Life hacks for Cinderellas: how to quickly separate rice from buckwheat

Cereal stocks can become mixed for a variety of reasons. This problem does not occur very often, but when it does occur, it takes a lot of effort and time to separate the mixed beans.

Is it possible to simplify and speed up this process? Yes, and there are several effective ways to do this. The article will tell you how to quickly separate rice from buckwheat and which option is the most effective.

When it might come in handy

The main reasons for mixing cereals:

• accidental spilling of one grain (buckwheat) into a container or bag with another grain (rice);
• children playing in the kitchen unattended;
• preparing mixtures of different cereals for cooking;
• performing meditation exercises in some spiritual practices.

In most cases, mixing occurs accidentally and requires re-sorting of the mixture - its separation.

How to separate rice from buckwheat: life hacks, methods and their evaluation

The easiest way that the heroes of the TV series “Interns” used was to throw out the cereal mixture and buy new packages of rice and buckwheat. However, this option cannot be called economical; throwing away usable products in the trash is unethical, and the problem can be solved with less radical measures.

Iterate manually

Labor intensity: difficult.

Duration: for a long time.

The most reliable option is to sort out the cereal mixture by hand.

How to speed up the process:

• choose an opaque, plain surface of the table or covering, the color of which will differ from both the color of rice and the color of buckwheat - then the grains of both cereals will be more noticeable even with slight fatigue;
• conditionally divide the table into 3 equal parts: pour the mixture into the middle, and sorted rice and buckwheat - on both sides of the center;
• pour the mixture in small portions and distribute it on the table in one layer using a large knife or ruler;
• be patient or convince yourself that small routine work contributes to the liberation of consciousness and spiritual growth;
• call on children for help - such a process will be both interesting for them and useful for fine motor skills.

Use a colander

Labor intensity: easily.

Duration: fast.

You can separate the mixture into its components using a colander with suitable holes.

As a rule, buckwheat grains are larger in size and have a “round” shape, while grain of rice smaller and often elongated.

If you pour the mixture in small portions into a suitable colander and shake it well, most of the rice grains will pass through the holes into the lower container, and the buckwheat grains will linger in the colander. The rice remaining among the buckwheat grains after shaking can be easily sorted out by hand, after which the process is repeated with the next portion of the mixture.

Apply Sloped Surface

Labor intensity: easily.

Duration: fast.

Another way is to use a large cutting board with a rough surface.

Place the board at a slight angle (35-45°), carefully pour some of the mixture onto its upper part and lightly tap on the lower part.Heavier buckwheat grains will roll down the board faster, while lighter rice grains will remain closer to the top.

Experimental methods

Sorting of rice and buckwheat can also be done in non-standard ways.

Such procedures often require equipment, extensive preparation time, and a “jack of all trades” in the family.

Attention! After such sorting, the grains may require additional cleaning and drying, or they may no longer be edible.

Using differences in densities

Labor intensity: easily.

Duration: average.

Water is poured into a prepared transparent container to fill 1/3-1/2 of the volume. Vegetable oil is carefully poured on top of the water (in a slightly smaller volume than water). Since the density of oil is less than the density of water, the oil and water will not mix, but will remain on top.

The cereal mixture is poured in small portions into a container with water and oil.

Rice groats have a higher density (910 g/l) than buckwheat (800 g/l), respectively, rice grains will go to the bottom, and buckwheat grains will linger in the upper part near the oil-water interface.

After this, the rice and buckwheat are taken out of the container, washed and dried. The grains remain suitable for further use, at least in dishes that require frying.

Using the difference in volumetric mass

Labor intensity: difficult.

Duration: average.

The most technologically advanced and labor-intensive method of separating cereals is sorting using air flow.

To do this, the mixture of cereals is placed in a container that has a hole in the lower part, to which a tube is connected. A flat board is installed above the container outside (or around it).

Air is supplied into the container through a tube from below, for example, using a pump.The power of the air flow is regulated on the spot, the main thing is to achieve a positive sorting result, when lighter rice grains fly into the air above the edge of the container and are “caught” by the board, while heavier buckwheat grains do not rise so high in the air and do not reach the board.

The disadvantage of this method is that buckwheat husks and hollow (empty) buckwheat grains will also fly into the air, overtaking the rice (since their mass is even less), respectively, the use of two boards will be required to separately “catch” the rice and husks.

Using vibration

Labor intensity: easily.

Duration: fast.

The same difference in volumetric mass is used to build a method of using vibration to separate rice and buckwheat, in which a container with the mixture is placed on a vibrating surface. During constant uniform “shaking”, after a short time the buckwheat will move to the lower part of the container, and the rice will mainly remain at the top.

In the same way, you can try to shake the grains manually, however, without the use of vibration mechanisms, it will be difficult to achieve uniform shaking, and there is a high probability that the grains in the “manual” mode will be constantly mixed and not sorted.

Tips and tricks

The least expensive option would be to prevent mixing rice and buckwheat. But if the grains are still mixed, it is worth assessing the scale of the problem and deciding on a way to eliminate it.

A small amount of mixed cereal can be quickly sorted by hand or, without wasting time on separation, you can immediately prepare Druzhba rice-buckwheat porridge with meat, mushrooms or vegetables.

This is interesting:

Calorie content and nutritional value of boiled green buckwheat.

We choose the right grain: which buckwheat is better, dark or light.

Conclusion

Experimental methods of separating cereals are valuable not so much for the result obtained, but for the interest it generates in children and adult family members: conducting such experiments together will give all participants a good mood and knowledge of physical phenomena.

In most cases, it is still better to separate cereals manually: this will be more reliable and of better quality.