Are there reasons to wash rice before cooking? Or is it just a practice inherited from grandmothers, who did it to cleanse it of impurities?
The truth is that there are reasons to rinse rice with water before cooking it. Some have to do with the dish to be prepared, while others are to wash it and eliminate or at least reduce its natural arsenic content.
Whether or not to rinse rice is one of those controversial topics that is difficult to agree on. Those who are especially concerned about health will do well to always wash it, whatever the recipe they are going to prepare. Although they run the risk that the final result will not be as they expected.
The reason is that it is proven that rice naturally contains inorganic arsenic and that it is carcinogenic. Studies have been done, and continue to be done, to determine its danger. And according to current information, the US Food Drug Administration (FDA) levels are too low to cause short-term harm.
The amount it contains is different depending on the varieties and growing areas, and will also affect more or less depending on how much and how often it is eaten.
That is why they recommend that it be washed in countries where it is the basis of the diet, such as Asia, many places in South America and Africa. Another tip is to boil it with five or six times the amount of water. There are also detractors of this practice, equally concerned about health, who consider, and it seems to be the case, that water affects some of its nutrients, although not in a dramatic way.
On the other hand, in the case of brown rice, that is, the one that preserves the bran layer that surrounds the grain, there are those who believe that if it is left to soak it is more digestible and more nutritious because the humidity causes the grain to begin to germinate and release nutrients.
The question changes if you look at it from a culinary perspective. In that case, the motivations for rinsing or not rinsing the rice are very different. It is about seeing what effects it has on the different species and on the dishes that are cooked with it.
Everything is related to starch, a component very present in that cereal. Depending on the amount it contains, it will produce one effect or another in cooking. Too much starch results in grains that are more stuck together and more creamy; If it is little, the rice is looser and drier.
As not all varieties of rice have the same amount, when deciding on a preparation it will be necessary to consider what type is used.
The most common in Spain is medium grain rice, which is distinguished because it has a kind of pearl inside that is somewhat whiter than the rest and which is its starch reserve. It promotes the absorption of water during cooking, and with it the flavors provided by meats, fish or vegetables. It is not very common to wash it before using it for a paella, but it does not hurt either, because excess starch does not benefit it.
On the other hand, if what you intend is to make a rice casserole, which is a little more calloused and creamy or a honeyed one, starch is suitable, although not in excess. One of the best-known varieties of this is the pump, whose name is due to the fact that it has a great capacity to absorb liquids and swells without breaking.
For this reason, the starch remains enclosed, which prevents it from sticking and encourages the grains to remain loose. Hence, it is one of the most suitable for paella, although it takes a little longer to cook and requires a greater amount of water.
But if you ask an Italian if you have to wash the rice before preparing a risotto, they will shake their heads, because if there is one thing needed to achieve its creamy texture, it is to maintain all the starch it contains. For the same reasons, you should not wash the rice if you want to prepare a traditional rice pudding for dessert or a pudding or any other recipe that requires creaminess.
Therefore, to make this and the risotto, the Arborio or Carnaroli varieties are recommended, both rich in that substance so typical of the cereal.
On the contrary, sushi rice requires a washing process that the Japanese have turned into a ritual. It is not enough, they warn, to put it in a colander and let the water run over it, because it would not clean all the grains.
The procedure consists of putting the rice in a bowl large enough so that the water covers it completely. Then you gently pass your hand between the grains, as if caressing them, for a few seconds so that they release the starch. Then drain it, fill the bowl with water again and repeat the operation three, four or as many times as necessary until it comes out almost transparent.
Long rice needs the least soaking, because it contains less starch. Although depending on its origin, it is advisable to do so to clean it of possible impurities.
It is usually simply boiled, for salads or as an accompaniment, because since it has little starch, it is very loose. For this same reason, it is not worth cooking it together with ingredients such as meat or vegetables, because it has little absorption capacity and does not retain the flavors.
You can check this by trying to make a rice casserole or a paella with this variety. The result is most disappointing. The best known are basmatio and jasmine, used especially in Hindu and oriental cuisine.
