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Topics: News, Food and Drink, Science
Kit Roberts
It might be common knowledge to anyone who cooks rice with any kind of regularity, but now science has revealed why you should wash your rice before cooking, though not for the reason you might think.
If you have ever compared washed rice to unwashed, you will know the value of washing your rice.
It's the difference between rice that's gloopy and gelatinous, and rice which is fluffy and delicious.
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Ideally the grains will stick together, but also separate individually.
As a caveat, there are dishes where an unwashed rice is desirable, for example a risotto or rice pudding.
But according to a scientific study, washing rice actually has a negligible effect on whether rice is sticky or not.
They washed the rice either not at all, three times, or ten times, and found that they could not tell the difference afterwards.
Instead, they argued that it was the variety of rice which determines how sticky it is.
For example, glutinous rice will be stickier than a long grain rice.
The study claimed that this was because the the starch which makes rice sticky or not is leaked out during the cooking process, not found on the outside of the rice before cooking.
This is also why different varieties are more or less sticky.
So, apparently, washing your rice doesn't make it any less sticky.
But the study still argued that washing your rice is a good idea, as it may still have dust, insects, or bits of husk left on.
Now, there is also the possibility of microplastics, and washing could help to reduce the overall quantity of microplastics in rice.
So, it's still a good idea to wash your rice before you cook it.
It's also worth pointing out that washing rice does not prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
Once cooked, bacteria can grow in rice which cause potentially very serious gastrointestinal disease.
So, keeping rice at room temperature for too long can be a bad idea.
Another big factor in ensuring your rice is not soggy is making sure you have the correct ratio of water to rice.
Too much water and you'll end up with rice porridge, not enough and it will be undercooked.
Another option is to steam the rice, or soak it so it softens before adding it to a recipe. It all depends on what dish you are making.
Culinary experts still claim that washing your rice does help to reduce how sticky it is after being cooked.
But regardless of this, it's still a good idea to wash the rice before cooking.