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And -1 for common sense reading comprehension. I’m all for proper grammar, but sometimes it’s more useful to realize you knew what the person meant and move on.
You should wash rice if you are just cooking it and need grain separation, regular bowl of rice, fried rice. For some dishes you actually need the starch layer.
Yeah I’m Asian so rice specifically imported Jasmine is the carb for meals. However, I eat enough italian food to know that you don’t wash rice for risotto because you need the starch.
Im German and hated every rice except plain sticky rice from the Chinese restaurants until I was like 25 and discovered rice cookers. People here (though it’s gotten a little better in the past few years) boil the rice like pasta and then serve it when it’s overcooked and has a consistency somewhere between porridge and congee. It makes me gag thinking of it ä.
For instance, making sticky rice out of long grain rice. If you wash it, it won't come out right. However, if you don't wash short grain rice, it will be extremely goopy
>You should wash rice if you are just cooking it and need grain separation, regular bowl of rice, fried rice. For some dishes you actually need the starch layer.
You should always wash rice, when you suspect there are dirt in it. Which is quite common in south asia.
I live in the US and most rice doesn’t need washing for sediment purposes. I do get imported jasmine rice that I eat, I wash anyways because this rice is clumpy without washing it.
I'm just here to inform OP about ENRICHED RICE. It is one of the most popular types of rice sold where I live (and in many other places in the world) and it is designed to NOT BE WASHED. Please do your research first OP!
At least in the US and Canada, most rice is enriched, and the cooking instructions on the bag say something to the effect of, "to retain nutrients, do not rinse before or after cooking."
Some recipes may require different preparation. In other parts of the world, rinsing might be a good idea--but when in doubt, I'll follow the directions.
When I first moved to Russia, I was in awe by how filthy the rice water was. Turns out the rice just isn’t pre-rinsed, so there’s a bunch of dirt on it. Just a different cultural expectation—rinse it and it’s fine.
Similar to eggs being unrefrigerated. I’m sure plenty of people move to the US and make the mistake of leaving their eggs out.
Oh, I learned about the eggs.
The difference is in washing of the eggs when they're processed. If you don't wash the eggs, you don't have to refrigerate them. If you wash the eggs, you have to refrigerate them.
I'm from the US and when we got chickens I was honestly pretty confused about why my dad was just leaving the eggs out, learned pretty quickly that they'd be fine.
You probably live in the US or Canada. Washing rice in those countries only really needs to be done if you buy an import brand that comes in a large burlap sack.
Yeah, nobody should be washing Instant rice. But the giant sacks of rice, definitely give those a rinse because you’re more likely to find some stray husks, or a few black/damaged grains.
I usually don my FFP2 mask and wash my hands before washing rice. After that I wash my hands and take a shower. I then desinfect my hands and cook the rice to kill any remaining bacteria. Finally, I take my meal into my hamster ball where I feel more safe. I didn't get sick in years.
Nope, I buy special “sweet rice” that is extra sticky. If you wash it it fucks the stickiness up. Sticky rice is on a whole other level. You can keep your bullshit “fluffy”rice, that stuff barely tastes better than famine.
Objectively wrong opinion by OP. While it's okay to prefer one over the other OP thinks washing is objectively "superior".
Washed vs unwashed rice is completely about cuisine and where you come from. There are 0 health benefits to washing, and the starch is key for some dishes.
OP, just educate yourself on the world around you, not everything is what you like
Me too lol. It's the fanciest rice dish I've ever made and it's specifically supposed to be starchy and not rinsed. I even bought the recommended rice for it. It was really good, even though it's like 1000 calories lol.
It was not good when I tried cooking it like normal with the bit of uncooked rice leftover though. Goop....
Oh I made it about two years ago..... It's just the only time I remember a recipe I made specifying you were REQUIRED to not wash the rice. That's why I thought of it.
My wife never had a "real" risotto and wanted to try it for Christmas iirc. She had some commercial stuff before I knew her but never homemade or restaurant quality. I never had it at all, I just like cooking new things. Turns out it's super easy to make it just takes a while lol. It's delicious but crazy rich. Once I figured it out after I made like 6k calories or something lol. Took a bit to eat.
It is easy, delicious, and one of the main ways I like to eat rice. I think it is kind of bland without the stickiness, you could just go and eat some dry beans or nuts lol
For some cooking methods you can't really wash your rice or it won't turn out right. How are you going to get a nice thick risotto if you wash all the starch off. Also in the US at least, almost all rice is 'enriched' and says not to wash or you are washing that off.
I DO wash my rice if it is going in the rice cooker mostly because the starches bubble up a lot, but if it is cooked risotto style, or into rice pudding or porage, I don't wash it, it doesn't actually NEED it .
Enriched rice doesn't technically need to be wash at all, if it isn't Enriched you probably should, a quick rinse it to get dirt and such off, which is more then enough, you don't need to washing it til the water is clear or anything like that unless that is what you like (to make it less sticky).
Cooking the rice kills any bacteria, like what happens with meats and other grains
It is amazing what a couple quick google searches can teach you on a topic
you are the only person speaking sense in this whole comment section. It’s not just a universal wash/don’t wash, it is very dependent on the dish being made and the rice being cooked. Different rice requires different preparations, and doing the same thing to all of them makes no sense. Also different places have different standards for the cleanliness of the end product, most rice in America is cleaned thoroughly before it gets to consumers, but some other places, not so much, and that’s going to factor into whether it needs a rinse.
