Does Rinsed Rice Water Need to Run Clear?
Lan Lam explains why the rinsed rice water doesn’t always need to run clear.
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In the old days there could be little rocks found when rinsing the rice. Because of that, even today, my wife sometimes would complain I didn't rinse the rice hard enough.
What do you think about soaking rice?
I’m as white as that rice. I only learned to rinse rice after college and grew a network of Asian-American friends. Tastes so much better!
Given the increasing water shortages throughout New England over the years, I hope ATK and restaurants and home cooks would find ways to avoid dumping mater down the drain like that used in the rice rinsing, amongst other kitchen processes. Perhaps soups, sauces, heck, even watering anything in the garden would be better than sending it off to city water treatment…
Glad I'm kinda lazy and like starchy sticky rice, because I never do this unless I'm having guests for dinner.
You don't have to rinse brown rice. And you shouldn't rinse jasmin because that removes some of the aromatics. There are brands that say "no rinsing" on the package.
You also wash it for the dirt and whatnot that can get to your rice when you buy it in bulk in a giant bag as in a lot of asian homes.
I grew up with the bagged minute rice you throw in a pot of boiling water. It wasn’t until my 30s, sad to say, that I learned to rinse rice. Better late than never 🤷🏻♀️
Someone said that rice contains arsenic and to boil for a bit before continue cooking to eliminate the arsenic. Any validity to this?
And arsenic
I was taught at a young age not to wash the rice as it makes it difficult to eat with chopsticks.
Multiple Asian families told me this. ❤
I like it sticking together
I use a mesh strainer.
What's the second option?
Many years ago, I found a recipe online for Chicken Fried Rice that my family loves. In preparation, the recipe says it's best with day old rice (not freshly cooked rice). If you're making rice specifically for Fried Rice, the instructions said it's best with rice that was rinsed, cooked, and chilled for several hours in the fridge (I usually make the rice the day prior). The instructions for "perfect rice" was to place the rice in a mesh strainer and agiate (like you did in the video) until the water runs clear. Initially, I rinsed the rice for so long because it was taking so long to become perfectly clear. My rice ended up being gummy. With research, I read that is what would happen with rinsing too much. Instead, it said to rinse for about 30-40 seconds using the same method. I've been cooking my rice that way ever since and it's been wonderful.
Edit: originally typed that I used a colander, it's actually a mesh strainer that I use (realized it upon reading another's comment, opps) 😬
🌹😊 👍
What’s the second option?
And put the rice water in the plants? In your hair?