Rice is something of an enigma of grains. It’s both low in phytates and phytase (the enzyme that helps break down the phytates). That means that it doesn’t “have” to be soaked, which is why many people choose it when they need something fast. It’s still better to soak it, though. The method is somewhat strange, but, if you keep up with it, eventually over 95% of the phytates will be reduced.
Yes, eventually. It’s a multi-step method.
Luckily, this is not too difficult. It just requires time.
How to Soak Rice
Ingredients:
- Brown rice
- Filtered water
- Raw vinegar OR “old rice water”
Directions:
This is a two-step process, really. The first time you do it, you will use vinegar (I choose red wine, but you could choose apple cider, or really any type of acid). The second time, you will use the “old rice water” which I will explain below.
First, take brown rice and pour it into a glass bowl.
Then, add water and 1 tsp. acid per cup of rice. Set it in a warm place (warmth is necessary to reduce phytates).
Let this sit at least 7 hours; overnight is better. Now, here comes the trick! Pour about 1/2 c. of this soaking liquid into a small glass dish and save it until the next time you soak your rice.
Pour the rest of the liquid out and rinse the rice; cook as usual.
The next time that you soak rice, instead of adding vinegar, you will add this 1/2 c. of soaking liquid that you saved. Continue to save liquid after each time you soak it, and use that liquid (plus additional water) to soak your new batch of rice.
Research has shown that this method, after 4 “cycles,” will reduce almost all of the phytates. Pretty neat, huh?
How long will the old rice water keep?
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Cynthia, I have kept it in my fridge for up to a month, I think, with no issues. Hopefully if you make rice more often than that it should be good indefinitely. 🙂
I learned all about soaking rice a few weeks ago (I’d never done it before then). I now have a little routine of soakng beans & soaking rice at bedtime the night before I want to use them. So easy!
Can you do this with any type of rice (jasmine, basmati, sticky)? And do you have to keep the the different rice waters separate from each other. Or could you use the rice water from the jasmine rice for a batch of brown rice? I hope that makes sense.
Hi Jennifer,
I was just wondering if you ever got a reply to your post? I’d like to know if the different soaked rice water(s) are interchangeable?
I am not sure if you can do that, honestly. I would hesitantly say no, unless they were really similar (short vs. long grain brown rice for example).
Could you post source of research, please, about the phytates being reduced after 4 batches? I want to know why water from the old rice is helpful and what it is that makes it more efficient after each batch at removing more phytates, vs just using a fresh batch of water each time. Is there no way to reduce almost all the phytates if you’re just using new water and 1tsp. of an acid each time?
Thanks!
i was wondering the same! would love to read about it
https://www.kitchenstewardship.com/phytic-acid-in-rice-reduced-96-with-accelerated-fermentation/
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