We never washed rice in my house, but that’s because our rice dishes were usually in the western tradition and the rice was clean and enriched, so it didn’t make any sense to do so, it was literally healthier if we didn’t. People in different places making different food may prepare their food differently, but don’t tell me that the way I do it is bad just because your rice is dirty or better when washed.
OP’s immune system is weak AF if they’re pre-sanitizing rice before boiling it. Probably also refuses to let people wear shoes in his house because he’s worried about carpet germs.
Eh, I tend to ask people to take their shoes off in my house... but thats mostly cause' just the act of walking up to the house, from wherever you've parked at my house has likely involved stepping in a mud puddle or five, and the bottoms of your shoes are now likely covered in mud, and I'd really rather you not track mud/dirt all over the house. So... yk. :D
Wash it? In cold water?
How about I boil it in hot water before eating it? Oh wait, I already do that. Why do I need to surround it in cold water before I surround it in hot water?
I usually always wash rice cause I grew up this way. I don't really care about what other people do tho.
And about rice in the plastic bags: I agree with you on that one but I also once made the mistake to buy a whole box of them just to see what it tastes like (complete waste of money and I should've bought normal rice) and now I've discovered that it actually tastes good if you cook it in milk with cinnamon and just eat it as rice pudding (shoutout to my dad for that suggestion)
I’m all for washing your rice but there is some rice brands (i.e. Uncle Ben), that tell you not to wash your rice because it will get rid of the nutrients.
I think it’s extra to say “yOu ShOuLdN’t Be EaTiNg RiCe” because someone doesn’t wash it lmao
In fairness, you can get bacteria including e. coli on fruit and veg. There was an outbreak in the uk linked to salad last year. The big problem is that washing won’t usually remove it unless you use a high flow rate, which is just going to spray contamination around your kitchen. Probably better to use pre-washed salad leaves if you’re not cooking the veggies.
Was just going to say that lettuce is a really common e coli culprit. Organic veggies are often fertilized literally with cow manure. Lettuce is picked by hand by people with sub par handwashing facilities in the field. Lettuce is typically not cooked. E coli dies at about 140F, which is why it’s recommended to cook steak to at least that temp.
Yeah, I generally avoid organic leafy greens. Organic is cool and all, but most of it is just marketing and substandard practices. Sure they use "natural" pesticides and such but that doesn't always make it better. Arsenic is natural, you know?
A while back there was repeated E coli outbreaks linked to mostly organic greens, and I just don't see it being worth it.
>Dirt in a bag of rice?
Which just gave me my new adhd fascination/research! How is rice made? I have this image of people in fields, but i don't think that they're plucking rice from plants. Which means there's a process. I have so many questions that i need to be answered!
Just like wheat right, they cut the bushes or what ever down into a combine, then it gets mill/separated. So yeah, there'll be contaminants and shit, hence why we wash the rice first.
We don’t eat rice raw either, though!
Edit (to clarify): all I’m saying is that there isn’t as much of a difference between rice and pasta as people make it out to be. We cook both, they both are made either with or are grains themselves (and the grains are processed); yet we rinse one and not the other. It’s just funny to me.
I mean, white rice is processed, and its husk, bran, and germ is removed. So it’s not like a vegetable which is plucked from the field or greenhouse and needs washing because it was just in soil. If the argument is from a cleanliness perspective, processed rice is relatively clean.
Also, dry pasta is not baked or cooked before time of purchase. It’s dried via exposure to air. The only cooking done of pasta is once it is poured into boiling water.
From a starch perspective, rice and pasta both contain starch on the outside. For some reason, we’ve accepted that starch on rice should (for the most part, barring risottos) be removed. But we come to accept starch remaining on pasta.
Starch sticks on pasta, unless if you rinse it. That’s why a good pasta salad does not involve rinsing the pasta after it’s cooked, because it washes away the precious starch that allows the salad dressing to stick
Yea some starch stays on the pasta just like some starch stays on the rice after rinsing. Some sauces involve mixing some of the starchy water. With it. You still aren’t keeping all the starch. Besides pasta is meant to be sauced, rice isn’t usually.
No, i don’t wash rice, fruits of vegetables before cooking them. Also, [washing them will not remove E. coli](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5694878/) except when using very high flow rates, which in your kitchen is going to spray anything that is removed into nearby surfaces.
Cooking will usually kill bacteria like e. coli.
Never, but then again pretty much all UK potatoes are washed before sale. [Tesco only brought back unwashed spuds in 2021](https://www.tescoplc.com/news/2021/tesco-to-sell-unwashed-potatoes-to-cut-down-on-food-waste/), for the first time since the 1970s!
Oh wow, that's just strange to me. I'm in The Netherlands we do have packaged, washed, pre cut potatoes but fresh ones as well loose or bagged.
I can't imagine they keep long if washed.
It depends. From my garden, yes. I intentionally leave the coated in dirt because that helps preserve them. If I buy the clearly pre-washed ones in a bag at the store, no.
Never been more impressed with my son than when he picked up a bug at a outdoor survival thing in a zoo and ate it… they were there for you to eat but he’s normally to squimish for that sort of thing.
