No rice cooker? No downside! Learn to make a pot of Japanese white rice on the range. My easy ideas and methods will be sure that your steamed rice comes out completely each time.
Rising up in Japan, the place rice is a staple meals and the first supply of protein, cooking rice just isn’t solely a fundamental kitchen activity but in addition a particularly essential one. Whereas an electrical rice cooker with all of the bells and whistles appears to be an important kitchen gadget in most Asian kitchens, I perceive that not everybody eats rice every day and should not personal a rice cooker. It’s additionally useful to know the right way to make rice on the range in case your rice cooker breaks unexpectedly otherwise you’re craving rice whereas tenting.
On this submit, let’s get again to fundamentals, and I’ll present you the right way to measure rice precisely, wash it correctly, and at last cook dinner Japanese rice in a pot on the range.
What’s Japanese Quick-Grain Rice?
Japanese rice is a kind of Japonica short-grain rice that’s quick, plump, and rounded oval. It’s price noting that outdoors of Japan, Japanese rice is usually labeled as ‘sushi rice’ for advertising functions. Nevertheless, rice is used not only for making sushi, but in addition for on a regular basis Japanese dishes.
What units Japanese rice aside from long-grain rice varieties equivalent to basmati or jasmine rice is its excessive water content material, which suggests the feel is extra tender and moist. The grains comprise much less amylose—a kind of starch that separates rice grains— than the lengthy grains, giving them a extra sticky, chewy texture.
When cooked correctly, the rice grains cling to one another with out turning into mushy, permitting you to simply choose up the rice with chopsticks. You’ll additionally discover a fantastic shiny sheen on the floor of the rice. These distinctive traits of Japanese short-grain rice are important as a result of they permit us to make dishes like rice balls (onigiri) and sushi that want to remain in a single piece.
Typically I hear folks calling Japanese rice “sticky rice” as a result of its sticky texture, however please know that ‘sticky rice’ is technically a distinct sort of rice generally known as candy rice or glutinous rice, which we use for making mochi (rice desserts).
👉🏼 To brush up your information, I extremely advocate studying All the pieces You Have to Find out about Japanese Rice and Kinds of Japanese Rice.
Greatest Japanese Rice Manufacturers
In terms of high-quality Japanese rice, I like to recommend the Koshihikari selection, which is accessible in numerous manufacturers at Japanese grocery shops. Identified for its candy style and perfume, Koshihikari is the preferred selection in Japan. I personally choose the Toyama-grown Koshihikari imported from Japan, which is accessible at Japanese grocery shops (I buy mine at Nijiya Market in San Mateo).
For US-grown koshihikari rice, search for Shirakiku Rice, Tamaki Gold, and Tamanishiki Tremendous Premium Quick Grain Rice. For brown rice, we take pleasure in Genmai Sukoyaka Brown Rice and Koshihikari Premium Sprouted Brown Gaba Rice.
There are additionally different new cultivars equivalent to Hitomebore, Akitakomachi, Tamanishiki, Tsuyahime, and so forth. Every of them has distinctive traits which can be completely different from Koshihikari.
What Type of Pot to Use
Use a heavy-bottomed pot when cooking rice. The even warmth distribution prevents the underside of your rice from simply getting burnt. Personally, I like utilizing Staub, particularly for cooking rice. In comparison with different fashionable Dutch oven manufacturers, Staub options a greater, tight-fitting lid that traps all of the steam inside.
Another possibility I like to recommend is a donabe—a Japanese earthenware clay pot. If you happen to plan to make use of a donabe, I’ve a separate submit on The way to Cook dinner Japanese Rice in a Donabe.
The way to Measure Rice and Water
In Japan, rice is at all times measured with a rice cooker cup, which is 180 ml or American ¾ cup. To measure accurately, overfill a rice cooker cup (or a ¾-cup measure works effectively for this) with rice and degree it off. Failing to degree it off might end in your rice not having sufficient water to cook dinner correctly.
Rice-to-Water Ratio
One of many causes folks usually wrestle to make Japanese rice is because of utilizing the improper quantity of water. There may be numerous misinformation on-line. To cook dinner Japanese short-grain white rice, the right rice-to-water ratio is as follows:
The golden rule for the rice-to-water ratio [volume] is 1:1.1 (or 1.2).
This implies:
- This implies you’ll need 10–20% extra water than rice.
- 1 rice cooker cup (180 ml) of rice – 200 ml of water
- 1 US cup (240 ml) of rice – 1⅛ cups of water (or 264 ml because the rounded-up cup measurement just isn’t correct)
I like to recommend getting a rice cooker cup (you will get it on Amazon) and utilizing metrics to measure your water.
The way to Wash the Rice
The strategy of washing rice is usually mentioned, and every tradition seemingly follows a distinct strategy.
Listed here are the short key factors:
- Wash rice in chilly working faucet water; by no means use heat/sizzling water.
- Don’t use a strainer to clean rice as a result of it might probably break the rice.
- Discard the primary rinsing water instantly earlier than the rice begins absorbing impurities.
- Use your fingers to gently agitate the moist rice grains in a round movement for 10–15 seconds. The bowl ought to have little or no water, which permits the grains to rub in opposition to one another. Rinse and wash one to 2 extra occasions till the water is sort of clear.
Why Do We Soak the Rice?
Except for utilizing the inaccurate quantity of water for rice, one more reason folks wrestle to make excellent Japanese rice just isn’t soaking the rice.
Since soaking isn’t needed for different kinds of rice, you may assume it’s a waste of time or pointless. Nevertheless, this leads to rice that isn’t cooked by as a result of the core stays exhausting.
