Stop Dumping Rice Water Down The Drain And Use It In This Comfort Food Instead

If you rinse your rice before cooking, you're probably watching a pot of starch-rich water swirl down the drain. That cloudy liquid, known in Korean as ssal-ttae-mul (쌀뜨물), is more than just a byproduct. It's a subtle but powerful ingredient that adds body and smoothness to dishes like juk, Korea's famously comforting rice porridge.

Like pasta water in Italian cooking, rice water contains natural starches that help thicken and emulsify. Stir it into soups or stews and you'll get a broth that tastes richer, feels fuller, and clings to your spoon just a little better, without the gloopy weight of flour or cornstarch. It's the kind of low-effort kitchen upgrade that home cooks love.

To save rice water, you should rinse your rice once, then discard that first wash. Add fresh water, about three times the rice volume, and swish vigorously to release the starch. When the water turns milky, pour it into a separate bowl to use it later. It lasts up to a week in the fridge or even longer in your freezer.

Rice water doesn't just stretch ingredients; it makes food taste better. In Korean kitchens, it's a go-to base for everything from doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) to samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup, a perfect sick day food), adding a clean, velvety finish to broths while also giving a perfect vessel to help you dial up the umami.

Think of it like an invisible thickener: Unlike flour or cornstarch, rice water's natural starch adds body without dulling flavor or weighing things down. The result? Soups that glide over your tongue instead of feeling thin or greasy. It's totally free, and you already made it, so you might as well use it. Absolutely zero waste.

Outside the kitchen, rice water has long doubled as a DIY beauty trick in Korea. Many Koreans say it's the secret to softening skin and conditioning hair. It's the perfectly versatile ingredient, used in food, beauty, and skincare for centuries.