When should you wash rice?
Washing rice depends on the type of rice and the dish. Risotto, paella, and sushi each require a different type of rice. Of the three, sushi rice is the only rice that needs to be washed. Due to the starch in risotto and paella, washing the rice will ruin the dish, as starch is an important part of its success.
If you are cooking risotto or paella, you should not wash the rice as washed rice will absorb more starch and coat the surface of the rice. By rinsing this type of rice, an excessive gelatinization process occurs, which means that the risotto will be particularly starchy and the flavors of the ingredients will not penetrate into the rice.
Following the cooking instructions on the rice package can help you know whether to clean your rice variety. When it comes to long-grain varieties like basmati rice and jasmine, whether or not to wash the rice depends entirely on the recipe. The same is true for certain short-grain rice types.
How do you wash rice?
When it comes to white rice, it should be soaked in cold water and stirred to release the starch. Drain it through a sieve and keep repeating the process until the water is clear. After rinsing the rice thoroughly, set it aside to drain for a few minutes before cooking.
What are the benefits of washing rice?
Depending on whether the recipe calls for it, washing rice can enhance the flavor of the dish. The outer layer of rice is rice bran, which contains oil. By washing white rice (the rice bran has been ground), the unpalatable excess starch and oxidized rice bran oil are washed away. Washing rice also removes dust and debris, helping the grains to separate more and not stick together.
Will washing rice change its texture?
Something as simple as rinsing the rice can really change the condition and flavor of the rice. The extra starch layer adds to the creamy texture. When the texture changes, the food that hits your taste buds changes. After the grains are washed, you can usually expect a lighter, fluffier rice.
Is there any evidence that washing rice can reduce its stickiness?
One study compared the effect of washing on the stickiness and hardness of three different types of rice from the same supplier. The three types are glutinous rice, medium grain rice and jasmine rice. These different kinds of rice are either not washed at all, washed three times with water, or ten times with water.
Contrary to what chefs might tell you, this study shows that the washing process has no effect on the stickiness (or hardness) of rice.
Instead, the researchers demonstrated that the stickiness was caused not by surface starch (amylose) but by a different starch called amylopectin, which is leached from the rice grains during cooking. Different rice grains have different leaching amounts.
Therefore, the type of rice—not the cleaning—is crucial to stickiness. In the study, glutinous rice was the stickiest, while medium-grain and jasmine rice were less sticky and, according to lab tests, harder.
However, you may still want to wash the rice
Traditionally, rice is washed to remove dust, insects, small stones and husk fragments left behind during the hulling process. This may still be important for some parts of the world that are less meticulously handled, and may be reassuring to others.
Recently, with the increased use of plastics in the food supply chain, microplastics have been found in our food products, including rice. Research shows that the cleaning process can remove up to 20% of the plastic in uncooked rice.
The same study found that the amount of microplastics was the same no matter what kind of packaging (plastic or paper bag) you bought your rice in. Researchers also found that (precooked) instant rice contained four times more plastic than uncooked rice. If you rinse instant rice beforehand, you can reduce the amount of plastic used by 40%. Rice is known to have relatively high arsenic levels because the crop absorbs more arsenic during growth. Research shows that washing rice removes about 90% of bioabsorbable arsenic, but it also washes away a host of other nutrients important to our health, including copper, iron, zinc and vanadium.
For some people, rice accounts for only a small portion of their daily intake of these nutrients and therefore has minimal impact on their health. But for people who consume large amounts of polished rice every day, this may affect their overall nutrition.
Another study looked at other heavy metals, lead and cadmium, in addition to arsenic. Studies have found that pre-cleaning can reduce levels of all these substances by 7 to 20 percent. The World Health Organization has warned of the risks of arsenic exposure in water and food.
Arsenic levels in rice vary depending on where it is grown, rice variety and how it is cooked. The best advice is still to pre-wash your rice and make sure to eat a variety of grains. The most recent study, in 2005, found that arsenic levels were highest in the United States. However, it's important to remember that arsenic is also found in other foods, including rice products (cakes, crackers, cookies, and cereals), seaweed, seafood, and vegetables.
Can washing rice prevent bacteria?
In short, no. Washing the rice will not affect the bacterial content in the rice because the high temperature will kill any bacteria present.
What's more important is how long cooked or washed rice is stored at room temperature. Cooking rice does not kill the bacterial spores of the Bacillus cereus pathogen.
If wet or cooked rice is kept at room temperature, bacterial spores are activated and begin to grow. These bacteria then produce toxins that cannot be inactivated by cooking or reheating; these toxins can cause serious gastrointestinal illness. So be sure to avoid leaving washed or cooked rice at room temperature for too long.