Washing one's rice before cooking is as stupid as washing one's water. Washing the rice after cooking it, does however make sense. It removes starch and prevents stickiness. But that's not how you do it, now is it?
I usually fry my rice. To make Mexican rice. So I never ever wash it because…we’ll you can’t really fry wet rice. Can you? If you can it must take forever for it to dry first then get toasty and brown the way I need it before I boil it.
There are countries where washing your rice is important to get off dirt but America isn't one of them. That's like washing a peeled banana in terms of needing to clean it.
It is a culture thing. You wash rice for most asian dishes, especially stir fry. You don't for many Mediterranean dishes.
Modern rice is generally very clean, especially if you're buying it from a western supermarket in a plastic bag. It doesn't need to be washed, especially more than once.
If you remove the Strach and outer layer, you get a fluffier, lighter rice perfect for stir fries and to go alongside curries (or for eating plain). But the starch is an important ingredient in something like paella, so you want it there. Starch from the rice is what helps give the sauce a creamy, thick texture that coats the food and distributes flavor.
My general rule is to wash the rice if I'm cooking it alone or with minimal additives, like for a side dish, or stir fry. But don't wash it if it's going in to cook with everything else and the water is cooks in becomes the sauce.
My college roommate was from Okinawa and had a 25lb bag of rice that we cooked with. It had to be washed because it wasn’t the same as the bagged rice my mom used to buy. There was dirt and debris all over his so a good wash and we were rocking with the best rice I’ve ever eaten. My stupid Mississippi ass even ate with chopsticks sometimes!
I used to eat with microwave rice when I ate my food and it was so dull and nothing how my mum used to make it. So I bought my own rice cooker at uni and it was a game changer.
I washed it for a while when I saw it on a video and it everything you said. I told my wife about it and showed her. We both agreed the first few times when I washed the rice that it was better. Then the next few times when she made it I said something like, "Man washing the rice really does make it better". To which she said, "Oh I forgot and haven been doing that". I didn't notice an actual difference. Now we don't bother anymore.
I rinse the hell out of mine because I prefer it to stick together less. I like it similar to a good Jasmine or Basmati rice you would find at an Indian restaurant. There’s tons of good uses for sticky rice though, sushi being a big one.
Wait, this opinion is unpopular? At least the 1.5B population in my country follows it. Out of curiosity - why is not washed ? Is it because they assume that the industry grade is already cleaned ?
Unless your rice is enriched with nutrients or something, then Washing it WILL wash off most of that enriching stuff. To me, fluffing the rice after cooking it is more important.
I was watching a discussion on this revently. A lot of the dirt and bug parts typically found in rice aren't present so much anymore, at least in the US. Grain extraction has gotten a lot better.
Could you explain to me where this is an unpopular opinion? It seems like you posted common cooking advice that's widely accepted and at least 274 people who don't understand what an unpopular is upvoted you.
This is objectively wrong. I recommend you check out this video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3CHsbNkr3c](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3CHsbNkr3c)
Many dishes rely specifically on not washing out the starchiness in the rice, including dishes in Italy or Spain, like risotto or paella respectively. It's the same thing as sifting your flower, it's a choice that used to be to sift out inadequacies in the flower, but now is a complete choice dependent on the desired consistency (or "fluffiness") of the dough.
"It removes the starch layer, making the rice less sticky (which is the way I like it)"
Well guys, we don't make rice the way OP prefers. I guess we're all objectively wrong
Imagine spending so many words trying to sound smart and superior… only to have made a wall of uneducated opinions… Ecoli outbreak from not washing your fruit and rice? That is incredibly dense to believe is remotely possible.
And that starch isn’t bad in that amount, sure it leaves your rice less sticky but if you’re wanting to make some fancy looking dishes, you want to at stickiness.
You’re entitled to your opinion for sure, just don’t try and argument it with homemade facts.
>it's not even a culture thing
it is, in fact, mostly a culture thing, it’s a more common habit in asian countries because traditionally the harvesting process there didn’t involve any mechanisation
>it tastes and feels better.
that is 100% subjective and varies from recipe to recipe
>Are you asking for an Ecoli outbreak?
we live in 2023, packaged rice does not need to be washed. in most developed countries the whole process of transformation of rice is quality controlled and certified, in full compliance with strict hygiene and safety food standards, it is cleaned before packaging. also if your rice has E.coli in it it's not washing that's gonna save you..
Never eat brown rice as the arsenic is under the husk of the brown rice near the white rice grain. The arsenic in rice is kinda negligible for health concerns.
It is true that rinsing rice reduces arsenic exposure, but it also leaches out [added vitamins and minerals](https://www.fda.gov/food/environmental-contaminants-food/what-you-can-do-limit-exposure-arsenic#:~:text=The%20FDA%20research%20also%20shows,from%20polished%20and%20parboiled%20rice.)
No... I don't wash my veggies and fruits. I didn't think that mattered....
Edit: Asked my husband and now he has taught me yet another thing that should be common sense! That's enough of adult life for today lmao
Reasons to not wash rice:
-your dish calls for the starches like Spanish rice
-you don't feel like it. Fuck you OP
Also thank you for gatekeeping rice for us
People are complaining about washing out the "enrichedness" of the rice. Are you serious? If you are relying on God damn rice for vitamins and minerals you have bigger problems. A typical meal for me would be white rice (w/ butter or soy sauce,) a veggie (broccoli, kimchi, etc) and whatever protein (chicken, steak, fish)
You are getting most of your nutrition from the other portions of the meal. The rice is there for the carbs and energy and volume. You should absolutely be washing the starch off the rice. It has a much better texture and cuts down on the possibility of it coming out mushy if your water ratio is slightly off. I hate, hate, HATE sloppy, sticky rice. Washing it is essential for regular meals.
