In cooking, rice is one of the indispensable staples on our daily dining table. When buying rice, we often hear the words "new rice" and "old rice", which also makes us wonder: which is softer and glutinous, new rice or old rice? Today, let's work together on this topic to uncover the secrets behind new rice and old rice.
The secret of Shinmi
New rice refers to rice that has been harvested and processed in the current year. Because it has just been harvested, new rice is rich in nutrients and contains more water and oil. The presence of these substances makes it easier for new rice to absorb water and swell when cooking, resulting in a soft and glutinous taste. In addition, the surface of the new rice grains is smoother and more sticky, which is another reason for its soft and glutinous taste.
Characteristics of aged rice
In contrast to new rice, aged rice refers to rice that has been stored for a longer period of time. With the extension of storage time, the moisture and oil content in the aged rice will gradually decrease, resulting in the surface of the rice grains becoming dry and rough. When cooked, aged rice has a weaker ability to absorb water and is less sticky, so it has a relatively rough taste. However, if the aged rice is stored properly and there are no problems such as mildew, the taste can also be improved with some cooking techniques.
How to choose soft glutinous rice?
In order to achieve a soft and glutinous taste in cooking, we can choose new rice or do some processing of old rice before cooking. For example, soaking aged rice for a period of time in advance can help it regain some of its moisture and stickiness; Adding an appropriate amount of cooking oil or glutinous rice during cooking can also increase the softness of the rice.
Summary
There is indeed a certain difference in taste between new rice and old rice. New rice is softer and more glutinous due to its abundance of moisture and oil, while aged rice may have a rough taste due to too long storage. However, with the right selection and cooking methods, we can also bring out a new flavor to the aged rice. While enjoying the food, we should also cherish the hard-won grain of food and cherish the gifts of nature.