Why is My Rice Breaking Apart: Things to Avoid and Consider

Is cooking the perfect fluffy white rice too much to ask for?

Are we reaching for the stars here?

It can be frustrating to spend all that time cooking only to end up with a plate of broken grains (and dreams).

Because instead of eating good food right now, you’re left with questions to dine on instead.

Constant Stirring

Stirring rice as it cooks can cause the grains to break apart. 

This can then result in a gummy texture, where you get a half-pudding and half-rice result. 

Cooking rice is a hands-off affair. 

After bringing the water to a boil, stir the rice once with a fork. Make sure to reduce the heat, cover the pot, and let it cook. 

Improper Water-to-Rice Ratio

Rice varieties absorb water at different rates. If you use too much water, rice has the potential to break apart. 

Here’s an ideal water-to-rice ratio for different rice varieties:

• Long-grain white rice: 1 ½ cups water to 1 cup rice
• Short-grain white rice: 3 cups of water to 1 cup of rice
• Brown rice: 2 cups of water to 1 cup of rice

Overcooking

Leaving your cooked rice on the stove for too long will cause it to become mushy and break apart. 

Here are the average cooking times of different rice varieties:

• Long-grain white rice: 15-18 minutes
• Short-grain white rice: 15-18 minutes
• Brown rice: 40-45 minutes

Or you could always just refer to the recommended cooking time in the package instructions. 

Poor Quality of Rice

While rice can last a long time if stored properly, its quality and taste can deteriorate over time. Older rice is also more likely to break during cooking. 

If stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, rice can last for…

• White rice: 2 years
• Brown rice: 6 months 

Brown rice has a shorter shelf-life because of its higher oil content. 

Rinsing the Rice

Washing your rice removes excess starch, resulting in more separate grains when cooked. So, yes, rinsing can cause your rice to break apart. 

Rinsing rice = grains that are not sticking together

This breaking apart isn’t bad, especially if you have a particular dish in mind. If you’re making paella or risotto, then it’s not entirely necessary to rinse your rice.

Rice Breaking While Washing

Make sure you use light water pressure when rinsing your ice to avoid breaking the rice grains. 

Using a fine-wire mesh strainer, run cold water over your rice until the water runs almost clear. 

You can place the strainer full of rice over a large bowl or pot, too. Just dump the cloudy water in the bowl about three times. 

Boiling vs Steaming

Boiled rice is fully submerged in liquid for the entire cooking time. Steamed rice, on the other hand, uses the vapor from boiling water to soften the grains. 

For firmer and more separated grains, boiling rice is the preferable cooking method. This works well with long-grain varieties like Basmati rice. 

Steaming rice results in stickier and clumpy rice. This cooking method is best used for short-grain varieties like Calrose. 

Steamed rice works well with sushi and other dishes that use chopsticks. 

Why is My Rice Breaking Apart on the Stove?

Cooking rice at a high temperature causes your grains to split. 

To avoid this, here’s how you can cook rice to fluffy perfection:

1. Rinse the rice to remove the excess starch and other impurities. 
2. Measure the rice and water. Make sure you use the appropriate water-to-rice ratio.
3. Add the rinsed rice and water to a lidded pot. Then, sprinkle it with a pinch of salt. 
4. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
5. Reduce the heat to low once the rice starts to boil. Then, let it simmer for 15 minutes or just until tender. 
6. Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest while covered for another 5-10 minutes to allow the rice to finish cooking. Avoid opening the lid to keep the steam from coming out. 
7. Fluff the rice with a fork to separate the grains before serving. 

What is Broken Rice?

Damaging white rice grains is unavoidable during the milling process. It’s how broken rice came to be. 

This type of rice is considered low quality and is separated from the whole grains. As such, broken rice is typically used in baby formulas, rice cereals, rice flour, and other products. 

Broken rice, or Cơm Tấm, is also a popular type of white rice in Vietnam. It’s a staple for many rice plate dishes featuring grilled meats, salad, pickles, and egg meatloaf. 

Though it is seen as “lower grade rice” and sold for less in Vietnam, that isn’t the case in the US. Broken rice is often pricier than whole-grain white rice. 

Broken Rice Taste and Texture

As broken rice is just damaged white rice, they just have the same taste. 

Texture-wise, cooking it with minimal water results in a nutty, risotto-like texture. Cook it in moderate amounts, and it becomes sticky like glutinous rice. 

Broken Rice Water Ratio

That’ll be 1 cup of water to 1 cup of broken rice.

Broken Rice Where to Buy

You can buy broken rice in Asian markets where other rice and grains are sold. 

You can buy them in a packed 5 pound bag. But visit larger Asian stores and you’ll find 10-25 pound bags. 

Look for the Three Ladies, Elephant, and Parrot brands.   

How to Cook Broken Rice in a Rice Cooker

Cooking broken rice in the rice cooker is the easiest method:

1. Rinse the broken rice for 2-3 times until the cold water is almost clear.
2. Put your 1 cup of washed rice in the rice cooker.
3. Add 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt. Make sure the rice is leveled evenly. 
4. Cook using the standard white rice setting. 
5. Gently fluff the rice with a fork after it cooks. 
6. Cover it again and keep warm until ready to serve. 

How to Cook Broken Rice on Stovetop

Cooking broken rice can also be done using a stovetop:

1. Follow step 1 of the rice cooker method. 
2. Combine 1 cup of water and 1 cup of broken rice in a pot.
3. Boil over medium-high heat. 
4. Once the rice boils, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. 
5. Remove the rice from heat and let it rest for another 10 minutes. 
6. Fluff the rice before serving. 

Breaking the Rice Curse

They do say that practice makes perfect, right?

And fluffy perfection you shall achieve after understanding the causes behind rice breaking apart. 

Take these tips into consideration, and you’ll be well on your way to mastering the art of cooking rice!

Happy cooking, Foodies!

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