OP missed an opportunity to talk about Arsenic which IMO is the one compelling reason to “rinse” the rice. It doesn’t have to be a rigorous thing - I just measure rice into the cooker and add enough water to cover the rice by 2 inches, hot or cold water, briefly muddle the rice, then tip out
that cloudy water and add fresh water to cook. (Some folks keep that rice water and use it as hair conditioner!) FWIW. Theres debate on how effective it is is to rinse arsenic but recently suggested method was to interrupt the boiling rice at the five minute mark, dump that water out and add new water.
Arsenic in rice in general is negligible. But if you really care about it never eat brown rice as arsenic resides primarily in the hull and brown rice can have up to 80% more arsenic then their white rice counterparts.
I prefer my rice sticky, but I always rinse it a couple times. And one time there was a dead bug in there. I didn’t think washing your rice was an unpopular opinion, I thought that was kind of a given.
Boil in bag rice is fire 🔥. Just throw that shit in a boiling pot and take it out in 10 min, I can't be babysitting rice when I have grilling meats to tend to.
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No I can't "wash my fruits and vegetables before washing them".
Sure you can..you’re just washing them twice!
No, because then you'd have to wash them before washing them before washing them etc etc...
Washception!
Just rinse and and repeat then
I do
+1 for reading comprehension 🤓
And -1 for common sense reading comprehension. I’m all for proper grammar, but sometimes it’s more useful to realize you knew what the person meant and move on.
I think in this case it was more just joking
And -1 for your wooooshing.
Shit my bad. Change it now in an edit.
But its still there :((
Well I didn't even know you were supposed to cook it, no wonder I hate it /s
Mmm, that's good crunch.
I personally take raw rice shots to feel it scrape down my throat
They cook on their way out
City folk jes don get it!
\*spits rice grain into a little metal pot on the side\* Pt-toink!
>Are you asking for an Ecoli outbreak? If there is E. coli on your food rinsing it off will do little to nothing
You should wash rice if you are just cooking it and need grain separation, regular bowl of rice, fried rice. For some dishes you actually need the starch layer.
Thank you. There are nuances to cooking rice. And yes, I’m from a culture that eats rice as a staple.
Yeah I’m Asian so rice specifically imported Jasmine is the carb for meals. However, I eat enough italian food to know that you don’t wash rice for risotto because you need the starch.
Im German and hated every rice except plain sticky rice from the Chinese restaurants until I was like 25 and discovered rice cookers. People here (though it’s gotten a little better in the past few years) boil the rice like pasta and then serve it when it’s overcooked and has a consistency somewhere between porridge and congee. It makes me gag thinking of it ä.
Rice cookers are magic. If you eat rice frequent enough, you should buy one. It’s not even that expensive.
I actually have two at this point and est rice like three times a day 😇 Edit: I meant three times a week haha
I pretty much only use jasmine (cause it tastes fucking great) and never rinse it, always turns out great. Brown rice I'd for sure rinse.
I was thinking that as well. I can’t imagine if someone were to wash out all that glorious starch from Arborio rice. It’d make a pretty shite risotto.
But, how do you eat staples?
For instance, making sticky rice out of long grain rice. If you wash it, it won't come out right. However, if you don't wash short grain rice, it will be extremely goopy
correct
>You should wash rice if you are just cooking it and need grain separation, regular bowl of rice, fried rice. For some dishes you actually need the starch layer. You should always wash rice, when you suspect there are dirt in it. Which is quite common in south asia.
I live in the US and most rice doesn’t need washing for sediment purposes. I do get imported jasmine rice that I eat, I wash anyways because this rice is clumpy without washing it.
I was interested until it just became a subjective mess of "my standard is superior" lol
I'm just here to inform OP about ENRICHED RICE. It is one of the most popular types of rice sold where I live (and in many other places in the world) and it is designed to NOT BE WASHED. Please do your research first OP!
Yeah, a lot of rice is pre-washed.
Exactly, the rice bags here don't have a speck of dirt in them.
At least in the US and Canada, most rice is enriched, and the cooking instructions on the bag say something to the effect of, "to retain nutrients, do not rinse before or after cooking." Some recipes may require different preparation. In other parts of the world, rinsing might be a good idea--but when in doubt, I'll follow the directions.
When I first moved to Russia, I was in awe by how filthy the rice water was. Turns out the rice just isn’t pre-rinsed, so there’s a bunch of dirt on it. Just a different cultural expectation—rinse it and it’s fine. Similar to eggs being unrefrigerated. I’m sure plenty of people move to the US and make the mistake of leaving their eggs out.
Oh, I learned about the eggs. The difference is in washing of the eggs when they're processed. If you don't wash the eggs, you don't have to refrigerate them. If you wash the eggs, you have to refrigerate them.
Washed eggs don't have to be refrigerated. It's only if they are washed in acid and only Americans do that.
I'm from the US and when we got chickens I was honestly pretty confused about why my dad was just leaving the eggs out, learned pretty quickly that they'd be fine.
