Instant rice is pre-cooked and dehydrated, making it quicker to prepare than traditional rice. It has tiny crevices that allow boiling water to reach the center faster. While some criticize its taste and nutritional value, it is a good option when time is limited or cooking space is limited.
Traditional rice can often take 20 minutes or more to prepare, but a quick-cooking version called instant rice can go from box to box in 5 minutes or less. Instant rice is actually standard rice that has been pre-cooked, then thoroughly dehydrated in a commercial oven until the moisture content is 12 percent or less. The instant rice is then packaged for retail sales or added to other dehydrated ingredients and seasonings to make flavored rice dishes.
Instant rice is not changed from its original grain form, just cooked and dehydrated. Traditional rice takes so long to cook because boiling water has to seep into the center of each grain of rice for perfect doneness. This would be the equivalent of boiling a thick vegetable like a potato. A boiled potato is only done when the center has been boiled soft, which can take a long time to make. Until a grain of rice has become completely gelatinous, it will remain slightly crunchy and unpleasant to eat.
The pre-cooking and dehydrating process creates tiny crevices and cracks in the instant rice grains, which makes it easier for the boiling water to reach the center. Instant rice also cooks much faster than traditional rice because the added water reconstitutes the dehydrated grains. Some brands of instant rice can be fully reconstituted in as little as two to three minutes, but food experts suggest that instant rice should ideally take at least five minutes to prepare for maximum flavor.
Instant rice critics suggest that traditional rice is much tastier and more nutritious than the dehydrated variety. Rice cookers designed for home use can take the guesswork out of traditional rice preparation, and many meals already take more than twenty minutes to prepare, so instant rice isn’t strictly necessary to save time. Instant rice may be a better solution when time is limited or using a rice cooker isn’t an option. Packaged dry soups often contain instant rice to reduce cooking time and still produce a viable product.
There’s no reason not to use instant rice when traditional rice isn’t available or cooking space is limited. Instant rice can often be added directly to homemade soups or other recipes instead of being cooked in a separate pot and added later like traditional rice. Always store instant rice in a dry area away from any sources of moisture or humidity. Dried grains will absorb moisture and could ruin the box.
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