpoint than colour or minutes alone.
🍗 Chicken, fish, beef, and lamb
Different cuts do not share one timing rule. Chicken breast and lean fish are vulnerable to overcooking; thigh is more forgiving; brisket needs much longer than a rice cycle. The windows below describe operation in a regular rice mode, while centre temperature defines safety.
Chicken, beef, and lamb
| Protein | Raw portion | Cut and timing | Texture and use | Safety endpoint |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast · frequent base | 160–220 g | Cut into 1.5–2 cm pieces, marinate lightly, and add at the start; or pre-cook and reheat late. | High protein density and low fat; a full cycle is simple but small pieces can become dry. | 74°C centre |
| Skinless chicken thigh · frequent rotation | 170–230 g | Debone, cut into 2 cm pieces, and add at the start. | More fat and collagen make it more tolerant of long cooking. It pairs with curry, shiitake, and carrot. | 74°C centre |
| Tender beef | 150–200 g | Slice thinly across the grain. Pre-searing and late reheating are most consistent; raw thin slices can enter for the last 10–15 minutes with temperature verification. | A full cycle causes tightening. Tomato, red onion, peppers, and cumin pair well. | Whole cuts 63°C plus 3-minute rest; ground beef 71°C |
| Beef brisket | 120–180 g cooked | Pressure-cook or braise until tender, portion by cooked weight, and add at the start to reheat. | One rice cycle rarely softens raw brisket adequately. | Leftovers reheated to 74°C |
| Lamb | 150–200 g | Add thin tender slices late with temperature verification; braise larger leg or belly pieces first. | Cumin, red onion, carrot, and wood ear form a stable flavour set. | Whole cuts 63°C plus 3-minute rest; ground lamb 71°C |
Fish and seafood
| Protein | Raw portion | Cooking window | Characteristics | Safety endpoint |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basa | 180–230 g | 2–3 cm pieces, final 10–15 minutes | Inexpensive, mild, and nearly boneless. Thawed fillets release water; blotting limits wet rice. | 63°C centre |
| Salmon | 150–200 g | 2–3 cm pieces, final 10–15 minutes | Higher-fat and strongly flavoured; pairs with broccoli, tomato, and pepper. A full cycle dries it and releases oil. | 63°C centre |
| Cod / pollock | 180–230 g | Final 10–15 minutes | Lean and flaky. Boneless fillets reduce bone risk; excess stirring breaks the pieces. | 63°C centre |
| Tilapia | 180–230 g | Final 10–15 minutes | Mild and relatively firm; works with ginger, scallion, and white pepper. | 63°C centre |
| Mackerel | 140–180 g | Boneless pieces late, or pre-seared and reheated | Higher fat and stronger flavour; fine bones require careful inspection. | 63°C centre |
| Shrimp | 160–220 g | Final 6–10 minutes | Cooks rapidly and becomes firm with prolonged heat. Thawing and draining improve consistency. | 63°C centre |
| Canned tuna in water | 100–150 g drained | Fold in after cooking | Already cooked; sodium varies by label. | Warm through |
When no countdown or thermometer is available, pre-cooked protein frozen in meal portions is the most stable option. Bone-in fish and thick fish steaks are poor candidates for blind one-pot cooking because heating and bone control are uneven.
🎨 Colour ingredient library
Truly blue vegetables are uncommon, so blue and purple form one group. Neutral ingredients such as button mushrooms, wood ear, cauliflower, and daikon can cross all themes.
| Colour | Common ingredients in China | Cooking behaviour |
|---|---|---|
| 🟢 Dark green and green | Spinach, broccoli, Shanghai bok choy, baby bok choy, choy sum, Chinese kale, lettuce, water spinach; zucchini, asparagus, okra, green pepper, celery, celtuce | Broccoli, squash, and stems tolerate a full cycle; thin leaves enter late. |
| 🔴 Red | Tomato, red bell pepper | Tomato releases water and forms a sauce; red pepper becomes sweet and soft. |
| 🟠 Yellow / orange | Carrot, squash, yellow bell pepper, sweet corn | Carrot is durable; squash breaks down; corn counts as a starch substitution. |
| 🟣 Blue / purple | Purple cabbage, red onion, purple eggplant, purple sweet potato | Cabbage can tint rice; sweet potato replaces part of the staple. |
| ⚪ White / neutral | Button, shiitake, shimeji, oyster, and enoki mushrooms; wood ear, cauliflower, daikon, winter melon, lotus root, Chinese yam, water bamboo, bamboo shoots, tofu | Works across colours. Larger portions of lotus root and yam replace rice. |
🥘 Colour combinations
Monochrome themes simplify shopping and create consistent flavours; they are not nutritionally superior to mixed colours. Proteins remain interchangeable, and a late egg can supplement any card.
Broccoli · zucchini · mushroom
Chicken breast; garlic, black pepper, reduced-sodium soy. Late spinach adds a dark leafy green.
Broccoli · bok choy · shiitake
Skinless chicken thigh or shrimp; ginger, white pepper, sesame oil.
Tomato · red pepper · mushroom
Chicken breast or tender beef; garlic, black pepper, Italian herbs.
Carrot · yellow pepper · shiitake
Chicken thigh; curry powder, turmeric, black pepper. A small corn portion replaces part of the rice.
Purple cabbage · red onion · eggplant
Lamb or beef; cumin, rice vinegar, and a small amount of soy.
Cauliflower · daikon · mushroom
Basa or cod; ginger, white pepper, scallion.
Tomato · broccoli · red pepper
Chicken breast plus a late egg; garlic, soy, rice vinegar.
