So I got too big for my culinary britches and bought a bag of Calrose rice at 99 Ranch Asian market and it cooks up in a very ‘sticky’ (sushi-style) consistency that doesn’t really go well in most dishes I’d want to make with it. What would be the best (if any) way to cook it so that it comes out more like ‘regular’ rice?
I’m not sure. I use that medium grain stuff either for sushi or puddings or as a sub in paella, and sometimes for risotto.
Maybe excessive rinsing would help? I’m not sure.
See what others say.
P.S. I know it’s a typo, but the notion of you fighting a bag of rice is still a fun imagined visual!
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Best bet is to buy another bag of “non sticky” rice.
One tedious way to do it is to cook up a batch of the rice, then leave it overnight in the fridge uncovered. The next day the rice should be less sticky, but also very dry. Good for things like fried rice, and perhaps congee or porridge (but that would defeat your purpose). But if you reheated it in a microwave (on high, now water added), it will be less sticky, but quite dry I fear.
But really, it’s rice, just go buy another bag and save the Calrose for its intended purpose.
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Dumb question, but are you rinsing the rice until the water is clear?
Calrose is essentially domestic sushi rice - so I take it you didn’t actually want sushi rice then…
As @ChristinaM said, rinse tlll clear, and you can also leave it for a while after that, which I find helps texture.
The only other thing I can think of is to sauté the rice (after rinsing till clear and letting it sit for 10-30 mins which will dry it out again) - with any other kind of rice that helps the grain stay separate later, so it may help here too (I have never tried it, because I use calrose for sushi or other japanese preps).
Dumb answer: the instructions on the bag say to add water and let it sit for 15 minutes before boiling. Nothing about rinsing, though I am aware that rinsing is often part of the method with rice.
You need to review what you consider “regular rice”. Regular long grain is not regular short grain is not regular basmati. The classic result for each of these is different.
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I guess I’m looking for long grain rice texture though, from what I recall, basmati isn’t ‘sticky’ either.
correct
