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Every Indian recipe I see seems to insist on rinsing basmati rice before cooking it. Why, I have no idea, because I never rinse it, yet I can discern no difference between my rice and rice cooked by other people that have, presumably, spent the extra 15 minutes rinsing.

If the stickiness is the difference, as suggested in this thread, then I would suggest that not rinsing the rice would make eating rice-based thali a lot less traumatic because the grains would clump together more easily.

Community
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Doug
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6 Answers6

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I am wondering if the origin of this step in the recipe comes from recipes written in India, and have been copied over into western book without asking this questions.

I do know that many times in India, rice is stored in sacks with some kind of insecticide (usually boric acid) applied to it. So there's always a need to wash the rice before it's cooked.. So maybe this step comes from that..

notthetup
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Sometimes rice is polished using talcum powder, which is one reason you would need to rinse it. Another reason would be to get rid of extra starch. The extra starch cause the rice to clump and stick, which isn't what you are looking for with basmati rice. Normally you just rinse it until the water runs clear.

John Roberts
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Rinsing is a matter of personal taste. The idea is that it removes excess starch from the rice, which if left in can result in a 'gloopy' consistency.

I'm not sure why anyone would spend 15 minutes doing it though - I rinse my rice about six times (fill the saucepan, tip it out, repeat).

ElendilTheTall
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    Yeah, 15 minutes seems a bit much, unless you're rinsing each grain individually or something. :) – bikeboy389 May 12 '11 at 20:44
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    15 *seconds* is more like it. – Aaronut May 12 '11 at 22:06
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    Well, I've always been taught by many Indians to rinse it in a sieve till the water runs clear, ie. the loose starch is gone. That usually takes a good minute. – Orbling May 12 '11 at 22:45
  • I was utilizing hyperbole! It just feels like 15 minutes. – Doug May 13 '11 at 12:41
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    Hyper-bowl? Is that some kind of new kitchen gadget? ;) – ElendilTheTall May 13 '11 at 13:08
  • fyi from wikipedia: Hyperbole (play /haɪˈpɜrbəliː/ hy-pur-bə-lee;[1] Greek: ὑπερβολή, 'exaggeration') is the use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device or figure of speech. It may be used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, but is not meant to be taken literally. – Doug May 15 '11 at 03:13
  • Lol. I know what hyperbole is (and how it's pronounced), I was joking! – ElendilTheTall May 15 '11 at 09:04
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    and I upped the ante! – Doug May 15 '11 at 23:48
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Basmati rice is supposed to flow freely though, if it clumps, you are using it against the norm and should probably stick with a stickier rice.

Usually Basmati is used Pilau style, or in a Biryiani, then the grains are slightly coated in some form of fat (oil, ghee, etc), so the starch you would definitely want rid of.

Orbling
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I have never washed any rice before cooking and every grain is perfect and separate. Perhaps its the way I cook rice. I put a little oil in the pan, sauté for a few minutes, then add the water and salt, mix it and cover until its ready. Always perfect.

Char
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I used to rinse basmati rice prior to cooking by steaming in a closed pot. Then I got fed up and couldn't be bothered. Nothing changed - the rice remains fluffy.

rdt2
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