Let us explain the steps for cooking delicious rice using an iron rice pot.
The product we used:
1. Preparations
First, prepare the rice for cooking.
Wash rice
Wash the milled rice in water. Do not add too much power, but stir the rice by hand and wash it under running water. Once the water becomes cloudy, discard it, fill it with fresh water, and rinse it further. Repeat three times.
Drain water
Place the washed rice in a colander and leave it for 5 minutes to drain thoroughly. The next step is to soak the rice, but draining the water thoroughly at this stage will make it easier to correctly weigh the water to be used.
Soak rice
Place 1.2 times as much water as rice in the iron rice pot with the washed rice. Soak rice for about 30 minutes in summer and 1 hour in winter. It enables the rice to absorb water, making it fluffy and easier to cook. Do not soak the pot for more than one hour, as the pot will rust easily if soaked for too long.
2. Cook Rice
Next, cook the rice using an iron rice pot.
Put a pan on the fire
Place over low heat for the first minute, then turn the heat to medium.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low
Keep the heat on medium and when it comes to a boil and steam comes out through the lid, reduce the heat to low and let it cook for 15 minutes. Ideally, steam should always be coming out of the gap in the lid.
Never open the lid of the pot until the rice has finished cooking. The temperature and pressure in the pot will drop drastically, and the rice will not cook fluffy.
Turn off the heat and let it steam
After 15 minutes over low heat, turn off the heat and leave it to steam for another 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Preserving Rice
Here are some ways to preserve cooked rice for good flavor.
Use a Ohitsu (Wooden container for cooked rice)
Cooked rice can be stored in a Ohitsu to keep it tasty. Wooden Ohitsu absorbs a moderate amount of steam from the rice, which not only prevents the rice from drying out, but also prevents the rice from becoming soggy due to humidity.
However, if left at room temperature for an extended period of time, there is a risk of food poisoning, so be sure to eat it as soon as possible. As a rule, it should be eaten the same day it is cooked. Please note that in high summer temperatures or in a room with a high room temperature, bacteria may grow in a few hours.
Delicious rice cooked in an iron rice pot
Nambu cast iron rice cooker casseroles are characterized by its high heat storage capacity due to the thick skin, which allows them to cook softly, delicious rice without uneven heat. The aroma and sweetness of rice are especially noticeable with starchy japonica rice popular in Japan, such as Koshihikari, Sasanishiki, Hitomebore, and Akita Komachi. When you enjoy Japanese food, please try delicious rice cooked with an iron rice pot.