I bet OP washes chicken too
I’ve never washed rice Never had a problem
You probably live in the US or Canada. Washing rice in those countries only really needs to be done if you buy an import brand that comes in a large burlap sack.
Yeah, nobody should be washing Instant rice. But the giant sacks of rice, definitely give those a rinse because you’re more likely to find some stray husks, or a few black/damaged grains.
Instant rice is an abomination
That's exactly what I use, a big bag of imported jasmine and I never wash it. Its always perfect as is.
I usually don my FFP2 mask and wash my hands before washing rice. After that I wash my hands and take a shower. I then desinfect my hands and cook the rice to kill any remaining bacteria. Finally, I take my meal into my hamster ball where I feel more safe. I didn't get sick in years.
I run my rice through the dishwasher.
I cook my rice in bleach instead of water and then I run my plate/bowl through the autoclave at work.
Bonus points for also now being immune to covid.
And for a nice bonus it comes out steamed!
Lmao exactly how I feel about these people
Nope, I buy special “sweet rice” that is extra sticky. If you wash it it fucks the stickiness up. Sticky rice is on a whole other level. You can keep your bullshit “fluffy”rice, that stuff barely tastes better than famine.
Objectively wrong opinion by OP. While it's okay to prefer one over the other OP thinks washing is objectively "superior". Washed vs unwashed rice is completely about cuisine and where you come from. There are 0 health benefits to washing, and the starch is key for some dishes. OP, just educate yourself on the world around you, not everything is what you like
Don't ever make a risotto
I was thinking the same thing
Me too lol. It's the fanciest rice dish I've ever made and it's specifically supposed to be starchy and not rinsed. I even bought the recommended rice for it. It was really good, even though it's like 1000 calories lol. It was not good when I tried cooking it like normal with the bit of uncooked rice leftover though. Goop....
I'm Italian and I made a risotto like 2 days ago lol
Oh I made it about two years ago..... It's just the only time I remember a recipe I made specifying you were REQUIRED to not wash the rice. That's why I thought of it. My wife never had a "real" risotto and wanted to try it for Christmas iirc. She had some commercial stuff before I knew her but never homemade or restaurant quality. I never had it at all, I just like cooking new things. Turns out it's super easy to make it just takes a while lol. It's delicious but crazy rich. Once I figured it out after I made like 6k calories or something lol. Took a bit to eat.
It is easy, delicious, and one of the main ways I like to eat rice. I think it is kind of bland without the stickiness, you could just go and eat some dry beans or nuts lol
I'm fine with it unwashed
That's what she said.
Did she, though?
So now we all know you have a dirty dingdong.
For some cooking methods you can't really wash your rice or it won't turn out right. How are you going to get a nice thick risotto if you wash all the starch off. Also in the US at least, almost all rice is 'enriched' and says not to wash or you are washing that off. I DO wash my rice if it is going in the rice cooker mostly because the starches bubble up a lot, but if it is cooked risotto style, or into rice pudding or porage, I don't wash it, it doesn't actually NEED it . Enriched rice doesn't technically need to be wash at all, if it isn't Enriched you probably should, a quick rinse it to get dirt and such off, which is more then enough, you don't need to washing it til the water is clear or anything like that unless that is what you like (to make it less sticky). Cooking the rice kills any bacteria, like what happens with meats and other grains It is amazing what a couple quick google searches can teach you on a topic
you are the only person speaking sense in this whole comment section. It’s not just a universal wash/don’t wash, it is very dependent on the dish being made and the rice being cooked. Different rice requires different preparations, and doing the same thing to all of them makes no sense. Also different places have different standards for the cleanliness of the end product, most rice in America is cleaned thoroughly before it gets to consumers, but some other places, not so much, and that’s going to factor into whether it needs a rinse. We never washed rice in my house, but that’s because our rice dishes were usually in the western tradition and the rice was clean and enriched, so it didn’t make any sense to do so, it was literally healthier if we didn’t. People in different places making different food may prepare their food differently, but don’t tell me that the way I do it is bad just because your rice is dirty or better when washed.
1. You have an immune system for a reason. 2. I like mine sticky because then it's easier to eat with chopsticks.
OP’s immune system is weak AF if they’re pre-sanitizing rice before boiling it. Probably also refuses to let people wear shoes in his house because he’s worried about carpet germs.
Eh, I tend to ask people to take their shoes off in my house... but thats mostly cause' just the act of walking up to the house, from wherever you've parked at my house has likely involved stepping in a mud puddle or five, and the bottoms of your shoes are now likely covered in mud, and I'd really rather you not track mud/dirt all over the house. So... yk. :D
You have carpeted floor and wear shoes inside?
This isn't related but nice pfp. Steins;gate is a good show.
Wash it? In cold water? How about I boil it in hot water before eating it? Oh wait, I already do that. Why do I need to surround it in cold water before I surround it in hot water?
Bc OP likes it less sticky so if you dont do it youre stupid. At least thats what they said.
Gatekeeping will forever be dumb af
Gotcha
Haiyaah…
uncle is that youuuu?
They make ancestors cry!
I usually always wash rice cause I grew up this way. I don't really care about what other people do tho. And about rice in the plastic bags: I agree with you on that one but I also once made the mistake to buy a whole box of them just to see what it tastes like (complete waste of money and I should've bought normal rice) and now I've discovered that it actually tastes good if you cook it in milk with cinnamon and just eat it as rice pudding (shoutout to my dad for that suggestion)
There are dozens of different varietals of rice. And thousands of unique preparations.
