# Washing rice?



## Julio (Jul 13, 2009)

Hello,

Lately i have been washing my rice but i started thinking that washing my rice before cooking will loose it's vitamins and stuff like that.

Should i have my rice or not to preserve the vitamins?


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## Andy M. (Jul 13, 2009)

When I use long grain rice in a dish where you want the grains to be separate and not sticking together, I rinse.  e.g. pilaf, paella, etc.

Rinsing washes off the surface starch so the grains don't stick together.  I'm not sure you use a lot of vitamins by rinsing.  Those are in the rice not just sitting on the surface.


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## Julio (Jul 13, 2009)

Thanks Andy,

Sorry i meant rinsing the rice. I thought that rice by rinsing it would loose vitamins. I didn't know it was only starch.


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## Andy M. (Jul 13, 2009)

Julio said:


> Thanks Andy,
> 
> Sorry i meant rinsing the rice. I thought that rice by rinsing it would loose vitamins. I didn't know it was only starch.




Rinsing, washing.  It's the same thing to me.  I didn't even realize I had changed terms on you.


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## suzyQ3 (Jul 13, 2009)

I rinse only rice that includes that instruction on the package. I remember reading somewhere (might have been in _The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook_, but I'm not sure) that you should rinse any rice that is not from the U.S. So I do that as well. But otherwise, I do not rinse rice.


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## Constance (Jul 13, 2009)

The first thing I was taught when I married that wild Cajun was to rinse the rice before I cooked it. As Andy says, it rinses off the starch so it won't stick.


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## Uncle Bob (Jul 13, 2009)

Constance said:


> The first thing I was taught when I married that wild Cajun was to rinse the rice before I cooked it. As Andy says, it rinses off the starch so it won't stick.



 Well ya did pick up a few good tip Miss Connie --------

Another one I do mostly ...Is "toasting" the rice in a skillet with a little oil. You have to keep moving it...stirring, flipping etc, so it want burn. It gives off the best aroma...Then cook it. It want be as white as snow, but it want stick either. Kinda gives the rice a nutty roasted flavor...Mmmmm good!!


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## Scotch (Jul 13, 2009)

The practice of rinsing rice started primarily because talc or glucose had been added to the rice, ostensibly to preserve the rice and to prevent the grains from sticking together before it was cooked -- i.e., during processing, shipping, and storage. 

However, talc hasn't been added to American- or European-produced rice for decades -- it's banned in this and many other countries because it's a health hazard as the talc may contain asbestos and has been linked to stomach cancer. 

According to _The New Food Lover's Companion_, "Talc-coated rice is white rice that has a coating of talc and glucose, giving it a glossy appearance. The coating acts as a preservative and the practice was once widely used to protect rice during long sea voyages. Today coated rice (clearly labeled as such) is available only in a few markets, usually those specializing in South American foods. It must be thoroughly rinsed before cooking, as the talc can be contaminated with asbestos."

IMHO, there's really not much reason to rinse rice that hasn't been coated with talc or glucose. I never bother to rinse domestically produced rice. However, I do carefully wash anything from foreign sources, such as the Indian and Thai rices I buy at Trader Joe's, but only out of health concerns and to remove any impurities. (I prefer rice that is somewhat sticky in the Japanese style, such as Calrose -- I've never understood the preference for individual grains of cooked rice as it tastes no better and is harder to eat with a fork or chopsticks.)

Moreover, in some instances rinsing can remove nutrients. White rice is pretty much nothing but carbohydrates as the nutrients are in the outer brown husk that's removed to make the rice white. White rice is often "enriched" by the addition of vitamins and minerals to replace those missing nutrients. Wikipedia notes that "While the cheapest method of enriching involves adding a powdered blend of nutrients that will easily wash off (in the United States, rice which has been so treated requires a label warning against rinsing), more sophisticated methods apply nutrients directly to the grain, coating the grain with a water insoluble substance which is resistant to washing."

So whether to rinse or not boils down to the type of rice you have, where it came from, and whether you care about having individual grains of rice on your plate.


