Steaming rice, something many people have done, but many think it's just a matter of adding water. Often, the cooked rice ends up either too watery or too dry, or not fragrant enough. So, how do you steam rice properly?
Rice
Rinsing the rice many times. Many people rinse rice four or five times, scrubbing and washing as if trying to peel off a layer. This method is highly undesirable as it easily leads to the loss of water-soluble nutrients. During the rinsing process, you don't need to run water continuously. Simply stir and wash the rice in a basin 1-2 times to remove obvious dust, then gently rub it once more with your hands. Additionally, pre-washed rice has had sand, stones, and dust removed during processing and can be cooked directly.
Not paying attention to the amount of water added. Many people don't pay attention to the amount of water when steaming rice, resulting in rice that is either too soft or too hard. To avoid this, it's important to measure the water correctly. If steaming white rice, the ratio of rice to water is 1:1.2 to 1.4, with the water generally 2-4 centimeters higher than the rice being suitable. If adding coarse grains like purple rice, sorghum, or millet to the rice, you should add more water appropriately, as coarse grains are very "thirsty".
Uncovering the pot immediately after steaming. Normally, when the rice cooker "trips," it means the rice is cooked. However, if you open the lid to serve the rice at this moment, you'll find the top layer is very mushy, while a layer of scorched rice is firmly stuck to the bottom. This scorched rice cannot be served and is difficult to clean. The correct method is: after the heating switch switches to the keep-warm switch, do not unplug it immediately. Let it stay in keep-warm mode for 5 minutes. After unplugging, let the rice continue to steam for another 5 minutes. This way, the rice will have a better texture and is less likely to stick to the pot.
Finally, let me share a little trick to make your rice even more delicious. Before putting on the lid, drizzle some cooking oil (olive oil or soybean oil will do) and a few drops of vinegar over the rice. The oil will make the cooked rice glossy and distinct in grains. The vinegar not only helps preserve vitamins but also makes the steamed rice soft and fragrant.
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