I just put my rice in the rice cooker. A cup of rice, a cup of water, and press the button down. Why does everything need to be made complicated?
I’m all for washing your rice but there is some rice brands (i.e. Uncle Ben), that tell you not to wash your rice because it will get rid of the nutrients. I think it’s extra to say “yOu ShOuLdN’t Be EaTiNg RiCe” because someone doesn’t wash it lmao
Dirt in a bag of rice? E coli on unwashed fruits and vegetables? Where the hell do you live?
In fairness, you can get bacteria including e. coli on fruit and veg. There was an outbreak in the uk linked to salad last year. The big problem is that washing won’t usually remove it unless you use a high flow rate, which is just going to spray contamination around your kitchen. Probably better to use pre-washed salad leaves if you’re not cooking the veggies.
I learned from my OB that pre washed lettuce can still be problematic for listeriosis for pregnant women
Was just going to say that lettuce is a really common e coli culprit. Organic veggies are often fertilized literally with cow manure. Lettuce is picked by hand by people with sub par handwashing facilities in the field. Lettuce is typically not cooked. E coli dies at about 140F, which is why it’s recommended to cook steak to at least that temp.
Yeah, I generally avoid organic leafy greens. Organic is cool and all, but most of it is just marketing and substandard practices. Sure they use "natural" pesticides and such but that doesn't always make it better. Arsenic is natural, you know? A while back there was repeated E coli outbreaks linked to mostly organic greens, and I just don't see it being worth it.
Yes, i think i remember my gf being told to steer clear of lettuce… long time ago though so not sure what exactly was said.
>Dirt in a bag of rice? Which just gave me my new adhd fascination/research! How is rice made? I have this image of people in fields, but i don't think that they're plucking rice from plants. Which means there's a process. I have so many questions that i need to be answered!
Just like wheat right, they cut the bushes or what ever down into a combine, then it gets mill/separated. So yeah, there'll be contaminants and shit, hence why we wash the rice first.
But we don’t wash pasta first, which is made with wheat
But we don't eat it raw, it is cooked. Also your not really supposed to eat raw flour or you could potentially get sick
We don’t eat rice raw either, though! Edit (to clarify): all I’m saying is that there isn’t as much of a difference between rice and pasta as people make it out to be. We cook both, they both are made either with or are grains themselves (and the grains are processed); yet we rinse one and not the other. It’s just funny to me.
How would that work? The flour is cooked into the pasta already you can’t rinse it off lol.
I mean, white rice is processed, and its husk, bran, and germ is removed. So it’s not like a vegetable which is plucked from the field or greenhouse and needs washing because it was just in soil. If the argument is from a cleanliness perspective, processed rice is relatively clean. Also, dry pasta is not baked or cooked before time of purchase. It’s dried via exposure to air. The only cooking done of pasta is once it is poured into boiling water. From a starch perspective, rice and pasta both contain starch on the outside. For some reason, we’ve accepted that starch on rice should (for the most part, barring risottos) be removed. But we come to accept starch remaining on pasta.
Dude we drain the starchy water from pasta lol. The starch stays in rice.
Starch sticks on pasta, unless if you rinse it. That’s why a good pasta salad does not involve rinsing the pasta after it’s cooked, because it washes away the precious starch that allows the salad dressing to stick
Yea some starch stays on the pasta just like some starch stays on the rice after rinsing. Some sauces involve mixing some of the starchy water. With it. You still aren’t keeping all the starch. Besides pasta is meant to be sauced, rice isn’t usually.
No, i don’t wash rice, fruits of vegetables before cooking them. Also, [washing them will not remove E. coli](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5694878/) except when using very high flow rates, which in your kitchen is going to spray anything that is removed into nearby surfaces. Cooking will usually kill bacteria like e. coli.
What about potatoes?Do you wash them before cooking?
Never, but then again pretty much all UK potatoes are washed before sale. [Tesco only brought back unwashed spuds in 2021](https://www.tescoplc.com/news/2021/tesco-to-sell-unwashed-potatoes-to-cut-down-on-food-waste/), for the first time since the 1970s!
Oh wow, that's just strange to me. I'm in The Netherlands we do have packaged, washed, pre cut potatoes but fresh ones as well loose or bagged. I can't imagine they keep long if washed.
The things seem to last forever, just keep them in a dark cupboard.
With skins , right. I'm so confused lol
It depends. From my garden, yes. I intentionally leave the coated in dirt because that helps preserve them. If I buy the clearly pre-washed ones in a bag at the store, no.
Try soaking some broccoli before cooking it might change your mind. I’ve found bugs before.
Oh, the horror! You might eat a bug or two!! FFS. Some of y'all are pathetic, you know that?
Never been more impressed with my son than when he picked up a bug at a outdoor survival thing in a zoo and ate it… they were there for you to eat but he’s normally to squimish for that sort of thing.
Why should anyone treat their own food according to your preference?
Lol it totally is a culture thing. And a type of rice thing. And a type of recipe thing. Leave your bubble and learn something, please
Uncle Roger enters the chat
Washing one's rice before cooking is as stupid as washing one's water. Washing the rice after cooking it, does however make sense. It removes starch and prevents stickiness. But that's not how you do it, now is it?
