How much water?
Every Combi Cooker function needs liquid in the Combi pan to make steam. The manual leaves the amount to the recipe, and recipes vary a lot. These are the amounts the recipes on this site use.
The short answer
- Combi Crisp and Combi Bake: plain water in the Combi pan, usually 120 ml½ cup to 250 ml1 cup. The food sits above it on the crisper plate or in a tin.
- Steam: about 200 ml¾ cup + 2 tbsp to 300 ml1¼ cups under the crisper plate.
- Prove: a little water under the dough adds humidity; recipes use 60 ml¼ cup to 300 ml1¼ cups.
- Combi Meals: the rice or pasta's own cooking liquid is the steam source. White rice recipes use 225–280 ml per 100 g of rice.
- No pan, no start: the display shows "ADD POT" if the Combi pan isn't in place (booklet).
Water in the Combi pan, by function
Water put in the pan to make steam, not liquid the food cooks in. Cup amounts converted at 240 ml per cup.
| Function | Recipes | Range | Middle value | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combi Bake | 10 | 120 ml½ cup – 350 ml1½ cups | 240 ml1 cup | Hackfleisch Pizza a. d. Ninja® Combi, Nudelauflauf m. Kochschinken a. d. Ninja®Combi, Ladi pav, Milk Bread |
| Combi Crisp | 15 | 60 ml¼ cup – 400 ml1⅔ cups | 120 ml½ cup | Gyros selbst eingelegt a. d. Ninja® Combi, Schweinelende mit Pommes a. d. Ninja® Combi, Potato Triangle, Loaded Baked Potatoes11 moreMalai Broccoli, Rosemary Focaccia, Breakfast Sausage & Egg biscuit, Cinnamon Raisin Bread Recipe, French Bread Dinner Roll Recipe, Homemade Bread Bowls (Ninja Combi or Oven Recipe), Homemade Italian Bread Recipe, Homemade Sandwich Bread (Ninja Combi & Oven Directions), Pretzel Bun Recipe, Savory Hand Pie Recipe, Ninja Combi Turkey Breast |
| ProveProof | 12 | 60 ml¼ cup – 300 ml1¼ cups | 200 ml¾ cup + 2 tbsp | Ladi pav, Milk Bread, Siddu, Soya Corn Bao Bun |
| Steam | 9 | 200 ml¾ cup + 2 tbsp – 300 ml1¼ cups | 240 ml1 cup | Dhokla, Idiyappam, Idli, Kothimbir vadi |
Rice, grains and pasta under Combi Meals
Liquid per 100 g of dry grain, as each recipe states it. The pasta recipe also has pasta sauce in the pan; the dal recipes make a loose dal.
| Recipe | Grain | Amount | Liquid | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soy Honey Glazed Salmon with Brown Rice & Broccoli | brown rice | 400 g2 cups14 oz | 415 ml1¾ cups | 104 ml⅓ cup + 2 tbsp |
| Masoor dal | dal | 100 g½ cup3½ oz | 800 ml3⅓ cups | 800 ml3⅓ cups |
| Moong Dal | dal | 100 g½ cup3½ oz | 800 ml3⅓ cups | 800 ml3⅓ cups |
| Greek Falafel with Creamy Spinach Orzo | orzo | 450 g1 lb | 1000 ml4¼ cups | 222 ml1 cup |
| Tomato, Olive & Meatball Penne with Garlic Bread | penne | 500 g1 lb 2 oz | 830 ml3½ cups | 166 ml⅔ cup |
| Prosciutto-Wrapped Cod with Roasted Mediterranean Veg & Quinoa | quinoa | 300 g1¾ cups10½ oz | 850 ml3⅔ cups | 283 ml1¼ cups |
| Lahsuni Baigan with rice | rice | 400 g2¼ cups14 oz | 900 ml3¾ cups | 225 ml1 cup |
| Chicken Thighs with Creamy Mushrooms & Tarragon Rice | rice | 350 g2 cups12½ oz | 830 ml3½ cups | 237 ml1 cup |
| Sweet & Sour Prawns with “Fried” Rice | rice | 300 g1⅔ cups10½ oz | 710 ml3 cups | 237 ml1 cup |
| Chicken Fajitas with Rice & Beans | rice | 400 g2¼ cups14 oz | 950 ml4 cups | 238 ml1 cup |
| Basmati rice with frozen marinated chicken | rice | 400 g2¼ cups14 oz | 1000 ml4¼ cups | 250 ml1 cup |
| Malabar paneer with curry rice | rice | 400 g2¼ cups14 oz | 1000 ml4¼ cups | 250 ml1 cup |
| Vegetable pulao | rice | 360 g2 cups12½ oz | 1000 ml4¼ cups | 278 ml1¼ cups |
| Moong Dal Khichdi | rice | 300 g1⅔ cups10½ oz | 2000 ml8½ cups | 667 ml2¾ cups |
Why is there water left in the unit?
It's normal. Combi cooking makes a lot of condensation. Two things help:
- Run the dry cycle. After a Combi cook, take out the food and accessories, close the door and press Start/Stop to dry the inside (SFP701IN booklet).
- Wipe the cavity after Combi and Slow Cook sessions, as testers recommend (CHOICE, Women's Weekly Food).
For a deep clean, the booklet suggests 3 cups of water in the Combi pan and 10 minutes on Steam, then a wipe once it's cool.