Cooking rice may seem simple, but not everyone knows how to cook a pot of rice that is both soft and fragrant.

Here's a simple trick: just drop two ice cubes into the rice cooker before cooking, and the results will surprise everyone.

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Just 2 Ice Cubes – A "Golden" Benefit for Your Rice Cooker
It may sound strange, but adding ice cubes to your rice cooker actually offers many benefits. After washing and draining the rice, simply add 2 ice cubes and wait about 15 minutes before pressing the cooking button.
According to Japanese culinary experts, ice slows down the rice's water absorption, helping the grains cook evenly, becoming soft and chewy without becoming mushy. Furthermore, the low temperature of the ice stimulates the formation of amino acids – crucial for the rice's natural sweetness – while inhibiting enzymes that diminish flavor. The result is a more fragrant and flavorful rice than with conventional cooking methods.
Choosing the Right Rice – The First Step to Perfect Rice
Not only the cooking method, but also the choice of rice greatly affects the quality of the rice. Here are some important points to note:
Prioritize fresh, seasonal rice: Rice that has been stored for a long time often loses its aroma and natural sweetness.
Visually inspect: Good rice usually has round, evenly colored grains that are not broken or crushed. Avoid rice that is too white (it may have been bleached) or has an unusual yellow or black color.
Smell and taste: Good rice will have a subtle aroma and not be damp or moldy. Chew a few grains; if you feel a slight sweetness and a pleasant aroma, that's a good sign.
Wash rice properly – don't lose nutrients.
Many people have the habit of washing rice very thoroughly, thinking "the cleaner the better," but this actually has the opposite effect. Vitamin B1 and many nutrients such as protein, lipids, and minerals are located in the outer layer of the rice grain. If you scrub too hard, you inadvertently wash away all these valuable nutrients.
The correct way is to just gently stir the rice once or twice to remove dirt.
Useful tips with ice – not just for cooking rice.

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Beyond simply making rice taste better, ice cubes are also a powerful kitchen aid with many unexpected uses:
Reducing oil and grease in dishes: Dropping a few ice cubes into a pot while cooking will help absorb excess oil and grease. Alternatively, you can refrigerate the dish with ice for 30 minutes; the grease will solidify and can be easily skimmed off.
Increasing the crispness of boiled vegetables: After boiling vegetables, immediately soak them in a bowl of ice water for a few minutes to help them retain their crispness and vibrant color.
Removing the pungent smell of onions: Soaking thinly sliced ​​onions in ice water (you can add a few drops of lemon juice) for about 15-20 minutes will reduce the pungent taste and make the onions crispier.