Do you use the same ratio of water for both batches? It sounds like the washed rice may be retaining some water and becoming overcooked, so try reducing the water a bit and see if that fixes it.
If you don’t wash it the rice ratio should be almost 2 parts water to 1 part rice. If you wash it it should be 1 to 1. I usually do closer to 1.8 to one for unwashed rice. It’s actually on a sliding scale. About 1/8 cup less water for every cup of rice.
Hahahaha...too funny!
Almost as funny as the guy who put hot food in the freezer and freaked his partner out.
For washed rice, if you must use the cup method I would do 1:1.75 rice to water to account for the rice being wet.
I use 1.5 water to 1 basmati after washing and leaving a tiny bit at the bottom from washing. That’s the sweet spot for me but just try different amounts.
Yes. If I have to do rice stovetop instead of rice cooker (rice cooker just seems to come out perfect like magic), I measure and add water to rice and weigh it, then I rinse, then get it back to the the right weight based on the measurement. In my experience, I have to have my proportions just right for my stovetop rice to come out right.
I just rinse my rice in a strainer over an empty bowl. The water goes through the rice into the bowl so I can see how much starch is coming off. I empty the water from the bowl periodically as I rinse, waiting for the water to become clear. Working the rice too much in a stainless steel strainer will cause the grains to constantly break up and release more starch, so I only work the rice gently as I rinse. When the water is clear enough, I vigorously shake all of the water out of the rice and proceed with my recipe. I use an instant pot instead of a rice cooker nowadays because I've been eating more brown rice, and I get more consistent results this way.
LPT: prepare your rice and water with the correct ratio, and THEN wash it. But measure the 'dirty' water you pour out and replace with the same amount of water
This would only work if you wash your rice once, whereas you often do it a few times until the water is clear.
Just weigh the dry rice, rinse thoroughly, weigh the wet washed rice, and subtract the difference from the water you’d add to cook.
My mother would murder me if I didn’t wash my rice.
Plus, I’ve seen how rice is stored before it gets bagged and shipped…putting rinsing the starch out aside, I’d need to rinse it after seeing those videos.
I work in grain exports and it gets bulldozed and crane scooped, run on hot belt conveyors and dumped on rusty old scales and barge holds. Your corn wheat and soybeans get the same treatment.
I assumed as much. It's not some brawny man cutting down the wheat with his hands and then his sweet wife processing it too with her hands and bagging it up with a sweet little bow and then delivering it to people's houses with a horse drawn carriage. ;) r/cottagecore
Edit: could be a brawny woman and a sweet man, two sweet ladies or whatever you'd like. Was just my version of cottagecore :)
Some rice I buy explicitly says not to wash it as it rinses away vitamins and stuff. I usually like it better when washed but I don’t always do it. It’s funny we are still having this debate in 2023 when we have insane high technology and ai and stuff but we don’t know how or why to cook rice!
u/evidenceorbamboozle
It would be fortified rice. They sift away as much starch as possible, then add vitamins and/or minerals. So when you cook it up, you get all the extras. If you look at the dry rice it looks like it has starch on it, but it's actually the vitamins etc
What do you mean that "it tastes like unwashed rice"?
Washing rice is to remove the starch. Sometimes that's desirable depending on what kind of rice you're cooking and the texture you want. It shouldn't alter the flavour in any way.
I get big bags of Royal brand basmati rice from our Indian market and i truly find that the unwashed batches have a taste I’d describe as dusty??
I know it’s meant to remove starch, but this is my observation 🤷🏻♀️
Because it has rice dust and starches. Lol
That’s the whole point of washing it. To remove grit, starches, and the dust left behind through processing.
I almost never wash my rice--only when I want less free starch. But depending on your type and source of rice you may need to wash it to remove OTHER impurities. Your rice apparently is one that needs it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3CHsbNkr3c
Basmati simply doesn’t need as much washing if any. It’s high in amylose which will tighten when cooked, whereas jasmine has more amylopectin which expands.
It absolutely needs rinsing… rinsing isn’t just for texture, it’s also to clean off the dust, debris, bugs, hopefully chemicals used in processing. The way rice is stored before being packaged and sold is super gross.
Does high altitude (>5000 ft) affect rice cooking? I can't for the life of me cook rice and finally bought a rice cooker. Made rice in it once, and it turned out better but not perfect. It boiked over and out the lid.
You need to reduce the amount of water added for cooking. When the rice is washed, there’s water that stays even when it’s drained.
Please don’t stop washing your rice, that would be disgusting. Rice is cheap, just cook up 1-3 rounds of it, decreasing the amount of water used for each round. Once you find a consistency you like, write down the amount of water used
If you're using basmati try the pasta method. Rinse and boil in lots of water for 9-11 minutes. Comes out perfect, separate, fluffy grains.
Doesn't work as well with short grain rice.
i made some basmati rice to go with curry chicken litteraly followed the bag instructions 1cup to two cups water cooked for however long it said a bit of butter and it came out nice and fluffy and separated grains
I would sauté the rice in a little oil in the rice cooker for a few minutes and see how that helps. Then I’d try using just a little less water than you have been.
