How to Cook Perfect Japanese Rice

Rie McClenny is a food content creator, video host and cookbook author. Her debut cookbook “Make It Japanese” is now available wherever books are sold. Follow her on TikTok and Instagram!

When making Japanese food at home, perfect rice is a must. Below are 10 essential tips for cooking perfect Japanese rice in a Hexclad Rice Pot. 

1. The right rice is a must

Of the many different kinds of rice, short-grain is the most commonly used in Japanese cooking. You can easily find it at a Japanese grocery store. If you feel overwhelmed by the variety of Japanese short-grain rice, start with Koshihikari, one of the most popular cultivars of Japonica, a rice known for being sticky and slightly sweet. If you are shopping at a regular grocery store in the U.S., choose rice labeled, “sushi rice.”

Another alternative is medium-grain rice, such as Calrose. It is less sticky than short-grain sushi rice, so it is not ideal for making sushi. Medium-grain varieties are generally less expensive than short-grain rice, making Calrose (from brands like Nishiki) an affordable everyday white rice option in the United States.

2. Use a measuring cup or scale

The HexClad Rice Pot comes with a “go,” or Japanese rice measuring cup. 

1-Go or ¾ cup (150 grams) rice plus 200 ml water 

2-Go or 1½ cups (300 grams) rice plus 400 ml water

3-Go or 2¼ cups rice (450 grams) plus 600 ml water

If you’re used to using imperial measurements (aka cups), this is a good time to check the milliliter markings on the side of your measuring cup. (These are clearly marked on the HexClad go). This will help you hit the right ratio of rice to water for perfect rice. Generally, you want the water to be about 1.2 times the volume of the rice (1:1.2 rice to water ratio by volume).

If you’ve lost your rice cup, use a scale instead. Measure the rice by weight and add water equal to 1.4 times the rice’s weight (1:1.4 rice to water ratio by weight).

If you don’t have a measuring cup or a scale, you can roughly eyeball the water. Level the rice evenly in the pot, then gently place your middle finger on top of the rice. Add water until the water reaches about the first knuckle of your middle finger.

3. Use filtered water for every step 

Short-grain rice is dry, so it absorbs the very first water it comes into contact with most easily. I recommend using filtered water when you wash and soak rice. 

4. Wash rice two to three times

Removing starch is not the reason we wash short-grain rice. When rice is milled, rice bran and fine powder (nuka) remain on the surface. Washing rice is mainly to remove this residual bran and powder, which can cause off flavors, muddiness, or an overly sticky, dull texture. Japanese short-grain rice is washed primarily to remove bran residue and surface powder, not to eliminate its natural starch. (Starch is what makes Japanese rice glossy and slightly sticky.)

Back in the day, milling wasn’t perfect, so washing rice was more important. Nowadays, rice is milled much better, so the number of times you wash it is mostly a matter of personal preference. I usually rinse rice two to three times before cooking. The water doesn’t need to be crystal clear—slightly cloudy is perfectly fine.

5. Soak rice well

Soaking rice is just as important as washing it. You’ll want to soak it for about 30 minutes in the summer, since rice grains absorb water more quickly in warmer temperatures. In the winter, soak for 40 minutes to 1 hour. If your rice bag has a sticker that says “shinmai” (new crop), less soaking time is needed. Think: about 30 minutes.

After soaking with filtered water in a mixing bowl, drain the rice using a mesh sieve or colander. Then add water: use a 1:1.2 rice-to-water ratio by volume, or 1:1.4 by weight. If you’re cooking new crop rice, you can reduce the ratio to 1:1.

6. Get a rolling boil going

Place your HexClad Rice Pot over medium-high heat and cook until water reaches a full boil, not just a simmer. You should see large bubbles through the lid. Once water is boiling and bubbles are visible, reduce heat to low and cook until rice has absorbed all water, 12 to 15 minutes. If the surface of the rice still looks wet after 15 minutes, continue cooking, checking every minute until its surface is no longer wet. Then turn off the heat.

7. Don’t open the lid!

Once the rice is boiling, don’t open the lid. Luckily, the HexClad Rice Pot comes with a glass lid, so you can check inside without lifting it.

If you want to create a crispy bottom, raise the heat to medium-high after 15 minutes of simmering the rice and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. You should hear a cracking sound and smell a toasted aroma. 

8. Steam rice after cooking (and don’t open that lid!)

Once the rice is cooked, the process isn’t over. You still need to steam it. After turning off the heat, let the rice steam for 10 minutes. Steaming allows moisture to distribute evenly throughout the grains, resulting in a glossy, fluffy texture. Be careful not to lift the lid while it’s steaming, as doing so releases heat and steam, which can lower the temperature and dry out the rice.

9. Fluff rice with a wet spatula

Wet your spatula before mixing the rice to prevent it from sticking. Freshly cooked rice has excess moisture on the surface of the grains. If left untouched without fluffing, this surface moisture can soften the rice, causing the grains to stick together and clump, which negatively affects the texture. By fluffing the rice immediately after cooking, the excess moisture evaporates, giving the rice a glossy appearance and a more pleasant texture.

10. Freeze leftover rice

Cooked rice freezes beautifully. Portion leftover rice into single servings, wrap each portion in plastic wrap, and freeze. You can microwave the rice later, and it will be almost as good as freshly cooked. I usually defrost it just enough to peel off the plastic wrap (the rice is still frozen at this point), place it in a bowl, and reheat in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes.

Perfect Japanese Rice

Total time: 45 minutes, plus soaking
Serves: 4

2-Go (about 1½ cups/300 grams) short-grain Japanese rice or sushi rice
400 ml (15 oz/1¾ cups plus 2 Tbsp) filtered water, plus more for soaking

1. Place rice in HexClad Rice Pot. Add enough filtered water to cover rice. Shape fingers into a claw and gently swish rice. Tilt pot and discard cloudy water. Repeat this process 2 to 3 times. Drain rice in a fine-mesh strainer.

2. Return rice to HexClad Rice Pot and add filtered water. Cover and soak 30 minutes in summer or 1 hour in winter. If you are using new crop rice, soak for 30 minutes.

3. Bring to a boil over medium-high until water reaches a rolling boil and large bubbles are visible through glass lid, 5 to 7 minutes.

4. Reduce heat to low and cook until water has evaporated, 12 to 15 minutes. Do not remove lid. Turn off heat and let rice steam for 10 minutes with lid on.

5. Remove lid. Using a wet spatula, fluff rice.