How to adjust for humidity when making rice?
Years ago, I ate at Sushi Yasuda in New York. After I went, I was reading up on the chef, and an article about him mentioned that he accounted for air humidity while making his sushi rice. Wow! My kind of guy!
There is a 'how much water with your rice' conversation on this site, one that basically said "get a great Zojirushi," but I'd like to hear from an expert sushi rice cooker -- can anyone explain to me a formula or set of considerations for making really great sushi rice? I'm thinking of the sort of thing taught sushi chefs at the Japanese equivalent of the CIA, if there is such a thing.
Here is a link mentioning ambient humidity as a concern for rice cooking: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/msg13272.html
Best Answer
Dry rice will have more or less water content dependant on the ambient humidity. If you want to test how much you have to account for this, take some rice during a humid day, weight, dry in a 200F oven for a few hours and then weigh again.
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Does humidity affect rice cooking?
And starches tend to absorb humidity, so on very humid days you might need a touch less liquid, and on very dry days you might need a touch more, he adds. Cooking times tend to increase in higher elevations, as well.How do you reduce moisture in rice?
Problem: The rice is cooked but too wet. Solution: Uncover the pot and cook over low heat to evaporate the water. Or gently turn the rice out onto a baking sheet and dry it in a low oven.What is the fingertip rule for rice?
Place your fingertip on top of the rice and add water until it reaches your first knuckle. Cover the pot with a lid and bring the water to a boil. Turn the heat to low and cook for 18\u201320 minutes, until all the water is absorbed. (It's OK to check.)Why is my cooked rice sticky?
When the now starch-coated rice hits the boiling water, the starch blooms and gets sticky. As the water is absorbed, and the rice grains get closer and closer together, they will begin to stick to one anther and form large clumps. The very simple solution is to rinse.Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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