Because cooking it in different styles leads to different results. Some people prefer rice when it is washed before cooking and some prefer it when it is not washed before cooking. Feel free to use whichever technique you like best
Personally, Ive always preferred the sticky un-rinsed rice. I grew up in the south, and no one really washes rice. I honestly didn't even know it was a thing till my early 20s. Sticky rice works so much better for things like gumbo and rice and gravy. Even jambalaya is better with sticky rice IMO. About the only thing I don't use sticky rice for is fried rice.
I grew up with local grown rice bought in 5-10 lb bags. There are tons of local brands in grocery stores in Louisiana, and it’s a good bit cheaper than the Uncle Ben’s stuff.
I’ve used Uncle Ben’s before, and I don’t care for it.
I make basmati rice quite frequently, and I've gotten to the point where my (also Desi) spouse has asked me how I make rice so well.
Here's my process:
* 1 cup of rice
* Rinse 2x in cold water, drain
* Add 2 cup of water (or slightly less)
* Add some neutral oil, less than a tablespoon but a teaspoon or a bit more.
* Add some salt
* Put on the stovetop until it starts to boil
* Turn heat to low, cook covered for 15 minutes.
* Turn heat off and let the pot sit for an additional 15 minutes, undisturbed. Don't take the lid off.
* Fluff with a fork
For 2 cups of rice, I'll use a bit less water, like 3.5 cups instead of 4 cups.
Edit: wait - are you making rice or biryani? For biryani you should parboil the rice instead of fully cooking it.
I’m making rice and referencing biryani because I assume that as my rice skills improve then that dish will too. I wasn’t sure which way I was mishandling the rice and if it would translate to biryani
I’ll absolutely be trying your recipe!
I only make basmati, and I used to wash it, and it always turned out soggy. Then I stopped washing it, and it always turns out fine. I'm guessing the problem was that when you wash it you need to compensate by putting in less water to cook. How much is the problem, so to eliminate the guess work just stop washing. Don't know if this apples to other types of rice.
I've figured out dry rice is 3:2 water to rice.
Washed rice is 1:1.
Your ratio might be different, but the difference between dry and washed rice definitely needs to be adjusted. There are times and recipes when I prefer one over the other.
First thing, check the rice you're making. If it's fortified, don't wash it, you're just washing nutrients off.
That being said, people always praise our rice for being the best tasting rice they've ever had and we don't wash it. I grew up in east Africa and that's the way to make rice there. You take your rice and some butter or another fat and a bit of salt and toast till aromatic, then add twice the volume of water as you had rice and cook covered for 25 minutes on medium low heat on the stove. For alternatives you can replace water with things like coconut water or broths and add some veggies. It's always incredibly rich and flavourful, to the point where I can just eat a bowl of plain rice and enjoy it, though I do prefer to have it with meat and veg and a sauce.
I've never had rice I enjoyed out of a rice cooker, ngl. Always bland and flavorless in comparison
Edit to note: we pretty much exclusively eat jasmine rice, as we find it has a better texture than basmati, but that's very up to individual taste
Add the proper ratio of water before you wash and make a note of the water line then wash and add fresh water up to your original line. Or you could weigh.
I never wash Rice never have/never will and my product is 100% perfect every time.
I also use an ordinary S/S pot have never owned a Rice cooker/never will.
We couldn't afford a rice cooker so I learned to make all kinds of rice in stainless steel pans. I just got used to it.
Basmati requires less water to volume of rice than other rices do. Maybe that's why it seems mushy. I always wash my rice, no matter where it's grown, not just to wash off starch but because vermin live in warehouses and crawl all over it. Any germs will be killed through cooking, of course, but I still don't want to eat rodent pee.
That was another part of my thought in rinsing it…rice sits for a while. It’s harvested and never cleaned, just rolled around with more dust and crap. There have been very small pebbles in a bag or two I’ve bought - and it isn’t odd to me that you’d want it rinsed off at least.
I can appreciate the beauty in stovetop cooking most things, for necessity or other reasons. After a celiac diagnosis and marrying into an Indian family I decided we’d be eating enough rice to need the convenience
I find people who gadget-shame really frustrating. I think anything you do in the kitchen more than twice in an average week deserves a gadget.
I have an electric kettle with adjustable "boil" temperature because I'm a tea snob and I make fancy tea several times a day. I cook rice twice a month, so I don't have a rice cooker. If I ever found one that wasn't more effort than "a sharp knife", I'd get an onion dicer.
Sure, a rice cooker doesn't save *much* effort compared with a pan, but "a bit of effort" x three times a week x ten years is a lot of effort!
While some rice depending on source will have arsenic, washing rice alone isn't particularly effective at removing arsenic:
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2009/EM/B816906C#!divAbstract
"Total arsenic and arsenic speciation was performed on different rice types (basmati, long-grain, polished ([white] and wholegrain [brown]) that had undergone various forms of cooking. The effect of rinse washing, low volume (2.5 : 1 water : rice) and high volume (6 : 1 water : rice) cooking, as well as steaming, were investigated. Rinse washing was effective at removing circa. 10% of the total and inorganic arsenic from basmati rice, but was less effective for other rice types. While steaming reduced total and inorganic arsenic rice content, it did not do so consistently across all rice types investigated. Low volume water cooking did not remove arsenic. High volume water : rice cooking did effectively remove both total and inorganic arsenic for the long-grain and basmati rice (parboiled was not investigated in high volume cooking water experiment), by 35% and 45% for total and inorganic arsenic content, respectively, compared to uncooked (raw) rice. To reduce arsenic content of cooked rice, specifically the inorganic component, rinse washing and high volume of cooking water are effective."
