How To Make Japanese Rice

In Japan, rice is an important part of their diet. Rice can be found for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is a typical dish in the Japanese dietary culture. Making Japanese rice is not hard, and it doesn’t have many steps either to make it. To make Japanese rice, you only need a batch of rice, some water, and a rice cooker.

Having a belief that a Japanese cuisine is an art form, the use of cooking utensils should not be ignored. It can sometimes be

challenging to find the right tools for the job, but some essentials are worth having. 

One of these pieces is a Japanese rice cooker that will enable you to cook your sushi or just plain rice in a much more convenient manner than by using an electric stovetop or on the stove. Below you will find a step-by-step guide about how to make Japanese rice in a rice cooker.

The post may contain affiliate links. For more information, check my disclosure.

What You’ll Need

You will need a rice cooker which you can find here. Capacity, which reflects the size of the rice pot. Most rice cookers will have water measuring capacity of about one-third of the cooking capacity. For example, a standard model has a 16 glass, 1.8 liters (1.5 gallons) capacity. However, many are made to hold more than one hundred ounces in a little larger 6-liter (5 gallons) model that is also available.

Another helpful feature is the measuring cup to fill a coffee cup to complete to make an exact amount for one meal or tea.

Related: How To Cook Spaghetti Squash
Related: How To Cook Quinoa
Related: How To Cook Jasmine Rice

How To Make Japanese Rice: 4 Easy Steps

Step 1

Wash the rice. You will want to use a special mesh sieve that can run under the tap water to rinse any dust or chaff off the grains. You can also use a cloth sieve for this process. Then, drain the water and place it in a bowl with enough fresh water to cover them completely and soak for at least 30 minutes. 

The more you soak, the softer your rice will be when cooked (however, it will take longer to cook). This is an essential process that softens the bran on top to not come out hard and scratchy when you cook it.

Step 2

Place the ratio of water to rice into the cooker, soaking in a cool place. Don’t boil, it will kill the nutrients and make your rice soggy. The water should be around one-third full, but you need to check the instructions on your model before doing this. Also, check your rice cooker for a “ratio” setting; some machines have both white and brown settings. 

The liquid setting may be closer to brown rice than white. When finished with the soaking, you can start preheating your cooker. This is done by turning on the power or electric element to measure how much energy is needed for cooking purposes (such as in an electric stovetop).

Step 3

When the cooker is at the right temperature, put the rice in. If your cooker has a setting for cooking time (usually between one to three hours), you might want to use it. However, for a more traditional cooking method, just put on the lid and turn it on to cook.

Check periodically with a wooden chopstick or knife until the rice is not sticky. When you pull out the grain and chew it easily without much effort. The rice should be at its best when cooked with as little moisture as possible to be soft but not soggy. Feel free to add more water if needed but make sure that you stir often. 

When you have achieved the desired texture, turn off the heat and let it sit until it is cooled. If you are serving Japanese rice with sushi, toss in a little vinegar, sugar, and salt before serving.

Step 4

Put your rice away in one of the nice Japanese storage containers available so that it will stay fresh for up to three months. This familiar food can be eaten by itself or many other dishes such as stir-fried vegetables or even curry sauce.

How To Make Japanese Rice In Instant Pot

Making rice in the Instant pot is not as complicated as cooking rice on the stove, but it requires little practice. It’s easy to make perfectly cooked grains of Japanese-style rice. Here’s how:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine 1/3 cup of regular white rice with 2 1/2 cups water.
2. Measure out your spices and add them to this mixture.
3. Cover this and microwave for 5 minutes. Drain off the water that gathers at the bottom of your bowl and replace it with about two tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat.
4. Add in the rice and stir. Cook for about 20 to 30 minutes until done. The texture should be firm and chewable but not mushy.

How To Cook Japanese Rice In Pot

Rice is one of the most eaten foods globally, and it’s also one of the simplest to cook. All you need is a pot, some rice, water, and time. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to cook Japanese rice (known as kome) using a pot:

1. Rinse 1 cup of uncooked short-grain rice under cold water until the water runs clear. (This process removes excess starch and makes for better-tasting rice.) 
2. Wash the pot you’ll use to cook the rice in and add 2 cups of water.
3. Add the rinsed rice into the pot and soak for 10 minutes. 
4. Put on high heat and stir up once or twice as soon as it starts to boil. 
5. Once fully boiled, reduce heat to medium-low, cover with a lid and cook until all the water has been absorbed (about 15 minutes). 
6. Fluff rice with a fork and check if the rice has turned glutinous (sticky) and “mochi-like” (very soft and mellow-tasting). If not, turn the heat up to high again, boil for another minute or so, and repeat. 

Now, you have delicious Japanese rice (kome) ready to use. To eat, add a small pinch of salt and some soy sauce (optional) along with cooked kome. You can also steam vegetables and meat in the rice while it’s still warm for extra flavor. If you don’t want to heat the pot, you’ll cook the kome in, place the rice in a clean pot before adding it to boiling water.

Related: Beef Risotto Pressure Cooker Recipe
Related: Turkey Risotto Recipe

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions