Do you need to wash rice before cooking?
One of the best ways to wash rice is to use a good-quality stainless steel rice washing bowl with specially designed perforations and a baffle. This allows the rice to be washed thoroughly while making it easy to drain away the starchy water.
A dedicated rice washing bowl can also make the process cleaner, easier and more hygienic than washing rice directly in the rice cooker inner bowl.
We sell our stainless steel Yum Asia rice washing bowl in the following regions:
Does all rice need to be washed?
No — not all rice needs to be washed before cooking.
Whether rice should be rinsed depends on the type of rice and how it has been processed. Some rice varieties benefit from thorough rinsing to remove excess surface starch, while others may cook better without extensive washing.
If you have rinsed a particular rice thoroughly but are still consistently getting a result that is too sticky or soft, try cooking a small batch without rinsing it. If the rice cooks better without washing, you may simply have a type or batch of rice that does not require rinsing.
Adjusting the water for your rice
The first time you cook a new type or brand of rice, it can be useful to treat it as a learning experience. Different varieties, brands and even batches of the same rice can behave differently during cooking.
After cooking, assess the texture and make a small adjustment to the water level next time:
If the rice is too soft or sticky, try using approximately 3–4 mm less water.
If the rice is too hard or dry, try using approximately 3–4 mm more water.
Small adjustments are usually all that is needed. Avoid making large changes to the water level, as even a relatively small difference can affect the final texture.
Once you have found the correct water level for your preferred rice, make a note of it and use the same measurement for future batches.