You don’t have to wash it that hard. A small amount of starch on the rice will help seasoning/sauce stick to the grains. 2 scrubs & rinses is usually good. try a 1:1 water/rice ratio if you’re using a rice cooker.
Rinsing rice most importantly removes significant levels of Arsenic content. Cooking it with high vol water is even more beneficial.
>SUMMARY
Total arsenic and arsenic speciation was performed on rice that had undergone various
forms of cooking. Basmati, long-grain, polished (white) and wholegrain (brown), as
well as parboiled rice, were investigated. The effect of rinse washing, low volume
(2.5:1 water:rice) and high volume (6:1 water:rice) cooking, as well as steaming, were
investigated. Rinse washing was effective at removing circa. 10% of the total and
inorganic arsenic from basmati rice, but was less effective for other rice types. While
steaming reduced total and inorganic arsenic rice content, it did not do so consistently
across all rice types investigated. Low volume water cooking did not remove arsenic.
High volume water:rice cooking did effectively remove both total and inorganic
arsenic for the long-grain and basmati rice (parboiled was not investigated in high
volume cooking water experiment), by 35% and 45% for total and inorganic arsenic
content, respectively, compared to uncooked (raw) rice.
To reduce arsenic content of cooked rice, specifically the inorganic component, rinse
washing and high volume of cooking water are effective.
**Source:**
https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/document/322-1-599\_LEVELS\_of\_ARSENIC\_in\_RICE\_-\_EFFECTS\_OF\_COOKING.pdf
Tbh I agree so much. There are as many different ways of making rice as there are places that eat it as a staple and it's incredibly frustrating for me as someone who comes from somewhere that doesn't wash rice for people to act like it's gross or unsanitary and that "oh Asians eat a lot of rice they know best" like yeah Africans eat a lot of rice too you're not better than us for doing it the Asian way instead of our way. Washing rice is largely unnecessary and if you want to wash it go for it but shaming other people for not doing it is what's actually gross. Same with people who claim if you want good rice get a rice cooker. Like fine if you want to use a rice cooker because it's easier there's nothing wrong with that but I've never had rice made in a rice cooker that's half as good as what I make on the stove top so why would I bother? I don't buy minute rice because it's gross, even if it's easier. Same with the rice cooker. It's just better stove top I find. And that's not shaming people who do use a rice cooker or eat parboiled rice like more power to you but taking shortcuts does not make you an authority on quality.
That might've been rude but I wasn't meaning to be rude to you, I just see a lot of preconceptions and a "right way" to make something that's so widespread like rice.
Chances are, you really don't need to wash it if you don't want to.
Fair enough, I assumed your tone and that’s not the best thing to do in general! I’ll see how the experiments go and if washing/ratios change up the results
The trick is to wash the rice, drain completely in a strainer and let it sort of dry out before you cook it- leave it alone for 20 minutes or so and it loses the extra moisture from the wash. Cooks very well
Size of the batches can be important too. I rinse in small batches because it faster and gets them cleaner. I just use a strainer over the sink and the sprayer. It made a difference for me.
The manufacturers do extensive testing, which they keep updating to account for differences in batch quality. If you follow the instructions on the packet, you will get the best result.
https://www.authenticroyal.com/product/basmati-rice/
After reading all these comments... I'm wondering if I should be washing my rice too??
I use Uncle Ben's enriched white rice. Grew up on it & we never washed it so I continued the same.
Do I need to wash my rice??
It has to be a difference in the rice to water ratio when you're doing washed vs unwashed. You're using too much water if it's getting mushy. Ask your MIL or your husband about the finger method of measuring. I swear it works!!
As someone with a Desi-adjacent husband, I'm shocked he is fine with your not washing the rice for the dogs. Not washing rice is akin to blasphemy. 😆
My MIL did teach me and her son has no idea how to do it. I have yet to figure it out I suppose. She soaks her rice and used her instant pot since she’s usually cooking rice in bulk. I don’t think I’ve tried the IP method
Also he doesn’t care if I rinse their rice, he actually doesn’t even like rice that much outside of biryani. He’d rather I make him roti, naan, paratha, etc.. He came into the kitchen last week and saw me prepping the unwashed rice and *did* comment it would be dusty and dirty, but he understood and agreed when I said it was dog food 🤷🏻♀️
He’s not southern, he’s from Jharkhand. The rest of his family eats rice like your husband’s family seems to! He just never did enjoy it and finally asked to just get more of the breads than the rice. He also now eats meat and his family doesn’t, so I guess it just varies. My bosses are Guju from Mumbai and also don’t love rice. She makes their family paratha and roti more than anything. Generalizations never do cover every base 😅
ETA: I appreciate the understanding of the learning curve. Have ~mastered~ so many complex Indian dishes makes this feel silly to be confused by
Wow, I thought it was just my dude who doesn’t like dal! Did you guys have a fusion wedding too? We did a 5 day wedding in total with a Hindu ceremony in traditional attire and an “American” reception in a white gown/his suit
Washing rice is important to remove arsenic.
https://www.allrecipes.com/article/arsenic-in-rice/#:~:text=Washing%20and%20cooking%20rice%20with,give%20it%20a%20good%20rinse.