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## GB (Jul 13, 2009)

I am with Scotch on this one. I prefer stickier types of rice. I am not one for individual grains. I have done blind taste tests at home with washing and not washing. Tasting the rice plain I was able to tell a difference even if it was somewhat subtle, but I never eat rice plain. It is always served with other food that generally has a sauce or somethng else. Once you combine the rice with sauce or whatever then I did not notice the difference anymore. So now I don't rince as it is an added step I don't find makes a difference for me.


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## Wyogal (Jul 13, 2009)

How about sushi rice? I was taught to wash it well. A friend who has a Japanese grandmother was very familiar with the process, it was the job she did when helping her grandma. It wasn't just rinsed quickly, but washed, rubbing the grains lightly between the palms of one's hands, until the water runs clear.


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## Andy M. (Jul 13, 2009)

Wyogal said:


> How about sushi rice? I was taught to wash it well. A friend who has a Japanese grandmother was very familiar with the process, it was the job she did when helping her grandma. It wasn't just rinsed quickly, but washed, rubbing the grains lightly between the palms of one's hands, until the water runs clear.



Sushi rice is a different category.  It's not a long grain rice like what has been discussed.

Thoroughly washing sushi rice, as you described, is essential to the final product.


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## Wyogal (Jul 13, 2009)

thanks, that's what I thought. Just wanted to be sure! : )


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## Scotch (Jul 13, 2009)

Wyogal said:


> How about sushi rice? I was taught to wash it well. A friend who has a Japanese grandmother was very familiar with the process, it was the job she did when helping her grandma. It wasn't just rinsed quickly, but washed, rubbing the grains lightly between the palms of one's hands, until the water runs clear.


I'm pretty certain that goes back to the old practice of adding talc to the raw rice, and it's not really necessary otherwise -- except the Japanese go nuts when it comes to rice and tradition! Nonetheless, see this page:

The Sushi FAQ - How to Make Sushi Rice at Home

In particular, this paragraph:It is best to use the instructions on the package of rice when cooking it,  but a general suggestion is to use equal parts rice and water. *Prior to cooking,  the rice should be rinsed in cold water until the water runs clear, a step now becoming less necessary as  talc (used to prevent the rice from absorbing water and sticking together during  storage) is slowly being replaced with another type of starch, which is fine to  cook with. But you never know and the package won't tell you what the company  used as a coating.* A rice cooker will do a fine job, however if you do not have  one you can use our _ fail safe pot rice_ recipe which has served many well in the past.       ​Again, rice sold in the U.S. does not have talc.


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## Scotch (Jul 13, 2009)

GB said:


> I am with Scotch on this one. I prefer stickier types of rice. I am not one for individual grains. I have done blind taste tests at home with washing and not washing. Tasting the rice plain I was able to tell a difference even if it was somewhat subtle, but I never eat rice plain. It is always served with other food that generally has a sauce or somethng else. Once you combine the rice with sauce or whatever then I did not notice the difference anymore. So now I don't rince as it is an added step I don't find makes a difference for me.


We eat a lot of plain rice with Asian and other dishes, and if there's a difference in the taste of rinsed versus not-rinsed rice, it has escaped me for the past 40 years or so. OTOH, I've never done a side-by-side comparison. In any case, I suspect the difference is pretty much insignificant, and neither is noticeably better that the other -- right or not?


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## GB (Jul 13, 2009)

Scotch said:


> I suspect the difference is pretty much insignificant, and neither is noticeably better that the other -- right or not?


Absolutely. When I did my side by side comparison I noticed a difference because I was looking for it. It was very slight, and could have even been in my head. If I were just eating and not doing a comparison I would never notice or be able to discern if it was washed or not.


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## Scotch (Jul 13, 2009)

GB said:


> Absolutely. When I did my side by side comparison I noticed a difference because I was looking for it. It was very slight, and could have even been in my head. If I were just eating and not doing a comparison I would never notice or be able to discern if it was washed or not.


