What does the stirred rice vs hands-off rice experiment test?

It tests one variable: stirring. The idea is that rice stirred while it cooks turns gummy. Rice left alone stays fluffy.

30-minute experiment

Stirred rice vs hands-off rice

How to make rice gluey on purpose.

The idea

Rice stirred while it cooks turns gummy. Rice left alone stays fluffy.

The one thing you change: Stirring

You need

1 cup rice, split in half
2 small pots with lids
Water and salt

Steps

Rinse the rice. Put half in each pot with the right amount of water and a pinch of salt.
Bring both to a boil, then lower the heat and cover.
Stir one pot every minute or so. Leave the other one alone.
Rest both, covered, for 10 minutes. Lift the lids away from your face, since the steam burns. Compare.

What you should find

The stirred rice clumps and turns sticky. The untouched pot has separate, fluffy grains.

From the app

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The science behind it

Cooking rice by absorption

White long-grain rice needs about 1.5 parts water to 1 part rice by volume (brown needs about 2). The starch grains swell and soften as they soak it up.…

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