Japanese Method of Cooking Rice
Ingredients
Directions
The book gives no cooking times; the times in the steps were added in transcription, so check for doneness rather than trusting the clock.
Prepare the rice
Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes.
Drain the rice and add fresh water in a 1:1 ratio.
Cook and rest
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover.
Cook for 15-20 minutes until water is absorbed.
Remove from heat and let it sit covered for 10 minutes before serving.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Rice
- Starch that absorbs water and swells, forming the tender, sticky texture of the cooked grains.
- Water
- Hydrates the rice starch during soaking and cooking, so the grains soften evenly as they steam.
The step that matters
Covered low-heat cooking. Once the water boils, keeping the lid on and the heat low traps steam so the rice cooks through evenly. Lifting the lid lets steam escape and can leave grains hard or unevenly cooked.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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