Why wash ( Japanese ) rice?

Question

Hi. I always wash my rice before I cook it, but I don't exactly know how that improves anything. Anybody know? What's the difference between unwashed and washed rice? What comes off of the rice? How does the flavour and texture change? How does the nutritious value change?

Some people say that when you wash rice it becomes less sticky, but in Japan everyone washes their rice, and the prefered texture is for the rice to be a little sticky so that you can eat it easily with chopsticks. I doubt Japanese would want to wash away nutrients, yet people always wash rice in Japan.

Answer 1

rice is basically a lot of starch ...you will notice when you wash it the water becomes cloudy as if its setting in milk that is the starch that you have removed...it makes it much easier to serve than a big blob of sticky paste.....as far as the nuterients what your washing away is only on the outside of the rice and would be loss in the cooking process.........

Answer 2

I wash the rice until the water is clear. I have a Japenese friend who says washing it 7 times is a "good number". During the process remove any rice that looks dark and make sure other impurities are washed off, small stones, branches, etc,

I think it takes off excess starch, like when you soak sliced potatoes in salt water before boiling them.

The flavor and texture once cooked is not changed.

In Thailand, there is a certain type of rice called "sticky rice". I think it has a sweet taste.

Answer 3

It is a vestige from the ancient times. The rice was not clean after harvest.

And before boiling and making Japanese white rice, they wash and steep the rice about half hour.
It makes the rice more polished, soft and elastic.
You can see this effect with authentic Japanese rice only. (not with Indica rice)

Today's rice is clean. No need to wash so severely.
Main ingredient of rice is starch. Other nutrients, such as amino acid and protein, are also contained inside.

Answer 4

Rice producers add a glucose or talc to the rice that is not added for nutritional value -- rinsing the rice gets rid of this dust that we shouldn't eat. I grew up washing my rice with the belief that the talc was added to preserve the grains in shipping and to prevent the grains from sticking to each other before you are ready to cook it (but I have not found anything to substantiate this theory). This article explains the additives to rice pretty well:

Answer 5

Rigo is right.
I think the rice in Japan is particularly stickier because it is also of the short grain variety. The longer the grain, the less sticky it is. I think washing rice is not only important to wash away the starches, but it's also quite sanitary. It is ideal to wash all produce because you can never be certain how sanitary the produce is.

Answer 6

you will no longer say, approximately all eastern human beings. Many, do no longer wash the rice earlier cooking. What you get contained accessible is polished White rice. lots of the meals are bumped off interior the means of sharpening. Why no longer attempt brown rice? that's healthful.

Answer 7

Washing the rice washes off the starch, which would make it mushier and stickier when cooked.

Answer 8

to wash out the starch outta the rice.

Answer 9

It make rice nice and creen.

Answer 10

Bee fresh

And smash...