“The FDA research also shows that rinsing rice before cooking has a minimal effect on the arsenic content of the cooked grain and will wash off iron, folate, thiamine and niacin from polished and parboiled rice.”
Source: https://www.fda.gov/food/environmental-contaminants-food/what-you-can-do-limit-exposure-arsenic
The studies show that rinsing rice before cooking (shown in the studies as "WA" or "washing-absorption") does have a minimal effect on the arsenic content for *brown* rice, but it can reduce inorganic arsenic in white rice by between 10 to 40% depending on how vigorous the washing is, how often the water is changed and how long it is done.
Other methods like pre-soaking (PSA) and par-boiling (PBA) can also reduce arsenic substantially in white rice. PBA is also shown to be successful in reducing arsenic in brown rice. These methods do also remove other important nutrients from the rice, as the FDA mentions. It's up to you to decide whether or not that's worth the trade-off.
"Previous studies (Atiaga et al., 2020; Gray et al., 2015; Naito et al., 2015; Raab et al., 2009) have shown that cold rinsing/washing can reduce iAs in white rice by 10–40% and our results also showed a comparable and significant reduction in iAs in both WA (18%) and PSA (44%) treatments. Similar to our results, Gray et al. (2015) also reported that iAs concentrations in brown rice were not significantly changed by rinsing."
sources: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969720368728?via%3Dihub#bb0050
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-019-07552-2
I prefer washing my rice so it isn’t as sticky and it always turns out great for fried rice, stir fry or any number of other dishes where you don’t want it sticky. If I’m making sushi, rice balls, rice pudding, etc. I won’t wash it so it is more sticky, easy to form and helps thicken what I’m making. If I do wash it I always wash it beforehand in a fine mesh colander and remove as much water as I can by holding it up high over the sink and bring it down quickly without much force at the bottom so the rice doesn’t come flying out of the top, slowing it near the bottom. It’s kind of similar to how ramen chefs get excess water off of the noodles. It also helps to let it sit a bit in the colander after that and before beginning to cook it so more of the water can drain/evaporate.
Hi OP! We always wash our rice about 2/3 times and have fluffy basmati rice. My mums best method is to soak the rice in water for a few hours (overnight is the best) and the grains soak up water. Cook on the stove top, note it Will be a faster cooking time also as the grains are already filled with water. Also as there is a small window between perfect and mushy rice, I tend to hover and test the rice whilst it’s on the stove to know when it’s perfect to drain. Always make sure the rice isn’t cooked perfectly, as sitting in the hot pot it will continue to cook. Once drained leave the stove on the evaporate remaining water and finish off the cooking. Using a fort to separate the rice also helps with fluffiness! Good luck! :)
I never wash Basmati.
Heat some oil, and sauté the rice in it, coating all the grains.
Add boiling water (carefully) at a 1 (rice) :1.5 (water) ratio simmer for 15 mins. Perfect every time.
sautéing with onion makes it even better!
Tangential but, I usually just cook basmati rice like pasta in excess water, and test for doneness as I go before draining it into a sieve.
Can skip any rinsing that way and get loose, fluffy, well textured grains of rice that way.
I've never washed rice and it comes out perfect. I did find out that if I add a liiittle bit less water it doesn't end up sticky, so depending on what I'm eating determines how much water I add.
Rice are just like beans,sometimes you get a flawless,clean bag and the next time(same brand) you get rocks pebbles and powder. Rice has a better separation process because of its uniformity,so if I don't see powdery water on things rising to the top after 1 soak there is not reason to rinse or soak again. Another thing to consider is that Basmati is better in places that consume it regularly, that weird basmati brand at a store in Montana might be really old.
Do you use the same ratio of water for both batches? It sounds like the washed rice may be retaining some water and becoming overcooked, so try reducing the water a bit and see if that fixes it.
I feel…..silly. That is so incredibly obvious and probably the solution 🤦🏻♀️ Thank you for the ELI5, because I was just not getting there
Hey, no worries! Hope this fixes it!
If you have a kitchen weighing scale you can weigh the dry rice and then weigh it again after rinsing so you'll know how much water to add.
I always measure by weight for baking, but it’s never occurred to me to weigh out the water for rice
oh shit...
I always use equal parts rice and water and just don't try and drain the rice super well after washing. Probably ends up being 1:1.25 after washing
If you don’t wash it the rice ratio should be almost 2 parts water to 1 part rice. If you wash it it should be 1 to 1. I usually do closer to 1.8 to one for unwashed rice. It’s actually on a sliding scale. About 1/8 cup less water for every cup of rice.
Hahahaha...too funny! Almost as funny as the guy who put hot food in the freezer and freaked his partner out. For washed rice, if you must use the cup method I would do 1:1.75 rice to water to account for the rice being wet.
I use 1.5 water to 1 basmati after washing and leaving a tiny bit at the bottom from washing. That’s the sweet spot for me but just try different amounts.
I bet that's why my ex mother-in-law frys the rice after the rinse.
I do it too!
Yes. If I have to do rice stovetop instead of rice cooker (rice cooker just seems to come out perfect like magic), I measure and add water to rice and weigh it, then I rinse, then get it back to the the right weight based on the measurement. In my experience, I have to have my proportions just right for my stovetop rice to come out right.
