General questions about cooking rice

[sanrensho]

Recently someone disagreed with me and said that washing rice is outdated, and is a reflection of the inferior milling and polishing technology of the past.

What is the general feeling in Japan these days? Is washing rice still considered essential? Is there a difference between home and professional?

←

It is most certainly *not* outdated, but also true that there are non-washing (musenmai) rices available. I tried one bag, years ago, and both my wife and I thought it was awful compared to regular rice.

[Tom_R]

Just see rice cookers coming up a lot, any recommendations for what brand is best as far as how long it will last and the quality of the machine & value?

Thanks

[nickrey]

Just see rice cookers coming up a lot, any recommendations for what brand is best as far as how long it will last and the quality of the machine & value?

Thanks

←

See this link for a discussion of what to look for in a rice cooker and this one for a more recent coverage.

[Fat Guy]

Can we discuss washing rice a little more?

1. Why does everyone in Japan rinse rice, assuming they do?

2. Why do American rice packages rarely if ever specify rinsing?

3. How much water does rice absorb and/or carry with it when you rinse it, and how does this affect the quantity of water you need to add to the pot?

Also, a separate issue:

4. Why do the instructions Kris linked to above specify using less water, ratio-wise, as the amount of rice being cooked increases? What's the science behind that?

[Chris Amirault]

FWIW, I think that a lot of folks rinse rice, not just those of Japanese descent. I've gotten the lecture from Chinese, Puerto Rican, Indian, and Thai cooks -- but always for jasmine, basmati, etc. and not for sticky rice. I always thought that there was excess starch washed away. Wrong?

And US manufacturers probably don't say "rinse" out of a fear that American consumers will consider the step too arduous.

[mgaretz]

And... is there any way to keep rice from sticking to stainless pot (when made with the basic absorption method)?

[MelissaH]

When I make rice in my rice cooker, I rinse it first. If I don't, I wind up with nasty starchy bubbles coming up out of the vent.

MelissaH

[heidih]

My understanding on the "no rinsing" of American packaged rice is that it will wash away the nutrients that the rice has been "fortified" with.

[Fat Guy]

This website has some very compelling explanations:

http://www.sagevfoods.com/MainPages/Rice101/Cooking.htm

On the question of the changing ratio for larger quantities, it says:

Keep in mind that when using the same pot, when more rice is added and the water is at a deeper level, the same amount of water will be boiled off regardless of the level of water in the pot. This is why simple ratio formulas (like 2 to 1) don’t work. Two cups (versus one cup) of rice will need two cups of water to be absorbed into the rice and one extra (not two) to be lost to vapor. This is why many experienced rice cooks usually measure a relatively constant level (like ½ inch) of water above the level of the rice, regardless of the quantity of rice.

On the issue of rinsing:

Sage V Foods did exhaustive studies on washing rice before putting in equipment to wash rice before grinding it into flour for the Japanese market. It seemed like such a waste of money and effort to wash and dry rice prior to grinding into flour. But we learned that some bran (with free fatty acids) and other contaminants do remain on even the best milled rice and the flavor is cleaner when the rice is washed. The whiteness improves and much of the loose surface starch is removed. The rice will be cleaner and less sticky when cooked. (This is preferred even for sticky type rice.)

Also recommends soaking for an hour prior to cooking.

[hsm]

When I make rice in my rice cooker, I rinse it first. If I don't, I wind up with nasty starchy bubbles coming up out of the vent.

Yes, thanks, between this and the link, I'll be rinsing from now on. Luckily, what with my sink and colander, it's not too arduous.

[Fat Guy]

On the other hand, there are quite a few sources arguing against rinsing, for example this article on FoodReference.com says:

most people today (chefs included) do not understand that rice had to be rinsed because it was dirty, and/or talc, etc. was used to polish it.  They think it is part of the cooking procedure.

RINSING is not necessary.  Rinsing made sense when rice contained impurities (dirt, twig particles, bugs [alive and dead] and 'polishing' additives).

[torakris]

To rinse or not to rinse, for me the question is answered by the type of rice I am using.

For the true Japanese short grain, which is pretty much the only rice available in Japan yet rarely available anywhere outside of it, rinsing is required. On a side note, most "Japanese" rice in the US is medium grain not short grain and cooks up differently.

The short grain rice that the Japanese eat everyday sticks together but isn't "sticky rice", not rinsing it well tends to make it stickier than it should be (if it is actually gummy you probably added too much water). Not rinsing it well enough also leave this starch film on the sides of the rice cooker/pot and also leaves a slightly off smell and taste. I can tell when I haven't rinsed it enough from the smell that emits from the rice cooker when it's cooking.

For anything other than short grain Japanese rice, I either give it a swish in a colander or leave it as is.

If you have access to true Japanese short grain rice try a taste test, cook two small pans of it one with rinsed rice and one with out rinsing. You'll never ask this question again...

[Chris Amirault]

I think that the same test is worth performing on other rices, too. I have come to rinse virtually every non-sticky rice as a matter of course and taste; the grains seem more distinct. This has been true even with my insanely brilliant Zojirushi fuzzy logic rice cooker, which can program satellites and perform extraterrestrial mind control as well as cook rice. In fact, it wrote this post.

[nickrey]

And... is there any way to keep rice from sticking to stainless pot (when made with the basic absorption method)?

←

Looks like your post got overlooked in the discussion of washing rice.

You may have noticed that most of us have rice cookers, which avoids the problem totally.

If you want to use a pan and the absorption method, the secret to rice not sticking lies in temperature control. Use around 1 1/3 cups rice (well washed ) to 1 1/4 cups water (US measures). With the lid on, bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until the water is absorbed. Then reduce the heat as far as it will go and leave for another 15 minutes. Turn off heat and leave for 10 minutes more (the latter two steps allow the rice to absorb the residual water and cook through). Then serve.

On the other hand, if you don't want to go to the expense of getting a rice cooker, you could always get yourself a microwave rice cooking container. Take 1 Cup rice, wash thoroughly. Put sufficient water in the cooker such that touching the rice with the tip of your index finger, the water is one knuckle above the rice. Put in the microwave on high for 11 minutes. Let it rest for a further ten minutes with the lid on, open, and serve.

[nakji]

I almost always use the basic absorption method in a steel pot, mainly because I'm too cheap to buy a proper rice cooker. On days when I have created a crispy layer on the bottom, and choose not to eat it in the Korean fashion, I find that returning the lid to the pot and allowing the rice to cool helps with lifting the stuck rice off. I think the condensation in the pot loosens it, and it usually lifts off in one layer - but this only works if you leave about a third the pot of cooked rice in to cool. If you empty the pot, it doesn't work as well.

[heidih]

I have to admit that after watching many cooks whose daily starch is rice prepare that item I have always rinsed. However, it is a quick, flowing process. Rice goes in the cooker pot, water is added as you swish in a circular motion with maybe a few back & forths thrown in. After mere seconds it is cloudy and you tilt and drain. There will still be some water because you didn't want to lose any rice. This is repeated until the water is just a bit cloudy (usually 3 times). Then since you know you still have a bit of water in there you hold back maybe a quarter cup on the added water. The cooker is forgiving and you tend to get a workable method without having to really plot it all out. This whole process takes less than a minute I would guess and people standing around the kitchen might never know you were rinsing rice.

[Franci]

I was reading about Donabe for cooking rice (a video for you if you are interested  ) and was wondering about the difference in result vs pressured cooked rice,  rice cooker rice or stovetop rice. 

 

I generally cook my rice with a pressure cooker and usually I have a better and more consistent result than simply cooking on the stovetop. I never used a rice cooker and cannot compare.

 

 

[liuzhou]

For many years I have used rice cookers and swear by them. They are consistent, virtually foolproof and hold the done rice at serving temperature over the time of a long relaxed meal.

 

However, they do take up counter space, so I'd say the choice rather depends on how often you cook rice. I do so almost everyday (sometimes more than once a day) so the convenience outweighs any slight inconvenience.

[Shel_B]

When I want perfect rice, I bake it, and have found an excellent technique that works consistently.  When I read about the technique and got the recipe, it was suggested that baking in some ways emulates a rice cooker.  I don't know about that as I've never used a rice cooker, but baking means I don't need extra equipment taking up my limited counter and storage space.  Have you considered baking your rice?

[Franci]

Sure, baking rice is something I used to do in cooking school for rice pilaf. But I prefer the pressured cook rice, easier and more versatile. I can make sticky rice, sushi rice, risotto, pilaf. I was curious to know if someone can compare pressure cooked rice vs rice cooker vs donabe

[liuzhou]

 

 I was curious to know if someone can compare pressure cooked rice vs rice cooker vs donabe

 

I've never used or experienced donabe cooked rice, so can't comment on that.

 

However, although I don't use a pressure cooker myself, I usually eat with friends at least once a week and they use a pressure cooker. To be honest I very much doubt that, in a blind test,  I would be able to detect the difference between that and rice cooker rice. To me they are the same.

[KennethT]

How do you use a pressure cooker to make sticky rice? I am assuming that by "sticky rice" you mean glutinous rice, which is typically soaked for several hours and then steamed for about 15 minutes.

[Norm Matthews]

I recall several years ago Nobu did a guest appearance on Martha Stewart show and she asked him how to cook rice in a saucepan. He showed her.  Then she asked "Is that how you do it at your restaurant?" He said "No.  We use a rice cooker"

 

My ex is Korean.  She used a rice cooker every day at our restaurant and had one at home.  After 30 some years, I finally replaced it last month. I would not think about trying to cook rice any other way.

[paulraphael]

There's overlap, since some rice cookers are themselves pressure cookers.

 

I use a pressure cooker for rice, and like the results a lot. I also the stovetop, especially when Im not sure how much water the rice is going to need. Being able to see what's going on helps to adapt if I've guessed wrong. 

 

I've used my girlfriend's rice cooker several times, and have a hard time with it. It's not a good one ... kind of the worst of all worlds. It's nothing like the high-end, fuzzy logic rice cookers that people say give them perfect rice every time. These seem ideal if you make rice often enough to justify a dedicated appliance.

 

My favorite use of the pressure cooker for rice is risotto. It cooks in 7 to 9 minutes without stirring and is as good as anything I've made traditionally. I think the method for Japanese sticky rice would be similar, except you rinse the sticky rice for a long time first.

[liuzhou]

 

There's overlap, since some rice cookers are themselves pressure cookers.

 

For example?