I love rice, I love how versatile it is and I love the sheer volume of recipes that include, or can be tweaked to include it.
One thing I don’t love, though, is when it gets stuck to the pan. As if I couldn’t hate washing the dishes more, trying to pry up tiny bits of rice that I’ve somehow cooked directly onto the pan is honestly a circle of hell.
All of this is to say... I have finally found the thing that stops rice sticking to the pan and it is just one fruit. One little, yellow, citrus-y fruit. Yes, it’s lemon. Lemon stops rice sticking to the pan.
In the immortal words of Victor Meldrew, “I can’t believe it!”
How to use lemon juice to stop rice sticking to a pan
So, this is how to do it.
Once you have put the rice and water into a pan, before boiling, add a spritz of lemon juice to the water and it will guarantee that once your rice is cooked, it’ll be a perfect fluffy consistency.
According to Tasting Table: “On top of stopping rice from clumping together, lemon juice has a host of other benefits for the beloved grain. The citrus makes rice look brighter and is said to enhance the texture of the grain, as well.”
However, if you don’t tend to have lemon juice on-hand, there is another option.
You could add just a little touch of oil to the water before boiling, which will help to break up the rice and even add a lovely texture to your final dish.
Should you rinse rice?
It’s a debate that’s done the rounds on social media more times than I dare to count but fortunately, the foodies at Epicurious have the final answer: “If you’re looking for fluffy, separate grains, you’ll want to rinse your rice regardless of the variety you use. Rice for pilafs, fried rice, and salads all benefit from washing.”