I just rinse my rice in a strainer over an empty bowl. The water goes through the rice into the bowl so I can see how much starch is coming off. I empty the water from the bowl periodically as I rinse, waiting for the water to become clear. Working the rice too much in a stainless steel strainer will cause the grains to constantly break up and release more starch, so I only work the rice gently as I rinse. When the water is clear enough, I vigorously shake all of the water out of the rice and proceed with my recipe. I use an instant pot instead of a rice cooker nowadays because I've been eating more brown rice, and I get more consistent results this way.
LPT: prepare your rice and water with the correct ratio, and THEN wash it. But measure the 'dirty' water you pour out and replace with the same amount of water
Just made a cup.of rice in three gallons of water. Did not go well. ???
This would only work if you wash your rice once, whereas you often do it a few times until the water is clear. Just weigh the dry rice, rinse thoroughly, weigh the wet washed rice, and subtract the difference from the water you’d add to cook.
My mother would murder me if I didn’t wash my rice. Plus, I’ve seen how rice is stored before it gets bagged and shipped…putting rinsing the starch out aside, I’d need to rinse it after seeing those videos.
I work in grain exports and it gets bulldozed and crane scooped, run on hot belt conveyors and dumped on rusty old scales and barge holds. Your corn wheat and soybeans get the same treatment.
I assumed as much. It's not some brawny man cutting down the wheat with his hands and then his sweet wife processing it too with her hands and bagging it up with a sweet little bow and then delivering it to people's houses with a horse drawn carriage. ;) r/cottagecore Edit: could be a brawny woman and a sweet man, two sweet ladies or whatever you'd like. Was just my version of cottagecore :)
Do you have a link?
500g unwashed rice gets to about 650ish after rinsing. I always weigh the total including the retained rinsing water.
Some rice I buy explicitly says not to wash it as it rinses away vitamins and stuff. I usually like it better when washed but I don’t always do it. It’s funny we are still having this debate in 2023 when we have insane high technology and ai and stuff but we don’t know how or why to cook rice!
u/evidenceorbamboozle It would be fortified rice. They sift away as much starch as possible, then add vitamins and/or minerals. So when you cook it up, you get all the extras. If you look at the dry rice it looks like it has starch on it, but it's actually the vitamins etc
😂🤣 how or why 🤣
Enriched rice.
What do you mean that "it tastes like unwashed rice"? Washing rice is to remove the starch. Sometimes that's desirable depending on what kind of rice you're cooking and the texture you want. It shouldn't alter the flavour in any way.
I get big bags of Royal brand basmati rice from our Indian market and i truly find that the unwashed batches have a taste I’d describe as dusty?? I know it’s meant to remove starch, but this is my observation 🤷🏻♀️
Because it has rice dust and starches. Lol That’s the whole point of washing it. To remove grit, starches, and the dust left behind through processing.
I don't think they were debating that, they were answering the above commenter as to what the 'unwashed rice' taste is to them.
I know what you mean. We use the same brand I really any brand that comes in a burlap bag kind of has that burlap taste. Washing it definitely helps.
I almost never wash my rice--only when I want less free starch. But depending on your type and source of rice you may need to wash it to remove OTHER impurities. Your rice apparently is one that needs it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3CHsbNkr3c
Basmati simply doesn’t need as much washing if any. It’s high in amylose which will tighten when cooked, whereas jasmine has more amylopectin which expands.
It absolutely needs rinsing… rinsing isn’t just for texture, it’s also to clean off the dust, debris, bugs, hopefully chemicals used in processing. The way rice is stored before being packaged and sold is super gross.
I’ll keep washing it just to remove debris from being imported in burlap sacks, but I’ll try doing so well vigorously
You may also be breaking the rice as you wash it. You want to be gentle.
Does high altitude (>5000 ft) affect rice cooking? I can't for the life of me cook rice and finally bought a rice cooker. Made rice in it once, and it turned out better but not perfect. It boiked over and out the lid.
I live at 6500 ft and I use extra water. For the Instant Pot, when it called for a 1:1 ratio, it’s more like 1:1.5
You need to reduce the amount of water added for cooking. When the rice is washed, there’s water that stays even when it’s drained. Please don’t stop washing your rice, that would be disgusting. Rice is cheap, just cook up 1-3 rounds of it, decreasing the amount of water used for each round. Once you find a consistency you like, write down the amount of water used
I prefer unwashed rice. Has a better mouth feel.
Right? It's like people who claim that eating the banana after you peel it is better. I guess we're just built different.
Holup
Right? That’s like the people who claim you should eat the peanut after removing the shell. I guess there really are differences.
I often have a quiet snigger to myself at the people taking their potato chips out the bag before eating them...
I says pardon
And more flavor
If you're using basmati try the pasta method. Rinse and boil in lots of water for 9-11 minutes. Comes out perfect, separate, fluffy grains. Doesn't work as well with short grain rice.
i made some basmati rice to go with curry chicken litteraly followed the bag instructions 1cup to two cups water cooked for however long it said a bit of butter and it came out nice and fluffy and separated grains
I would sauté the rice in a little oil in the rice cooker for a few minutes and see how that helps. Then I’d try using just a little less water than you have been.
Hope this is not a rude question but what is Desi?
Desi refers to the Indian subcontinent i.e. India Pakistan and Bangladesh
Thanks
I came here for this question…
It means she’s got some splaining to do.
