How to Cook Japanese Rice in a Pot on the Stove

1. Before You Start: Please note that Japanese short-grain white rice requires a soaking time of 20–30 minutes. The rice-to-water ratio is 1 to 1.1 (or 1.2) for short-grain white rice. The ratio for brown rice is different; to learn more, read how to cook short-grain brown rice in a rice cooker or Instant Pot.Also note that ¾ cup (150 g, 1 rice cooker cup) of uncooked Japanese short-grain rice yields 2¼ cups (330 g) of cooked rice. This is enough for 2 Japanese rice bowls (typically 150 g each) or 3 onigiri rice balls (typically 110 g each). 1 cup of cooked rice weighs about 5.3 oz (150 g).
2. How to Measure: Overfill a plastic rice cooker cup (or use a ¾-cup measure) with uncooked short-grain rice and level it off. Put the rice in a large bowl. Repeat until you have the measured amount of rice needed. For this recipe, I measured 2¼ cups (3 rice cooker cups) of short-grain white rice. Tip: Without leveling it off, your rice will not have enough water to cook properly.

To Wash the Rice

1. Quick Rinse: Add just enough tap water to the bowl to submerge the rice. Then, discard the water immediately. Tip: Rice absorbs water very quickly when you start rinsing, so this quick rinse helps remove impurities from the rice and prevent it from absorbing the first few rounds of milky water.
2. Wash: Next, use your fingers to gently agitate the wet rice grains in a circular motion for 10–15 seconds. Don‘t use a strainer as it can break the rice. Tip: Using very little water allows the grains to rub against each other. It also reduces the absorption of impurities from the milky water.
3. Rinse: Add tap water and immediately discard the cloudy water. Repeat one more time.
4. Repeat the Wash and Rinse process (steps 2 and 3) one to two more times.
5. Drain: When the water is almost clear, drain the rice completely.
6. Use a fine-mesh sieve to drain and shake off any excess water. Do not leave it for more than 5 minutes as it can easily get too dry.

To Soak the Rice

1. Put the well-drained rice and measured water in a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid. For example, if you‘re cooking 2¼ cups uncooked Japanese short-grain white rice (3 rice cooker cups), add 2½ cups water (600 ml). Soak the rice for 20–30 minutes before cooking.

To Cook the Rice

1. Cover the pot with a lid slightly ajar and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Take a quick peek to see if the water is boiling.
2. Once the water is boiling, turn the heat to low and cook, tightly covered, for 12–13 minutes.
3. When it‘s done cooking, open the lid and take a quick peek to check if the water is completely absorbed. If there‘s water left, close the lid and cook for a little longer.

To Steam the Rice

1. Remove from the stove and let it steam with the lid on for another 10 minutes. Tip: This resting period is crucial for the rice to steam properly. Resist the urge to peek under the lid and release the steam during this time. After 10 minutes, uncover the pot and fluff the rice with a rice paddle. It‘s now ready to serve.

To Store

1. Transfer the rice to airtight containers and close the lids to keep the moisture in. Let cool completely before storing the containers in the freezer (read my tutorial post on how to freeze rice).