Take into account the Japanese short-grain rice kernel: it has a plump physique and requires an extended time to soak up moisture to the core. That’s why we give it a headstart by soaking the rice for no less than 20-Half-hour.
The way to Cook dinner the Japanese Rice on the Range
After 20-Half-hour of soaking, we’re now able to cook dinner the rice!
- Cowl the pot with the lid, leaving a small hole, and convey it to a boil over medium warmth. Take a fast peek to see if the water is boiling.
- As soon as the water is boiling, flip the warmth to low and cook dinner, coated, for 12–13 minutes.
- When it’s completed cooking, open the lid and take a fast peek to verify if the water is totally absorbed. If there‘s water left, shut the lid and cook dinner for slightly longer.
- Take away from the range and let it steam with the lid on for one more 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, uncover the pot and fluff the rice with a rice paddle. It‘s now able to serve.
Cooking Suggestions
Listed here are 5 most important tricks to cook dinner an ideal pot of shiny and tender Japanese rice:
- Wash and rinse the rice. At all times begin by rapidly rinsing and washing the rice just a few occasions to assist take away the pure prevalence of arsenic and impurities.
- Use a heavy-bottom pot with a tight-fitting lid. In case your lid matches loosely, put a clear kitchen material between the lid and the pot to maintain the steam in.
- At all times soak the rice in water for Half-hour. Rice has been sitting within the bag dried after milling, so it wants moisture to revive the feel. You need to give it sufficient time for the rice to soak up water in order that it has an ideal texture after cooking.
- DO NOT open the lid whereas cooking! It is a massive no-no in relation to cooking Japanese rice. I discovered from my expertise to catch the indication of “boiling” by sound. Nevertheless, till you do, it’s okay to “rapidly peek” inside to see if it’s boiling.
- Relaxation and fluff. As soon as the rice is cooked, let it relaxation for 10 minutes to steam totally, after which fluff to assist evaporate the surplus moisture.
Greatest Method to Retailer Cooked Rice
What’s one of the best ways to retailer the leftover rice? Japanese folks at all times freeze the rice! We by no means refrigerate the rice as a result of it will get exhausting.
I exploit a glass container with a lid. If you happen to already understand how a lot rice you’ll be utilizing, pack away the freshly made rice instantly to seal within the moisture. Remember to let it cool earlier than placing it within the freezer.
To reheat the rice, open the lid, place a moist paper towel over the glass container, and microwave. It’s identical to freshly made rice.
Professional Tip: I at all times pack completely different parts (one serving and two servings) so we are able to defrost the correct amount.
Different Methods to Cook dinner Japanese Rice
There are completely different strategies to cook dinner Japanese rice at dwelling. Every technique has its benefits, and Japanese households usually personal just a few cooking pots/devices for various events and wishes.
Want to study extra about Japanese cooking? Join our free e-newsletter to obtain cooking ideas & recipe updates! And keep in contact with me on Fb, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
The way to Cook dinner Japanese Rice in a Pot on the Range
No rice cooker? No downside! Learn to make a pot of Japanese white rice on the range. My easy ideas and methods will be sure that your steamed rice comes out completely each time.
Servings: 6 rice bowls (cooking 3 rice cooker cups)
Components
For two Rice Bowls (2¼ cups, 330 g cooked rice)
For 4 Rice Bowls (4⅓ cups, 660 g)
For six Rice Bowls (6⅔ cups, 990 g)
For 8 Rice Bowls (8¾ cups, 1320 g)
For 10 Rice Bowls (11 cups, 1650 g)
Stop your display from going darkish
Directions
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Earlier than You Begin: Please word that Japanese short-grain white rice requires a soaking time of 20–Half-hour. The rice-to-water ratio is 1 to 1.1 (or 1.2) for short-grain white rice. The ratio for brown rice is completely different; to study extra, learn the right way to cook dinner short-grain brown rice in a rice cooker or Immediate Pot.Additionally word that ¾ cup (150 g, 1 rice cooker cup) of raw Japanese short-grain rice yields 2¼ cups (330 g) of cooked rice. That is sufficient for 2 Japanese rice bowls (sometimes 150 g every) or 3 onigiri rice balls (sometimes 110 g every). 1 cup of cooked rice weighs about 5.3 oz (150 g).
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The way to Measure: Overfill a plastic rice cooker cup (or use a ¾-cup measure) with raw short-grain rice and degree it off. Put the rice in a big bowl. Repeat till you have got the measured quantity of rice wanted. For this recipe, I measured 2¼ cups (3 rice cooker cups) of short-grain white rice. Tip: With out leveling it off, your rice won’t have sufficient water to cook dinner correctly.
To Soak the Rice
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Put the well-drained rice and measured water in a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid. For instance, for those who‘re cooking 2¼ cups raw Japanese short-grain white rice (3 rice cooker cups), add 2½ cups water (600 ml). Soak the rice for 20–Half-hour earlier than cooking.
To Steam the Rice
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Take away from the range and let it steam with the lid on for one more 10 minutes. Tip: This resting interval is essential for the rice to steam correctly. Resist the urge to peek beneath the lid and launch the steam throughout this time. After 10 minutes, uncover the pot and fluff the rice with a rice paddle. It‘s now able to serve.
To Retailer
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Switch the rice to hermetic containers and shut the lids to maintain the moisture in. Let cool utterly earlier than storing the containers within the freezer (learn my tutorial submit on the right way to freeze rice).
Vitamin
Vitamin Information
The way to Cook dinner Japanese Rice in a Pot on the Range
Quantity per Serving
% Day by day Worth*
* P.c Day by day Values are based mostly on a 2000 calorie eating regimen.
Editor’s Observe: This submit was initially revealed on December 4, 2013. It was republished with a brand new video and extra useful content material on March 15, 2024.