I had something in my head once...i think.


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## Scotch (Jul 14, 2009)

I'm making some long-grain brown rice to have with dinner tonight. Nothing fancy, just some Safeway's house brand of rice. It specifically says on the bag that for best results, do not rinse before or after cooking.


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## Valouth (Aug 14, 2009)

Julio said:


> Hello,
> 
> Lately i have been washing my rice but i started thinking that washing my rice before cooking will loose it's vitamins and stuff like that.
> 
> Should i have my rice or not to preserve the vitamins?



Yes you should wash your rice but only one time, to remove all the dirt


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## Mark Webster (Aug 14, 2009)

Really it depends alot on what type of rice you are using. Short grained for Sushi, Medium grained or long grained. It also depends on what dish you are preparing.


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## TheMetalChef (Aug 14, 2009)

Uncle Bob said:


> Well ya did pick up a few good tip Miss Connie --------
> 
> Another one I do mostly ...Is "toasting" the rice in a skillet with a little oil. You have to keep moving it...stirring, flipping etc, so it want burn. It gives off the best aroma...Then cook it. It want be as white as snow, but it want stick either. Kinda gives the rice a nutty roasted flavor...Mmmmm good!!



Just wanted to highlight this post by Uncle Bob, as this is standard procedure not only in risotto, but also in many pilaf recipes. Coating the rice with a bit of oil ensures separation of grains, and yes, the toasted flavor is highly prized by European traditionalists. In paella, obviously, the toasting is done on the back end. I guess the Mediterranean folk are a bit smarter than the Spaniards, toasting the rice *before* they actually put it to the water, where the toasting process can be much better controlled.

That said, a good Soccarat really is worth the price of admission.


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## pua.melia409 (Nov 9, 2009)

Wash it!!! Generally rice is not washed when it is produced so when you buy it and bring it home there is still an abundant amount of dirt, dust, chemicals, etc on it. My Japanese grandmother always taught me to rinse the rice until the  water is clear before cooking.


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## larry_stewart (Nov 9, 2009)

Is there a specific type, or brand of white rice that is found in the typical Chinese take out place ??  For Indian, I buy Basmati rice, and it is exactly as I get it in an Indian restaurant.  But, Im having trouble finding the same type, brand .... of white rice as i can find in the Chinese restaurants.  Ive eaten Chinese food all along the east coast of Usa/ Canada, and the rice is similar, so I assume they use something other than the crap I get at the supermarket.  And back to the topic of this thread, once I have the right brand/ type, is it typical for them to rinse it before steaming it ?


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## Andy M. (Nov 9, 2009)

I'd bet if you asked them they would be glad to share that information.


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## Jikoni (Nov 10, 2009)

My mum always told me to wash rice to get the dirt out of it, but I learned also that if you wash it, you get some unnecessary starch out of it and keeps you a little bit trimmer.


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## Selkie (Nov 10, 2009)

As an older Calrose user... wash it! I remember the talc and other stuff... wash it! I don't ever get so complacent as to trust fruits, vegetables, beans or rice without washing them first, particularly because I spent much of my youth on my grandparent's farm. I've seen under what conditions much of our food comes from... wash it!


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## Michael in FtW (Nov 10, 2009)

I learned to wash my rice back when I was in college and dated a girl whose mom was Chinese. She washed it until the water ran clear.

Larry - check out your local Chinese market - I don't know what the brands are that I get at my Asian market (I can't read the labels) but it sure ain't Uncle Ben's!


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## Randy_ (Nov 10, 2009)

Years ago I did some experimentation with cooking rice and varying the amount of water as I wasn't happy with the outcome just using the instructions on the package.  I finally figured out the proportion of water to rice that I liked best after a number of trials.

At a later time I started washing my rice and things changed. Finally, I figured out that washing rice added considerable moisture to the rice and I had to cut back a little on the water I used to cook the rice. 



