Q: Is washing rice prior to cooking necessary, or am I adding an unnecessary step?

A: Once upon a time, rice (like dried beans) had to be sorted through and rinsed before cooking to get rid of twigs, stones and dirt. Today's rice is processed in a cleaner manner, so the need to rinse rice to remove dirt is really no longer necessary.

Some cooks rinse long-grain white rice before cooking to remove excess starch. Removing the starch makes the rice cook more evenly and the end product will be less sticky. Rice in the United States is fortified with vitamins and minerals, including iron. Since this is usually applied in the form of a dusting of powder on the exterior of the rice, if you rinse the rice, you are rinsing away these enrichments as well. In the end, the choice to rinse is up to you, as neither way is "wrong."

Some specialty rice, such as basmati, is always rinsed and soaked before cooking to obtain separate, perfectly cooked grains. Some rice, such as arborio, which is prized for its starchiness in risotto, is never rinsed. If you're using a specialty rice, check the package for specific instructions.

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