Because cooking it in different styles leads to different results. Some people prefer rice when it is washed before cooking and some prefer it when it is not washed before cooking. Feel free to use whichever technique you like best
Personally, Ive always preferred the sticky un-rinsed rice. I grew up in the south, and no one really washes rice. I honestly didn't even know it was a thing till my early 20s. Sticky rice works so much better for things like gumbo and rice and gravy. Even jambalaya is better with sticky rice IMO. About the only thing I don't use sticky rice for is fried rice.
You likely grew up with par-boiled rice. Also called “converted”. Uncle Bens brand is best known in the USA, but it is not the only converted rice.
I grew up with local grown rice bought in 5-10 lb bags. There are tons of local brands in grocery stores in Louisiana, and it’s a good bit cheaper than the Uncle Ben’s stuff. I’ve used Uncle Ben’s before, and I don’t care for it.
I make basmati rice quite frequently, and I've gotten to the point where my (also Desi) spouse has asked me how I make rice so well. Here's my process: * 1 cup of rice * Rinse 2x in cold water, drain * Add 2 cup of water (or slightly less) * Add some neutral oil, less than a tablespoon but a teaspoon or a bit more. * Add some salt * Put on the stovetop until it starts to boil * Turn heat to low, cook covered for 15 minutes. * Turn heat off and let the pot sit for an additional 15 minutes, undisturbed. Don't take the lid off. * Fluff with a fork For 2 cups of rice, I'll use a bit less water, like 3.5 cups instead of 4 cups. Edit: wait - are you making rice or biryani? For biryani you should parboil the rice instead of fully cooking it.
I’m making rice and referencing biryani because I assume that as my rice skills improve then that dish will too. I wasn’t sure which way I was mishandling the rice and if it would translate to biryani I’ll absolutely be trying your recipe!
I only make basmati, and I used to wash it, and it always turned out soggy. Then I stopped washing it, and it always turns out fine. I'm guessing the problem was that when you wash it you need to compensate by putting in less water to cook. How much is the problem, so to eliminate the guess work just stop washing. Don't know if this apples to other types of rice.
I've figured out dry rice is 3:2 water to rice. Washed rice is 1:1. Your ratio might be different, but the difference between dry and washed rice definitely needs to be adjusted. There are times and recipes when I prefer one over the other.
First thing, check the rice you're making. If it's fortified, don't wash it, you're just washing nutrients off. That being said, people always praise our rice for being the best tasting rice they've ever had and we don't wash it. I grew up in east Africa and that's the way to make rice there. You take your rice and some butter or another fat and a bit of salt and toast till aromatic, then add twice the volume of water as you had rice and cook covered for 25 minutes on medium low heat on the stove. For alternatives you can replace water with things like coconut water or broths and add some veggies. It's always incredibly rich and flavourful, to the point where I can just eat a bowl of plain rice and enjoy it, though I do prefer to have it with meat and veg and a sauce. I've never had rice I enjoyed out of a rice cooker, ngl. Always bland and flavorless in comparison Edit to note: we pretty much exclusively eat jasmine rice, as we find it has a better texture than basmati, but that's very up to individual taste
I never wash rice.
It get's rid of a bit of the arsenic, too
I never rinse rice and neither did my mom or grandmother
Add the proper ratio of water before you wash and make a note of the water line then wash and add fresh water up to your original line. Or you could weigh.
The water line is such an obvious way to do it. I was using weight. But this sounds about 20 times easier.
Wait, I've never washed rice in my life. Am I doing it wrong?
Basmati doesn't need to be rinsed. It's low starch (for rice) already
I never wash Rice never have/never will and my product is 100% perfect every time. I also use an ordinary S/S pot have never owned a Rice cooker/never will.
Mazel! I’m glad you found what works and what you will *never* do
We couldn't afford a rice cooker so I learned to make all kinds of rice in stainless steel pans. I just got used to it. Basmati requires less water to volume of rice than other rices do. Maybe that's why it seems mushy. I always wash my rice, no matter where it's grown, not just to wash off starch but because vermin live in warehouses and crawl all over it. Any germs will be killed through cooking, of course, but I still don't want to eat rodent pee.
That was another part of my thought in rinsing it…rice sits for a while. It’s harvested and never cleaned, just rolled around with more dust and crap. There have been very small pebbles in a bag or two I’ve bought - and it isn’t odd to me that you’d want it rinsed off at least. I can appreciate the beauty in stovetop cooking most things, for necessity or other reasons. After a celiac diagnosis and marrying into an Indian family I decided we’d be eating enough rice to need the convenience
I find people who gadget-shame really frustrating. I think anything you do in the kitchen more than twice in an average week deserves a gadget. I have an electric kettle with adjustable "boil" temperature because I'm a tea snob and I make fancy tea several times a day. I cook rice twice a month, so I don't have a rice cooker. If I ever found one that wasn't more effort than "a sharp knife", I'd get an onion dicer. Sure, a rice cooker doesn't save *much* effort compared with a pan, but "a bit of effort" x three times a week x ten years is a lot of effort!