Purple cabbage · carrot · wood ear
Shrimp or tofu; ginger, rice vinegar, soy.
Zucchini · broccoli · cauliflower
Salmon; black pepper, garlic, and lemon after cooking.
Carrot · red/yellow pepper · cabbage · broccoli
Chicken thigh; soy, vinegar, sesame oil.
Tomato · zucchini · shimeji
Basa or tilapia; ginger, white pepper, scallion.
Carrot · lotus root · yam · wood ear
Pre-braised brisket or chicken thigh; ginger, soy, white pepper.
💰 Vegetable prices per 100 grams
Prices use the June 2026 average retail survey published by the Linshui County Development and Reform Bureau. Every value is converted from CNY per 500 g to CNY per 100 g, keeping location, month, and survey method consistent across the chart. Items are sorted from lowest to highest.
Unit: CNY per 100 g. Bar length uses the highest item, button mushroom at ¥2.51, as 100%. The original survey reports bell peppers as one category rather than separate red and yellow values.
| Price band | Ingredients and CNY per 100 g | Role in a combination |
|---|---|---|
| Below ¥0.50 | Daikon 0.28, baby bok choy 0.36, winter melon 0.37, leaf lettuce 0.45 | Can supply most of the vegetable volume. |
| ¥0.50–0.80 | Carrot 0.52, celtuce 0.55, eggplant 0.55, Shanghai bok choy 0.56, tomato 0.58, green pepper 0.63, cauliflower 0.64, celery 0.80 | The widest everyday rotation for colour and texture. |
| ¥0.81–1.50 | Spinach 0.98, Chinese yam 1.15, lotus root 1.20, bell pepper 1.45 | Spinach remains a preferred dark leaf; bell pepper works as a colour accent rather than all the volume. |
| Above ¥1.50 | Shiitake 1.86, button mushroom 2.51 | A 50–100 g portion can provide umami without using a full 200–300 g vegetable serving. |
Spinach versus bell pepper: in the same place and month, spinach averaged about ¥0.98 per 100 g and bell pepper ¥1.45, making bell pepper about 48% more expensive. Button mushrooms cost about 2.6 times as much as spinach. Hema and JD 7Fresh prices may differ because of city, package, origin, and promotions, so dynamic app prices are not mixed into this coherent market snapshot.
❄️ Portioned prep and weekly rotation
Chopping seven days of vegetables at once maximizes convenience but gives uneven quality. A more stable structure portions two to three days of durable vegetables, leaves watery and wilting items for cooking day, and keeps protein separate.
| Ingredient group | Advance window | Portioning |
|---|---|---|
| Carrot, peppers, purple cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli | 2–3 days | Dry thoroughly and bag 200–300 g per meal with a small paper towel. |
| Zucchini, eggplant, winter melon, celtuce | 1–2 days | Refrigerate separately because cut surfaces release water or brown. |
| Tomato, button mushroom, shiitake, shimeji | Cut on the day | Store whole; keep fungi dry. |
| Spinach, bok choy, choy sum | Wash 1–3 days ahead; do not chop finely | Dry completely and store as a separate “late bag” with a paper towel. |
| Chicken breast and thigh | Raw meat refrigerated briefly; cooked meat frozen by meal | Keep raw meat separate. Portion cooked meat at 120–175 g. |
| Fish and shrimp | Freeze by meal | Portion 150–230 g raw; thaw in the refrigerator and drain once. |
| Braised brisket and lamb | Cook in a batch, then freeze | Portion 120–180 g cooked with a little braising liquid. |
Six-meal prep flow
- Select three colour themes and prepare two full-cycle vegetable bags per theme.
- Cut carrot and peppers first, followed by cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli; label each bag with theme, weight, and date.
- Keep leafy greens in separate late-stage bags and tomato and fungi whole.
- Portion chicken, fish, and cooked beef or lamb separately; keep seasonings out of vegetable bags.
- Cooking-day assembly becomes one full-cycle bag, one protein portion, and either one late-green bag or one to two eggs.
Four batches covering eight meals
| Batch | Colour and vegetables | Lunch | Dinner variation |
|---|---|---|---|
| One | Green: broccoli, zucchini, mushroom | Chicken breast | Chicken thigh + late spinach |
| Two | Red: tomato, red pepper, mushroom | Chicken breast + one egg | Tender beef |
| Three | Purple-orange: cabbage, carrot, wood ear | Shrimp | Lamb + cumin |
| Four | Green-white: broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini | Basa | Salmon |
Cooked rice and meat remain at room temperature for no more than two hours, or one hour above 32°C. Large batches cool faster in shallow containers. Most cooked leftovers keep for three to four refrigerated days or can be frozen earlier.
📚 Sources and safety notes
- Chinese Dietary Guidelines (2022), core recommendations: at least 300 g vegetables daily, with dark-coloured vegetables making up half or more.
- USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperatures: poultry 74°C, egg dishes 71°C, fish and seafood 63°C, whole beef and lamb 63°C plus a three-minute rest, and ground meat 71°C.
- USDA FSIS food thermometer guidance: colour and time do not replace measuring the thickest centre.
- USDA FSIS food safety basics: refrigerate perishables within two hours; most cooked leftovers keep three to four days and reheat to 74°C.
- Linshui County Development and Reform Bureau: June 2026 market-price report: the chart and price bands use one survey of 30 vegetable retail averages, converted uniformly from 500 g to 100 g.
Rice-cooker power, capacity, altitude, ingredient temperature, and lid opening all change elapsed time. Minutes describe operating windows; a food thermometer defines the safety endpoint for raw meat, fish, and eggs. This article provides general education, not individual medical nutrition therapy.