What is hulling rice?

Hulling rice is the process of removing the outer layer or hull of rice, known as the bran layer, to produce white rice. This process is done to improve the taste, texture, and appearance of rice.

The hulling process can be done manually or with the use of machines. Traditional methods involve pounding the rice using a mortar and pestle or a wooden pounder. Nowadays, machines such as rice hullers and polishers are used to hull rice.

Rice hullers work by rubbing the grains against each other to remove the hulls, whereas polishers remove any remaining bran and give the rice a polished appearance. The polished white rice is then sorted by size and quality before being packaged and sold for consumption.

Hulled rice contains more carbohydrates and fewer nutrients than brown rice, which is simply rice that has not had the bran layer removed. Brown rice is considered to be the healthier option as it retains more of the natural nutrients and fiber found in the rice grain.