The Magic of a Few Grains of Salt: Transforming Rice with a Simple Ingredient

21 March, 2025

In our daily lives, rinsing rice is a familiar step before cooking it. However, not many people know that simply adding a few grains of salt during this process can bring about several benefits for both our health and the rice grains themselves. So, what are the advantages of adding salt while rinsing rice? Let’s explore them in detail below.

A Simple Trick with Salt for Better Rice

1. Helps Clean the Rice

Adding a pinch of salt while rinsing the rice creates a natural antibacterial environment, removing impurities and microorganisms that may still be present on the rice grains. This method ensures cleaner rice, reducing the risk of digestive disorders or food poisoning.

2. Results in Whiter and Shinier Rice Grains

When salt is added during the rice rinsing process, it helps eliminate excess impurities, resulting in whiter, shinier, and more appealing rice grains after cooking. Additionally, this method helps retain the natural delicious flavor of the rice.

3. Enhances the Flavor of the Rice

Salt not only helps address the issue of bland, insipid, or fibrous rice, but it also enhances the flavor of the cooked rice. A small amount of salt will make the rice taste better without altering its natural flavor significantly.

4. Helps Preserve the Rice for Longer

Salt is a natural preservative, effective in inhibiting the growth of bacteria and mold. When salt is added during the rice rinsing process, the cooked rice is less likely to spoil or deteriorate over an extended period. This is especially useful during hot weather or when there is no refrigerator available.

5. Eliminates Unpleasant Odors from the Rice Cooker

Salt helps neutralize unpleasant odors, particularly musty or moldy smells in the rice cooker. After rinsing the rice, washing the rice cooker with diluted salt water will help eliminate most of the unwanted odors, keeping it clean and fresh.

6. The Right Way to Rinse Rice with Salt

Step 1: Place the rice in a pot or basin.
Step 2: Add just enough water to submerge the rice.
Step 3: Sprinkle a small amount of salt onto the rice (approximately 1/4 teaspoon of salt per bowl of rice).
Step 4: Gently rinse the rice to remove any external impurities.
Step 5: Drain the water and replace it with fresh water for cooking.

The habit of adding a few grains of salt while rinsing rice may seem insignificant, but it offers surprising benefits. If you want whiter, tastier, and more hygienic rice that is also easier to preserve, start incorporating this little trick into your daily life!

Common Mistakes to Avoid for Better-Tasting Rice

– Rinsing rice too many times: Over-rinsing rice can remove the rice bran, which contains many vitamins and minerals, resulting in mushy rice that has lost its natural sweetness.

– Using hot water to rinse rice: Hot water causes the gelatin in the rice to expand, making the cooked rice more likely to become mushy. It is recommended to use warm or cold water for rinsing rice.

– Not rinsing the rice thoroughly: Rice that is not properly cleaned may still contain dirt, sand, or small stones, affecting the taste and quality of the cooked rice.

– Insufficient water: Too little water can result in undercooked, hard, or dry rice.

– Excessive water: Too much water can lead to mushy, overcooked rice that is more prone to spoilage.

– Not adjusting the water quantity according to the type of rice: Different types of rice require different water ratios. Be sure to read the instructions on your rice cooker or consult guides specific to the type of rice you are using to get the right water quantity.

– Not soaking the rice before cooking: Soaking rice before cooking allows the grains to absorb water evenly, resulting in softer and tastier rice. Soaking times vary depending on the type of rice: Regular white rice: 30 minutes – 1 hour, Glutinous rice: 2 hours – 4 hours, Brown rice: 4 hours – 8 hours.

– Cooking rice over high heat: It is recommended to cook rice over medium heat and then reduce to low heat once it starts boiling, continuing to cook until the rice is fully cooked.

– Opening the lid of the rice cooker while cooking: Doing so allows steam to escape, causing the rice to become mushy and affecting its flavor.

– Only open the lid of the rice cooker when the rice is fully cooked.

– Resting the cooked rice allows it to absorb the remaining moisture, resulting in more evenly cooked and sticky rice.

– Rest the cooked rice for 10-15 minutes after it’s done cooking.

A Simple Trick with Salt for Better Rice