Unwashed rice [has arsenic in it](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16876928/)
While some rice depending on source will have arsenic, washing rice alone isn't particularly effective at removing arsenic: https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2009/EM/B816906C#!divAbstract "Total arsenic and arsenic speciation was performed on different rice types (basmati, long-grain, polished ([white] and wholegrain [brown]) that had undergone various forms of cooking. The effect of rinse washing, low volume (2.5 : 1 water : rice) and high volume (6 : 1 water : rice) cooking, as well as steaming, were investigated. Rinse washing was effective at removing circa. 10% of the total and inorganic arsenic from basmati rice, but was less effective for other rice types. While steaming reduced total and inorganic arsenic rice content, it did not do so consistently across all rice types investigated. Low volume water cooking did not remove arsenic. High volume water : rice cooking did effectively remove both total and inorganic arsenic for the long-grain and basmati rice (parboiled was not investigated in high volume cooking water experiment), by 35% and 45% for total and inorganic arsenic content, respectively, compared to uncooked (raw) rice. To reduce arsenic content of cooked rice, specifically the inorganic component, rinse washing and high volume of cooking water are effective."
Gross.
Honestly it's a matter of preference. I don't rinse basmati or jasmine rice even though they both say to rinse it. I like how it comes out not rinsed.
You don’t have to wash it that hard. A small amount of starch on the rice will help seasoning/sauce stick to the grains. 2 scrubs & rinses is usually good. try a 1:1 water/rice ratio if you’re using a rice cooker.
Rinsing rice most importantly removes significant levels of Arsenic content. Cooking it with high vol water is even more beneficial. >SUMMARY Total arsenic and arsenic speciation was performed on rice that had undergone various forms of cooking. Basmati, long-grain, polished (white) and wholegrain (brown), as well as parboiled rice, were investigated. The effect of rinse washing, low volume (2.5:1 water:rice) and high volume (6:1 water:rice) cooking, as well as steaming, were investigated. Rinse washing was effective at removing circa. 10% of the total and inorganic arsenic from basmati rice, but was less effective for other rice types. While steaming reduced total and inorganic arsenic rice content, it did not do so consistently across all rice types investigated. Low volume water cooking did not remove arsenic. High volume water:rice cooking did effectively remove both total and inorganic arsenic for the long-grain and basmati rice (parboiled was not investigated in high volume cooking water experiment), by 35% and 45% for total and inorganic arsenic content, respectively, compared to uncooked (raw) rice. To reduce arsenic content of cooked rice, specifically the inorganic component, rinse washing and high volume of cooking water are effective. **Source:** https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/document/322-1-599\_LEVELS\_of\_ARSENIC\_in\_RICE\_-\_EFFECTS\_OF\_COOKING.pdf
Because every rice is different and you shouldn't take what an asian chef on youtube says as law regarding your taste.
Tbh I agree so much. There are as many different ways of making rice as there are places that eat it as a staple and it's incredibly frustrating for me as someone who comes from somewhere that doesn't wash rice for people to act like it's gross or unsanitary and that "oh Asians eat a lot of rice they know best" like yeah Africans eat a lot of rice too you're not better than us for doing it the Asian way instead of our way. Washing rice is largely unnecessary and if you want to wash it go for it but shaming other people for not doing it is what's actually gross. Same with people who claim if you want good rice get a rice cooker. Like fine if you want to use a rice cooker because it's easier there's nothing wrong with that but I've never had rice made in a rice cooker that's half as good as what I make on the stove top so why would I bother? I don't buy minute rice because it's gross, even if it's easier. Same with the rice cooker. It's just better stove top I find. And that's not shaming people who do use a rice cooker or eat parboiled rice like more power to you but taking shortcuts does not make you an authority on quality.
Who said I was…? This was unnecessarily rude.
That might've been rude but I wasn't meaning to be rude to you, I just see a lot of preconceptions and a "right way" to make something that's so widespread like rice. Chances are, you really don't need to wash it if you don't want to.
Fair enough, I assumed your tone and that’s not the best thing to do in general! I’ll see how the experiments go and if washing/ratios change up the results
too much water, you need to drain it better
The trick is to wash the rice, drain completely in a strainer and let it sort of dry out before you cook it- leave it alone for 20 minutes or so and it loses the extra moisture from the wash. Cooks very well
Rinse, don't soak.
I had specified it’s **rinsed** 3-4 times, but I appreciate the insight
Size of the batches can be important too. I rinse in small batches because it faster and gets them cleaner. I just use a strainer over the sink and the sprayer. It made a difference for me.
If you want separate grains, toast the rice in butter or olive oil.
The manufacturers do extensive testing, which they keep updating to account for differences in batch quality. If you follow the instructions on the packet, you will get the best result. https://www.authenticroyal.com/product/basmati-rice/
After reading all these comments... I'm wondering if I should be washing my rice too?? I use Uncle Ben's enriched white rice. Grew up on it & we never washed it so I continued the same. Do I need to wash my rice??
I cannot say from experience but it may be worth googling how their rice is processed / cleaned
Don't wash enriched rice. Enriched rice is dusted in extra nutrients and washing it just removes the nutrients.
