How to Wash Rice: 2 Easy Methods for Washing Rice

Rinsing rice is especially important for long-grain rice that should separate easily, like basmati rice and jasmine rice. Any kind of rice, though, including short-grain rice varieties like Japanese rice, benefits from rinsing for three key reasons:

1. 1. Removes excess starch: Bagged rice contains the starchy powder of rice grains that have broken during processing or transit. When you cook rice without rinsing, you're essentially cooking it with rice flour, leading to a goopy, mushy texture. Thoroughly rinsing the rice removes the surface starch and allows the rice to cook as separate, fluffy grains.
2. 2. Rinses off dust and debris: Most dried grains accumulate dust or other debris during processing or transit. Rinsing your rice ensures you aren't getting any dust in your food.
3. 3. Begins the rehydration process: Rinsing rice kickstarts the cooking process through hydration.

There are two main ways to rinse that involve the use of a bowl and a fine-mesh strainer.

1. 1. With a fine-mesh strainer: Place a fine-mesh strainer full of rice over a large bowl or pot, and run cold water over the strainer until the water runs nearly clear. Dump the bowl of cloudy water as often as needed. You may have to dump the bowl three or more times. When washing rice for mushier types of rice dishes like risotto, rice pudding, and sticky rice desserts, the water doesn’t have to run completely clear, but you'll still want to give the rice a quick rinse to remove dust.
2. 2. In a bowl: Fill a large bowl (such as the bowl of your rice cooker) with rice and enough cold water to completely submerge. Using your hand in a claw shape, gently swirl the rice around to rinse. Pour off the starchy water as often as needed until the water runs nearly clear, at least three times. Drain the rice in a fine-mesh strainer before using it.

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