Rice. soaking it first?

[boomchakabowwow]

I rinse, and get to cooking. but a month ago, I rinsed and life got in the way and the rice just soaked. I forgot to push the button on the rice cooker. it soaked for a couple of hours. in a "better late, than never" mindset I pushed the button. the result was kinda surprising. it was fluffier. even my wife asked, "did we switch rice brands?"

this is just my garden variety Calrose rice. might this just be some placebo affect?

now I get home from work, wash my hands, rinse rice, let it soak and get on the computer to do some more work while I wait for wife to get home...Boom. dinner time.

 

[ian]

A lot of rice is much better soaked, imo. Do it all the time

 

[Se1ryu]

Some people do soak the rice for 5 minutes or so, I don't. After washing the rice normally I let it sit for 5-10 minutes to drain the water (sometimes 20 minutes. I wrap the stainless bawl and strainer with the rice in it with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge). After that I just put it in the rice cooker and add water. If you soak the rice for too long, it will absorb the water and the rice will be mushy. Especially when you add more water than it should.

Add: I do this method for Japanese rice or Short grain. Other type of rice might be different. Old rice grain and new rice grain also need different amount of water.

Just make the rice how you like it.

 

[Benuser]

IMHO soaking before rinsing is much more efficient than the other way around.

 

[sumis]

i soak. no mush (calrose or medium grain). on the contrary. 20 mins ca.

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[boomchakabowwow]

on a side note. rice that I soaked is better as a microwaved leftover. I get lazy and dont cover with a damp paper towel, and it is still very good as a leftover.

 

[captaincaed]

I have a Persian cookbook that recommends a pre soak. I bet the time depends on the rice. But yeah the idea is sound enough

 

[wabi]

I rinse and go. My wife is Japanese. If I did anything different making rice I would certainly hear about it.

 

[ch_br]

Ive found that rinsing, then soaking a minimum of 20, up to 40, depending on the rice is optimal.

Honestly even soaking a bare minimum of 10min makes a world of difference.

Rinsing first, while often overlooked, removes a lot of the starch.

I can imagine NOT spending the extra minimum time of 12 min between rinsing and 10min soak for rice.

It really makes a world of difference IMO.

 

[coxhaus]

I started using Martha Steward rice recipe. Wash rice until clear. Use 1 cup rice to 1 cup water with a tablespoon of butter. Cook for 15 minutes let sit for 5 minutes. It makes nice rice.

PS
If we make sushi rice, then we still use 2 cups of water to 1 cup of rice, so it turns out sticky.

 

[ian]

If you soak the rice for too long, it will absorb the water and the rice will be mushy.

I think the point of soaking is indeed for it to absorb the water. In my experience the texture is better after a soak. It’ll be mushy if you don’t account for the water absorbed, and then just add the usual water proportions when you cook it. Usually I measure the correct amount of rice and water first (for me, often 2 cups rice to around 2.4 cups water) and then let it soak for a while before turning on the burner.

 

[sumis]

I think the point of soaking is indeed for it to absorb the water. In my experience the texture is better after a soak. It’ll be mushy if you don’t account for the water absorbed, and then just add the usual water proportions when you cook it. Usually I measure the correct amount of rice and water first (for me, often 2 cups rice to around 2.4 cups water) and then let it soak for a while before turning on the burner.

^ this ^

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[Bodine]

I soak mine, reduces cooking time, but I cook in a pot on the stove.

 

[coxhaus]

I soak mine, reduces cooking time, but I cook in a pot on the stove.

Me too. I bought an All Clad D3 3 qt with short handles, I forget what it's called. I wanted copper core I couldn't find one when I bought it. My wife uses the rice cooker and likes it. Me, I like cooking on the stove.

I started using Martha Stewards rice recipe for cooked rice. I think it tastes good. She washes her rice until clear then uses 1 cup rice with 1 cup water and a tablespoon of butter and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook for 15 minutes let sit for 5 minutes. The nice thing about this you don't get a lot of rice sticking to the pan, so cleanup is easier.

Washing rice is almost like soaking it. It takes a good 5 minutes or so to get clear rinse water.

 

[Heckel7302]

I give rice a quick rinse then throw it in my Zujirushi. I let the fuzzy logic decide how long the soak is going to be.

 

[mk4pi]

Depended on the type of rice, for normal day to day rice just rinse and cook. You certainly can soak it but you must adjust the water use to cook accordingly. So i think everyone from asia will tell you just rinse and cook. Consistent rice is the best type of rice.

However for something like glutinous rice/ sticky rice, we rinse it then normally soak it overnight, if you cook it normal way it doesn't turn out as sticky as it should be, plus an asian grandma will slap you if she know you don't soak sticky rice.

 

[ian]

Fwiw, as mentioned above, there’s no lack of consistency with soaking if you just soak in the measured-out water that you’re going to cook it in. Just takes a bit longer since you have to plan in the soaking time.

 

[mk4pi]

Of course if you consistence the way you cook then it will always be consistent. The thing is in when you eat rice 2 meals/day minimum sometime 3 meals/day for 365 days/year in Asia (it is not even a joke). Soaking rice everytime become a chore, which you will mess up eventually, that is why for day to day rice we just rinse and cook. More consistent and less change random person in you family got annoy because of rice taste weird today.