The works of Ādi Śaṅkarācārya

Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣadbhāṣyam

Bhashya

Bhashya

केवलमेव स्वाभाविकमोदनम् ।उदग्ग्रहणम् अन्यप्रसङ्गनिवृत्त्यर्थम् ॥

In plain words

'Water-rice' simply means rice on its own, nothing added. Naming the water is only there to rule out milk, or curds, or anything else creeping in.

Close to the Sanskrit

'[Rice cooked in water]' means rice alone, in its own natural state. The mention of 'water' serves the purpose of excluding association with anything else.