How To Make The BEST Tasting Japanese Rice... On A Stove-Top!

Rice is an essential part of Japanese cuisine and can be enjoyed at its finest when it's cooked and stored well. How it's prepared makes a big difference for its flavor and aroma, but it may surprise you to know that excellent, sweet and satisfying rice can be cooked on a stove top, without the use of a rice cooker!

A local family of rice farmers in Japan shared their special technique for storing and cooking rice in a pot on a stove top. In Japanese culture, rice is cooked plain in only water, without adding any fat or salt to the cooking process. 

Once you try this method you may not go back to cooking rice in a rice cooker!

Recipe

Makes: 3-4 cups of cooked rice. Feel free to scale this recipe to make your desired quantity of rice.

What you will need:

• 300g Japanese short grain rice (1.5 US cups or 2 Japanese rice cups) 
• 360-380ml water (more water will result in softer rice)
• Medium sized pot and a lid (we recommend using an enamel pot or donabe if available)

Instructions:

1. Wash the rice with cold water and drain until the water is no longer murky.
2. Add it to a medium sized pot or donabe and soak the washed rice in 360-380ml of water for more than 30mins but not longer than 3hrs.
3. Cover with a lid and cook on a stove top on medium heat for 10 mins.
4. As you start to hear the lid vibrate, turn the heat down to low and allow the rice to simmer for another 10 mins. 
5. Turn off the heat and steam the rice with the lid on for 5-10 mins before serving. 
6. Fluff the rice and serve.

Storing

• Always store rice in a dark cool place avoiding direct sunlight or humidity. During the winter, this likely means in your pantry, but if you live in a warm environment, store your rice in the refrigerator during the summers. 
• Store in its original packaging and tie the bag tightly in order to avoid any contamination. 
• Best eaten within one month or 45 days of the package being opened.
• If you have leftover cooked rice, wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the freezer in order to prevent yellowing and drying.

We encourage you to compare this rice with that which is cooked in a rice cooker to taste the difference!

Meet the local family of rice farmers who shared this special technique with us: https://farm1739.com/

 Hi All! I am Miriam Weiss and am a mixed race Japanese/American passionate about promoting Japanese culture and all that it has to offer around the world. I grew up between Japan and California and was most recently living in Boston before moving to the Netherlands! I am excited to share my passion and knowledge with all of you!