Even though grains are boiled in water or broth until tender and fluffy, they require an earlier round of rinsing, says Caitlin Hoff, a health and safety investigator. “Grains like rice, quinoa, or barley should be rinsed thoroughly with cold water before cooking to remove excess starches, dirt, and germs,”Read More →

The National Institutes of Health report that most rinse-aid is completely biodegradable, and while it is neither carcinogenic nor dangerous if used properly, it can cause eye and skin irritation following prolonged exposure and should not be ingested, of course. Can you use dishwasher pods with a septic system? DishwasherRead More →

The liquid that you cook your pasta in is full of starch that the pasta has expelled, making it a great liquid to help thicken up a sauce. … In other words, you should rinse your cooked pasta if you’re using it for a cold pasta salad or a chilledRead More →

If the grains aren’t washed before cooking, this residual starch will gelatinize in the hot cooking water and make the cooked grains of rice stick to each other. In some instances, such as sticky rice varieties like glutinous rice and arborio rice, this can lead to a very gummy texture.Read More →

Noodles destined for room temperature or cold dishes benefit from a rinse. When noodles cool down, they can clump and taste pasty; rinsing them keeps them loose and arrests the cooking process so they don’t go limp. Should you pour cold water on pasta? Because starch needs to be heatedRead More →

Soaking, fermenting or sprouting your grains before cooking them will neutralize the phytic acid and release the enzyme inhibitors, thus making them much easier to digest and making the nutrients more assimilable. Can teff be eaten uncooked? “You can also cook it so it’s crunchy, which is nice in salads.”Read More →