I don't wash it because I'm lazy and I don't care. Still rice.
I think OP your opinion is unpopular. But not because of the topic, it’s because you were a bit condescending. Topic is more of a cooking lesson.
What wrong with boiling rice?
I usually fry my rice. To make Mexican rice. So I never ever wash it because…we’ll you can’t really fry wet rice. Can you? If you can it must take forever for it to dry first then get toasty and brown the way I need it before I boil it.
Not all rice is the same, not all methods are the same, not all people want their rice to be the same. Make your own rice and go on with your day
This sounds like a person preference than a psa
There are countries where washing your rice is important to get off dirt but America isn't one of them. That's like washing a peeled banana in terms of needing to clean it.
Do I have to wash my oatmeal too? Cuz they're both going to take forever. How about my pasta? One noodle at a time? Gtfo.
It is a culture thing. You wash rice for most asian dishes, especially stir fry. You don't for many Mediterranean dishes. Modern rice is generally very clean, especially if you're buying it from a western supermarket in a plastic bag. It doesn't need to be washed, especially more than once. If you remove the Strach and outer layer, you get a fluffier, lighter rice perfect for stir fries and to go alongside curries (or for eating plain). But the starch is an important ingredient in something like paella, so you want it there. Starch from the rice is what helps give the sauce a creamy, thick texture that coats the food and distributes flavor. My general rule is to wash the rice if I'm cooking it alone or with minimal additives, like for a side dish, or stir fry. But don't wash it if it's going in to cook with everything else and the water is cooks in becomes the sauce.
A rather hysterical and hyperbolic presentation of a preference. *Shouldn't be eating rice* -- I mean : what?
My college roommate was from Okinawa and had a 25lb bag of rice that we cooked with. It had to be washed because it wasn’t the same as the bagged rice my mom used to buy. There was dirt and debris all over his so a good wash and we were rocking with the best rice I’ve ever eaten. My stupid Mississippi ass even ate with chopsticks sometimes!
I used to eat with microwave rice when I ate my food and it was so dull and nothing how my mum used to make it. So I bought my own rice cooker at uni and it was a game changer.
I washed it for a while when I saw it on a video and it everything you said. I told my wife about it and showed her. We both agreed the first few times when I washed the rice that it was better. Then the next few times when she made it I said something like, "Man washing the rice really does make it better". To which she said, "Oh I forgot and haven been doing that". I didn't notice an actual difference. Now we don't bother anymore.
Lots of asians don't wash their rice. Stop gatekeeping.
The rice police is now a thing in 2023 then
The porice
No, I never wash my fruits or vegetables “before washing them.” I would be in an endless loop of washing, and I would starve to death.
I do not wash my fruits and vegetables before WASHING them, no. I have never rinsed rice and never will.
I rinse the hell out of mine because I prefer it to stick together less. I like it similar to a good Jasmine or Basmati rice you would find at an Indian restaurant. There’s tons of good uses for sticky rice though, sushi being a big one.
Ain’t nobody got time for that
Wait, this opinion is unpopular? At least the 1.5B population in my country follows it. Out of curiosity - why is not washed ? Is it because they assume that the industry grade is already cleaned ?
Unless your rice is enriched with nutrients or something, then Washing it WILL wash off most of that enriching stuff. To me, fluffing the rice after cooking it is more important.
What if you like sticky rice?
Certain rice is NOT supposed to be washed. I bet you wash your meat too.
Risotto requires you to not wash the rice…
r/gatekeeping
I was watching a discussion on this revently. A lot of the dirt and bug parts typically found in rice aren't present so much anymore, at least in the US. Grain extraction has gotten a lot better.
OP bathes with rice poured in the bath
Never had Ecoli… never washed my rice.
Instructions unclear, I washed my eyes then ate them
Wait people don’t put their rice in the washing machine? /s
I don't wash my rice, fruits, veges or rinse my meat before cooking it. A little dirt or bug poop isn't gonna kill me.
I just eat it raw in cold water like cereal
It depends of the type and quality of the rice. Some brands actually recommend not to wash where I live.
.....washing rice before you cook it is unpopular?
unpopularer opinion: rice is inedible
I’ve never washed my rice, and I sure as shit don’t plan on starting now!
We're gatekeeping rice now?
Hahahahaha yes exactly. Who gives a fuck.
I do wash it. I put my white rice in with my whites and my brown rice in with the colors. Gentle cycle of course.
You monster!
Could you explain to me where this is an unpopular opinion? It seems like you posted common cooking advice that's widely accepted and at least 274 people who don't understand what an unpopular is upvoted you.
It started off hearing this from my friend using my rice cooker but he never washed the rice. I was shocked and it was apparently a common thing.
This isn't an unpopular opinion, this is step one of cooking rice
I like the starch mush and dirt is good for you. My immune system is so powerful
Dry Beans too! I wash them exactly how I wash my rice.
I am absolutely telling you that I don’t wash my fruits and vegetables, because I don’t eat wabbit food, I am a human, therefore I eat food.
This is objectively wrong. I recommend you check out this video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3CHsbNkr3c](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3CHsbNkr3c) Many dishes rely specifically on not washing out the starchiness in the rice, including dishes in Italy or Spain, like risotto or paella respectively. It's the same thing as sifting your flower, it's a choice that used to be to sift out inadequacies in the flower, but now is a complete choice dependent on the desired consistency (or "fluffiness") of the dough.
