Why should rice be rinsed and washed before cooking?
There are as many ways to cook rice as there are cultures, but one common step is found in all recipes, that of washing.
Why do we wash rice?
The reasons are of course health, but not only.
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The first explanation for washing rice is to obtain an ingredient that is healthy and suitable for consumption.
Rice sometimes travels long distances before ending up in supermarkets.
It is packaged in bags where dust or insects can become embedded.
During rice harvest, plant waste can also get mixed with the ingredient.
Washing the rice removes all impurities.
In addition to this health reason, there is also a culinary explanation.
Rinsing the rice removes a large amount of starch contained in its composition.
It is the starch that induces the sticky texture of rice.
In order to avoid the sticky appearance of the rice, it is therefore preferable to wash the rice.
The grains can then detach more easily from each other, which is appreciated for example for basmati rice or brown rice.
For most recipes, it is better to eliminate the starch, which allows a more appreciable consumption, with a lighter and malleable rice.
The preparation of a risotto, on the contrary, requires a very quick step of rinsing the rice, in order to keep a more compact and sticky food.
This is also the case for the preparation of a dessert based on rice pudding, in which the starch is necessary to obtain a creamy and sticky texture.
Read alsoFive mistakes not to make when cooking rice
How to effectively rinse rice before cooking?
Of course, there is no question of using detergent or other soap.
Rinse the rice with clear water.
To do this, simply place your rice in a colander and run a trickle of water over it to remove the starch and dirt.
For more efficiency, you can put the rice in a basin of water and knead the rice between your fingers.
Then rinse the rice and repeat the operation until the water is perfectly clear, a sign that the rice has been rid of all its impurities.
Always use cold water for washing rice.
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Should you rinse the rice after cooking?
No, the rice is not rinsed after cooking.
Washing is done upstream, to remove impurities and starch, which makes the rice sticky.
Rinsing the rice after cooking makes it less palatable, with a taste of water.
Cooked rice should be eaten and seasoned immediately after cooking.
Some cooks think that the washing step is not essential, especially for fairly fine white rice.
But most wash the rice for hygiene reasons, but also to obtain a less sticky rice.
Be careful, if some rice in bags are already washed, it is better to be careful in case of doubt, and not to neglect the washing stage.
Regardless of the selected rice recipe, whether it is the main dish or a side ingredient, it is necessary to wash the rice.
Thus, rinsing the rice before cooking it makes it possible to obtain a clean, healthy, light and non-sticky rice.
Whatever its variety, white or brown, or the size of its grains, round or elongated, rice must be purified.
And to obtain a non-sticky rice, it can be soaked for several minutes in a saucepan filled with cold water.
