Steamed Rice Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (2024)

FAQs

Why do Japanese soak rice before cooking? ›

However, this results in rice that isn't cooked through because the core remains hard. Consider the Japanese short-grain rice kernel: it has a plump body and requires a longer time to absorb moisture to the core. That's why we give it a headstart by soaking the rice for at least 20-30 minutes.

A 2-to-1 ratio, liquid to rice, produces soft, tender rice. Chewier rice will result from using a 1-to-1 ratio, or from adding a bit more water. I usually go with a 2-to-1 ratio for cooking a long-grain rice like basmati. Traditionally, basmati rice first is soaked for 30 minutes to as long as two hours.

Sushi rice is always seasoned with sushi vinegar. It's made of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt to achieve a balance of sweet, salty, and sour taste. You need to get mild-flavored rice vinegar, not another type of vinegar for this; otherwise, it's too strong and the flavor is not the same.

Once the rice has been washed, it needs to soak, so that it can absorb its own weight in water. This means the rice will cook evenly. Without soaking, you will end up with some grains of rice raw and some overcooked .

What is the ratio of water to rice? For basmati and all kinds of white rice, we recommend a ratio of 1:2 when cooking on the stove. So this would mean for every 1 cup of rice, you add 2 cups of water.

Many recipes call for using twice the amount of water to rice, so 1 cup of rice and 2 cups of water. One of the secrets of our perfect white rice recipe is that we use less water to rice, our go-to ratio is 1 cup of white rice to 1 1/2 cups water.

Japanese method of rice cultivation is highly adapted in India because the method includes the use of high yielding varieties of seeds. Initial raising of the seedling is done in the nursery and is protected from initial infections and then transferred to fields and planted in rows to make weeding easy.

You want 200ml of water for each cup/gou (180ml of dried rice). Cover the pot with a lid and soak the rice for about 30 minutes. Cook over medium heat. When the water starts boiling, turn the heat down to low and continue cooking for about 10 minutes.

Japanese rice has a unique flavor that is different from other types of rice. Japanese rice is sweeter than other types of rice due to the way it is grown and milled. Japanese rice is also stickier than other types of rice, which gives it a chewy texture.

Bring rice and water (3 3/4 cups) to a boil in a 4-quart wide heavy pot and boil, uncovered, without stirring, until steam holes appear in rice and grains on surface look dry, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to very low, then cover pot with a tight-fitting lid and simmer 15 minutes.

How much water do I need for 2 cups of steamed rice? ›

For tender grains of rice that easily separate, such as in a pilaf, use 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice. You can also use another liquid like stock in this 2:1 ratio. For slightly chewier, fluffy white rice, use 1 1/2 cups of water for every cup of rice, or a 1.5:1 ratio.

Chinese restaurants and cookbooks usually refer to plain white rice as steamed. Confusingly, it is sometimes known as boiled rice. In fact the Chinese method of cooking rice involves a stage of boiling, followed by a period of steaming.

According to experts, soaking rice before boiling it enhances its nutritional value by facilitating better absorption of the grains' vitamins and minerals by the digestive system. Additionally, soaked rice cooks more quickly and develops a lovely puffed texture, preserving the rice's aromatic qualities.

On the Stove (No Soaking Required)

Drain. Add the 1 ¼ cups of water to the rinsed sushi rice. Place over high heat and bring to a boil with the lid off. Next, cover and reduce to the lowest setting for 15 minutes.

"So that's why [South Asian people] always tend to wash the rice first and then, after that, it soaks [in order] for the rice to expand."

For even and rapid cooking of sushi rice, it's essential to soak them for about an hour before cooking. It helps sushi rice to soak enough moisture that helps them become tender easily upon cooking.