That’s becoming our kitchen’s standard I-don’t-feel-like-cooking-but-let’s-not-get-pizza meal: “rice with stuff.” It’s sort of a half-assed version of a donburi or a bibimbap — which are, as I said, a bowl of rice with stuff on top.

I know the traditional way to make rice goes something like this:

Put the rice in a bowl and wash it with cold water. Repeat washing until the water becomes clear. Drain. Place the rice in a pan or rice cooker and add water. Let the rice soak in the water at least 30 min. One hour is ideal.

Now, I’ve already mentioned the half-assed nature of this meal… is it really necessary to soak the rice for an hour? Am I missing out by merely giving it a wash (not until the water becomes clear but close to it) and cooking it?

Edited to add: I guess I wasn’t clear on what sort of rice I meant. I’m referring to short(er) grain Asian types of rice, not long grain rice. Here’s a set of instructions like the one I referred to above.