The rice does not actually absorb any water during the short time it is being rinsed; but the grains are so close together that they hold some water between the grains by capillary action. A cup of dry rice weighs about 180 grams; but if you rinse rice in a strainer and then place it in a pot without any special effort to remove water, the rice weighs approximately 210 grams. The difference in weight is the equivalent of 1/8 cup of water.....the amount that your called water must be reduced by to get the texture that you desire.

I know the amount of water held by the rinsed rice does not seem like a lot; but, I can tell you from first-hand experience that it does make a difference!


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## mexican mama (Nov 11, 2009)

We wash our rice 2x or 3x depending on how the rice looks...there some little pebbles that get stuck and it really needs to be clean before cooking it. It also makes the rice tender and easy to cook when you wash it.


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## Joshatdot (Mar 15, 2010)

I've been taught to rinse/wash the rice till its clear, and typically a 1:2 ratio of rice & water.  For the past 8+ years, I've been getting Jasmin rice, for the aroma & taste .. but it doesn't seem to separate much.  It's kinda like a long grain sticky rice, unless I am cooking it wrong.


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## masteraznchefjr (Mar 16, 2010)

I heard in an article and study they did in Japan and realized that washing the rice started polluting the rivers from the drain runoff and causes algae bloom. I started to not wash my rice as often and still feel like the results are still the same using long grain or sticky rice.


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## Linika (Mar 16, 2010)

I always give my rice a light rinse more for clensing purposes than anything.  (Even the rice from the US  haha!)  And as someone also mentioned previously in this post ...sauteing lightly before adding the liquid makes for great rice....and you can add minced garlic, onions etc just adjusting liquid if needed.  In the Great White North here we produce rice in natural bodies of water...mainly in Saskatchewan...."northern wild rice"  it is exceptional in Indian recipes!


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## CharlieD (Mar 16, 2010)

The recommendations on the box of the rice I usually use, says not to wash it.


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## MoodyBlueFoodie (Mar 17, 2010)

Sorry to go off the food topic, but does this mean that all talc products are bad? I mean like say, body powders, for example?


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## sparrowgrass (Mar 17, 2010)

They are if you eat them, or breathe them!  I remember when my kids were little (they are 30 and 27 now) the recommendation was to use cornstarch based powder on babies.


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## GB (Mar 17, 2010)

When we had our kids (now 5 and 2) we were told not to use any sort of powder on them as it inevitably gets breathed in and is not that great for lungs, especially on young kids.


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## expatgirl (Mar 17, 2010)

well, guys, i wouldn't worry too much at this point.......just don' tcreate an atomic cloud when powdering them and we know you dad's .......if a little bit works then let's just be on the safe side and really have a go at it.......and if we're off topic so be it.......

Charlie, I just find that washing rice whether they say so or not.......makes my rice less glutinous.....certainly all that white  starch that comes off in the washings has to be acting like glue  otherwise when it cooks.......and I sure have found some interesting rice in KZ, however...... probably irradated.......jest kidding.....


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## CharlieD (Mar 17, 2010)

Expat, You should really post their recipe for rice pilaf


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## expatgirl (Mar 17, 2010)

CharlieD said:


> Expat, You should really post their recipe for rice pilaf



Charlie, you are too funny and trying to get me into trouble if I spoke the truth....


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## CharlieD (Mar 17, 2010)

I'm not, really, I did not mean anything but to ask for the recipe. Kazakhs' make really good rice pilaf.


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## expatgirl (Mar 18, 2010)

CharlieD said:


> I'm not, really, I did not mean anything but to ask for the recipe. Kazakhs' make really good rice pilaf.


   sorry that I misunderstood---(my mind went to all the nuclear testing that'd been done in the area so I'm sorry if my brain  synapsed to the "joke" mode........ seriously, you're right, the Kazakhs' plovs are so good and full of great things but I feel quite guilty in not having any of the plov recipes on hand........I have a Kazakh friend who is a very good cook and I'll ask her and let you know.....


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## CharlieD (Mar 18, 2010)

That would be nice. I do make something simular to what they do, but theirs is an art compare to what I do.


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