[lukan]

Well, technically there is usually bubbling going on, when making a steak, but would you "cook a steak" in english?

In german you would not, one would roast it. (but we have 2 words, roasting "rösten" on the bbq and "braten" would be in a pan. But a "Braten" would be in an oven.)

Kind of not that consistent (like it usually is with natural language).

In general I think those terms were invented, before there were things as a rice cooker.

[kragen]

yes, in english, broiling, grilling, boiling, and baking are kinds of cooking. but 'bake bread' is such a common phrase that 'cook bread' sounds wrong