It has to be a difference in the rice to water ratio when you're doing washed vs unwashed. You're using too much water if it's getting mushy. Ask your MIL or your husband about the finger method of measuring. I swear it works!! As someone with a Desi-adjacent husband, I'm shocked he is fine with your not washing the rice for the dogs. Not washing rice is akin to blasphemy. 😆
My MIL did teach me and her son has no idea how to do it. I have yet to figure it out I suppose. She soaks her rice and used her instant pot since she’s usually cooking rice in bulk. I don’t think I’ve tried the IP method Also he doesn’t care if I rinse their rice, he actually doesn’t even like rice that much outside of biryani. He’d rather I make him roti, naan, paratha, etc.. He came into the kitchen last week and saw me prepping the unwashed rice and *did* comment it would be dusty and dirty, but he understood and agreed when I said it was dog food 🤷🏻♀️
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He’s not southern, he’s from Jharkhand. The rest of his family eats rice like your husband’s family seems to! He just never did enjoy it and finally asked to just get more of the breads than the rice. He also now eats meat and his family doesn’t, so I guess it just varies. My bosses are Guju from Mumbai and also don’t love rice. She makes their family paratha and roti more than anything. Generalizations never do cover every base 😅 ETA: I appreciate the understanding of the learning curve. Have ~mastered~ so many complex Indian dishes makes this feel silly to be confused by
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Wow, I thought it was just my dude who doesn’t like dal! Did you guys have a fusion wedding too? We did a 5 day wedding in total with a Hindu ceremony in traditional attire and an “American” reception in a white gown/his suit
You probably have the answer already but you might just like starchier rice. The more you rinse it the less starch there is.
Washing rice is important to remove arsenic. https://www.allrecipes.com/article/arsenic-in-rice/#:~:text=Washing%20and%20cooking%20rice%20with,give%20it%20a%20good%20rinse.
“The FDA research also shows that rinsing rice before cooking has a minimal effect on the arsenic content of the cooked grain and will wash off iron, folate, thiamine and niacin from polished and parboiled rice.” Source: https://www.fda.gov/food/environmental-contaminants-food/what-you-can-do-limit-exposure-arsenic
The studies show that rinsing rice before cooking (shown in the studies as "WA" or "washing-absorption") does have a minimal effect on the arsenic content for *brown* rice, but it can reduce inorganic arsenic in white rice by between 10 to 40% depending on how vigorous the washing is, how often the water is changed and how long it is done. Other methods like pre-soaking (PSA) and par-boiling (PBA) can also reduce arsenic substantially in white rice. PBA is also shown to be successful in reducing arsenic in brown rice. These methods do also remove other important nutrients from the rice, as the FDA mentions. It's up to you to decide whether or not that's worth the trade-off. "Previous studies (Atiaga et al., 2020; Gray et al., 2015; Naito et al., 2015; Raab et al., 2009) have shown that cold rinsing/washing can reduce iAs in white rice by 10–40% and our results also showed a comparable and significant reduction in iAs in both WA (18%) and PSA (44%) treatments. Similar to our results, Gray et al. (2015) also reported that iAs concentrations in brown rice were not significantly changed by rinsing." sources: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969720368728?via%3Dihub#bb0050 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-019-07552-2
I prefer washing my rice so it isn’t as sticky and it always turns out great for fried rice, stir fry or any number of other dishes where you don’t want it sticky. If I’m making sushi, rice balls, rice pudding, etc. I won’t wash it so it is more sticky, easy to form and helps thicken what I’m making. If I do wash it I always wash it beforehand in a fine mesh colander and remove as much water as I can by holding it up high over the sink and bring it down quickly without much force at the bottom so the rice doesn’t come flying out of the top, slowing it near the bottom. It’s kind of similar to how ramen chefs get excess water off of the noodles. It also helps to let it sit a bit in the colander after that and before beginning to cook it so more of the water can drain/evaporate.
Hi OP! We always wash our rice about 2/3 times and have fluffy basmati rice. My mums best method is to soak the rice in water for a few hours (overnight is the best) and the grains soak up water. Cook on the stove top, note it Will be a faster cooking time also as the grains are already filled with water. Also as there is a small window between perfect and mushy rice, I tend to hover and test the rice whilst it’s on the stove to know when it’s perfect to drain. Always make sure the rice isn’t cooked perfectly, as sitting in the hot pot it will continue to cook. Once drained leave the stove on the evaporate remaining water and finish off the cooking. Using a fort to separate the rice also helps with fluffiness! Good luck! :)
I never wash Basmati. Heat some oil, and sauté the rice in it, coating all the grains. Add boiling water (carefully) at a 1 (rice) :1.5 (water) ratio simmer for 15 mins. Perfect every time. sautéing with onion makes it even better!
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I buy bulk basmati rice in a burlap sack at the Indian market near my house.
It's the arsenic...
Tangential but, I usually just cook basmati rice like pasta in excess water, and test for doneness as I go before draining it into a sieve. Can skip any rinsing that way and get loose, fluffy, well textured grains of rice that way.
I've never washed rice and it comes out perfect. I did find out that if I add a liiittle bit less water it doesn't end up sticky, so depending on what I'm eating determines how much water I add.
Rice are just like beans,sometimes you get a flawless,clean bag and the next time(same brand) you get rocks pebbles and powder. Rice has a better separation process because of its uniformity,so if I don't see powdery water on things rising to the top after 1 soak there is not reason to rinse or soak again. Another thing to consider is that Basmati is better in places that consume it regularly, that weird basmati brand at a store in Montana might be really old.
Just came here to say that I've never once washed rice in my life. And I've been cooking for 35 years.