Most grains need to be washed before cooking, but there are exceptions to this rule.
The thing is that some of them have already gone through enough processing stages, so they can be sent straight to the pan.
What cereals need to be washed before cooking
The rule primarily concerns hard grains. The procedure allows you to get rid of husks and dust.
Before cooking, rice, millet, buckwheat, peas, chickpeas, pearl barley, and lentils are washed and, in some cases, soaked. The procedure is repeated until the water becomes clear.
Thanks to this, the cereals will not only get rid of debris. As a bonus, the plaque that prevents you from making crumbly porridge will be washed away.
Chefs recommend soaking rice and millet in cold water, and buckwheat and pearl barley in warm water.
What cereals can be left unwashed
Do not wash semolina, oatmeal, couscous, bulgur, and other grains that quickly absorb moisture. Barley groats do not need to be washed. However, if unwanted impurities (husks, stones, etc.) are visible, it can be sifted.
