White rice
Refined rice, the most eaten staple food in Japanese cuisine
Details
Unpolished rice with the seed coat removed, leaving only grain. Primarily cooked in a rice cooker in Japan. Eaten with other dishes, or as is with a seasoned dried condiment for rice called furikake flakes sprinkled on top.
Nutrition
Aside from the fact that rice is made of 80% carbohydrates which help give the body energy, it also contains small amounts of protein and dietary fibers. Staple foods such as bread and noodles contain salt, while white rice does not.
Storage
Can be stored at room temperature in a cool, dark place when uncooked. Place 2-3 dried chili peppers together in the container as an insect repellent. Cooked white rice can be stored in the freezer for around 1 month if wrapped in separate small portions with plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container.
Trivia
Japan's culture of eating rice stretches back to ancient times, but polished white rice was only introduced in the Nara period (710-794). It was a high-class food reserved for the nobility during this period in Japan, while the general population ate rice with a lower degree of polishing or mixed with millet.
Cooking Basics
1.
Rinse off any rice bran from the surface of the rice and any rice starch that attached during polishing. As it causes oxidation and sliminess, and is readily absorbed by the rice, quickly pour out the first batch of water used to rinse the rice that is cloudy from the rice bran content. This process is made easier by using an all-purpose strainer and a bowl.
2.
Rinse the rice by stirring with your hand and then discard of this water. Repeat this step 2 to 3 times until the water becomes less cloudy. Be careful not to rinse too vigorously, as doing so will damage the rice grains.
3.
Leave the rice in the colander for about 30 minutes to absorb water.
4.
Place the rice into the inner pot of a rice cooker, add the indicated amount of water, and then steam.
Ingredients
- Rice
- 360 g (12.7 oz.)
- Water
- 340 ml (11.5 fl. oz.)
- Kombu/kelp (as desired)
- 5 cm (2 in.)
- Vinegar Mixture
- (4 Tbsp of rice vinegar, 2 Tbsp of sugar, 1 tsp of salt)
Directions
1
Rinse the rice.
2
Place the rice into a colander and let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
3
Transfer the rice into the inner pot of a rice cooker, add the indicated amount of water and kombu and cook as usual.
4
Prepare the vinegar mixture. Place the cooked rice into a bowl, pour the vinegar mixture over the rice and let sit for 1 minute.
5
Mix with a rice paddle while fanning with an uchiwa fan (paddle-shaped fan). Mix the rice in a manner as though breaking it apart to prevent it from becoming sticky and mushy. Once the rice has a glossy shine and is cooled, it is ready.
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50 minutes
583kcal
1.1g
