Perfect Way to Cook Japanese Rice (Using a Pot)

Japanese Rice is white, glossy, and has a sticky yet fluffy texture that offers a subtle sweetness when you take a bite. While there are numerous types of rice available worldwide, I highly recommend trying authentic Japanese rice when you enjoy Japanese cuisine.

Jump to:

• What is Japanese rice
• Types of rice
• Procedure for cooking
• Cooking methods
• Ultimate tips on how to make
• Ingredients
• Step-by-step instructions
• Recipe Card

What is Japanese rice

Japanese Rice is classified as short-grain rice and is characterized by its sticky yet fluffy texture. Compared to rice from other countries, it differs not only in texture, but also in shape and taste. Japanese rice has a rounded, oval shape and a subtle sweetness.

Since Japanese cuisine often consists of "rice and dishes that complement it," rice is an essential part of the Japanese diet. Although Japan relies heavily on importing food products from abroad, the self-sufficiency rate of rice is maintained at nearly 100%. That's how significant rice is in Japan.

Types of rice

Rice is broadly divided into three types: long-grain, medium-grain, and short-grain. The short-grain rice consumed in Japan is further classified into approximately 300 varieties, including Koshihikari, Akitakomachi, Sasanishiki, and Kinuhikari, each having different flavors and textures.

To truly experience authentic Japanese cuisine, I recommend purchasing these types of Japanese rice. If it's difficult to find, opt for short-grain or medium-grain rice that closely resembles the texture of Japanese rice. When using other types of rice, such as for making onigiri (rice balls), the rice grains may not stick together as well.

It's also important to choose newly harvested or freshly milled rice. As time passes after milling, the distinct smell of rice gradually becomes stronger.

Procedure for cooking

The cooking method for Japanese rice mainly consists of the following steps:

Step 1: Rinse the rice.

Place a sieve over a bowl and rinse the rice with water. Rinse the rice several times, changing the water each time. This step is to remove impurities and bran from the rice. However, most commercially available milled rice today has almost no bran remaining, so you don't need to rinse the rice vigorously.

Step 2: Soak the rice in water.

Soak the rinsed rice in water for 30 minutes or more. This allows the water to penetrate the core of the rice, resulting in a fluffy texture when cooked.

Step 3: Cook the rice.

Cook the soaked rice slowly over low heat. It is important to cook the rice with the appropriate amount of water and time, and let it steam properly.

Cooking methods

In Japan, rice is commonly eaten, so most households have a "rice cooker" for cooking rice. With a rice cooker, you can efficiently cook rice without having to adjust the heat and time yourself. If you regularly cook Japanese dishes at home, you may want to consider purchasing a rice cooker.

However, if you value saving time over convenience, using a pot is a better option. With a pot, you can cook rice in about half the time it takes in a rice cooker.

Furthermore, if you want to make the ultimate fluffy rice, I recommend using a donabe (Japanese clay pot) or a hagama (broad-brimmed cooking pot for rice). They can heat the rice more evenly, resulting in fluffier rice. Japanese restaurants that are particular about their rice often use these.

Ultimate tips on how to make

You can cook rice by following the steps outlined in the "Procedure for cooking" above, but there is an even more ultimate way to cook rice. What I am about to share is a method based on "Hachidaime Gihey (八代目儀兵衛)," a famous rice restaurant in Japan that always has a long line of customers. I believe it is one of the most delicious ways to cook Japanese rice. It contains information that even many Japanese people may not know, so I encourage everyone, including those experienced in rice cooking, to take a look.

• Rice should be rinsed gently to prevent it from cracking. For the first rinse, lightly stir it a few times. For the second rinse, grasp and release the rice as if you were holding a small rubber ball, and repeat this motion 30 times. From the third rinse onward, lightly stir it several times.
• The first batch of water used to rinse rice should be discarded immediately. The initial water used to rinse rice contains a lot of impurities from the rice, and if the rice is left soaking in that water for a long time, it will absorb the impurities, resulting in a loss of flavor.
• Avoid rinsing rice more than necessary. When rice is rinsed, the water becomes cloudy, which is due to the starch in the rice. Starch contributes to making rice taste sweet in the human mouth. If you rinse rice too many times, not only starch but also minerals, vitamins, and enzymes contained in the rice will be lost.
  Rinsing rice a total of 5 times is sufficient: lightly stir, gently rinse it as if you were grasping and releasing a small rubber ball 30 times, lightly stir, lightly stir, and lightly stir.
• Soak the rinsed rice in water for at least 6 hours in the refrigerator. If you soak the rice in water for over 30 minutes, the water will penetrate the core of the rice, but soaking it for more than 6 hours allows the rice to absorb even more water. The reason for refrigerating is that lower temperatures facilitate the absorption of water into the rice.
• Use soft water. Soft water with a hardness level of 20-40 is preferable for cooking rice, as it results in fluffier and sweeter rice. However, this preference is for those who strive to cook perfect rice. There's no need to be overly concerned about it for your daily meals.

Ingredients

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Japanese rice cooks well when the ratio of rice to water weight is 1:1.3 (or 1:1.4), or when the volume ratio is 1:1.1 (or 1:1.2).

Step-by-step instructions

🕒 Total 55 mins

Step 1
Place a sieve over a bowl, add the rice, and rinse it with water (not included in the recipe). Rinse the rice several times, changing the water each time.

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Step 2
Soak the rinsed rice in water (amount indicated in the recipe) in a pot for at least 30 minutes.

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Step 3
Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 10 minutes, or slightly longer for larger quantities (11 minutes for 4 servings, 12 minutes for 6 servings).

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Step 4
Turn off the heat and let it steam for 10 minutes with the lid still on.

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To Store

You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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