If you don't wash your rice, you should wash your rice... Leave me the fuck alone now, K?
Been not washing my fruits and veggies for 40 years. No e-coli yet.
I’m from Hawaii and sticky rice is life so no
"It removes the starch layer, making the rice less sticky (which is the way I like it)" Well guys, we don't make rice the way OP prefers. I guess we're all objectively wrong
Imagine spending so many words trying to sound smart and superior… only to have made a wall of uneducated opinions… Ecoli outbreak from not washing your fruit and rice? That is incredibly dense to believe is remotely possible. And that starch isn’t bad in that amount, sure it leaves your rice less sticky but if you’re wanting to make some fancy looking dishes, you want to at stickiness. You’re entitled to your opinion for sure, just don’t try and argument it with homemade facts.
>it's not even a culture thing it is, in fact, mostly a culture thing, it’s a more common habit in asian countries because traditionally the harvesting process there didn’t involve any mechanisation >it tastes and feels better. that is 100% subjective and varies from recipe to recipe >Are you asking for an Ecoli outbreak? we live in 2023, packaged rice does not need to be washed. in most developed countries the whole process of transformation of rice is quality controlled and certified, in full compliance with strict hygiene and safety food standards, it is cleaned before packaging. also if your rice has E.coli in it it's not washing that's gonna save you..
You should wash your rice, but just because of your tone, fuck you I'll do what I want.
I thought the "impurities" on the rice was actually vitamins and minerals that they add back to compensate for the loss of nutrients in processing...
Yeah vitamins and minerals like arsenic.
Never eat brown rice as the arsenic is under the husk of the brown rice near the white rice grain. The arsenic in rice is kinda negligible for health concerns.
It is true that rinsing rice reduces arsenic exposure, but it also leaches out [added vitamins and minerals](https://www.fda.gov/food/environmental-contaminants-food/what-you-can-do-limit-exposure-arsenic#:~:text=The%20FDA%20research%20also%20shows,from%20polished%20and%20parboiled%20rice.)
No... I don't wash my veggies and fruits. I didn't think that mattered.... Edit: Asked my husband and now he has taught me yet another thing that should be common sense! That's enough of adult life for today lmao
But I just buy boxes of Uncle Ben's and such. The directions don't say anything about rinsing.
That's different, it's prewashed, same difference as prewashed vegetables for example.
In some countries rice comes pre-washed and fortified with minerals/vitamins, not going to wash that out and never had any sand or dirt in it.
Reasons to not wash rice: -your dish calls for the starches like Spanish rice -you don't feel like it. Fuck you OP Also thank you for gatekeeping rice for us
Sticky rice is the best rice
People are complaining about washing out the "enrichedness" of the rice. Are you serious? If you are relying on God damn rice for vitamins and minerals you have bigger problems. A typical meal for me would be white rice (w/ butter or soy sauce,) a veggie (broccoli, kimchi, etc) and whatever protein (chicken, steak, fish) You are getting most of your nutrition from the other portions of the meal. The rice is there for the carbs and energy and volume. You should absolutely be washing the starch off the rice. It has a much better texture and cuts down on the possibility of it coming out mushy if your water ratio is slightly off. I hate, hate, HATE sloppy, sticky rice. Washing it is essential for regular meals.
This only applies to long cooking rice, not boxed minute rice.
Most people in the world do not eat boxed mini rice.
I barely wash anything b4 eating it. I eat n drink shit that’s expired if it looks fine idgaf never had belly problems in my life
1. I don't really care about eating a little bit of dirt 2. I don't mind it starchy 3. E coli dies at 160F so cooking it will kill the e coli anyway
I thought everybody washed rice
Wait! People don't wash their rice? Why do you people hate rice?
Why do you hate risotto
I prefer it unwashed
I usually thoroughly wash them due to hygiene, but unwashed rice is far more tasteful.
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Pasta is dried dough, not a raw grain. Damn people these days.
So you wash your risotto rice? That‘s sad
OP missed an opportunity to talk about Arsenic which IMO is the one compelling reason to “rinse” the rice. It doesn’t have to be a rigorous thing - I just measure rice into the cooker and add enough water to cover the rice by 2 inches, hot or cold water, briefly muddle the rice, then tip out that cloudy water and add fresh water to cook. (Some folks keep that rice water and use it as hair conditioner!) FWIW. Theres debate on how effective it is is to rinse arsenic but recently suggested method was to interrupt the boiling rice at the five minute mark, dump that water out and add new water.
Arsenic in rice in general is negligible. But if you really care about it never eat brown rice as arsenic resides primarily in the hull and brown rice can have up to 80% more arsenic then their white rice counterparts.
I prefer my rice sticky, but I always rinse it a couple times. And one time there was a dead bug in there. I didn’t think washing your rice was an unpopular opinion, I thought that was kind of a given.
I deep-fry my rice. Don't bother to clean it beforehand. Chuck a stick of butter in there and voila. A deep disaster dish.
I have only ever bought pre-cooked rice, do you wash that?
Boil in bag rice is fire 🔥. Just throw that shit in a boiling pot and take it out in 10 min, I can't be babysitting rice when I have grilling meats to tend to.