Topic: What to look for when buying rice - any tips

[qprbob]

CA

I have always done the pre-soak then rinse method. When you rinse until water runs clear, I believe that's when the starch is removed. If it was just left to the frying, surely you would be frying the starch and not removing it. I dare say someone on here is far more informed than myself. May be the frying does something to the starch molecules and there by, that could be the difference. Look forward to some answers, as I would love to get this correct.

Josh
I think this debate is about to break loose. It can only be good, as we will all learn together.

[Secret Santa]

I'll second that Jerry. I've unfairly trashed a couple of brands in the past before I realised this.

Yes, I'm surprised to see your opinion on Tilda rice SS. 

Personally, I find Tilda produces rice that is white, light, fluffy, fragrant, tasty and with nicely uniform and elongated grains.  I'm not sure what more you'd look for or expect from a basmati rice? 

I  must have been buying some inferior grade of Tilda then. It's some time since I've used it and I definitely remember it did not have the basmati fragrance. I'll buy a small pack sometime and see if my opinion has changed.

[Cory Ander]

My main complaint would be that Tilda is not the most affordable of basmati rices by a long chalk

[joshallen2k]

Does frying "remove" the starch do you think Josh?

I think so, but I'm not that aware of the chemistry that goes on with soaking, rinsing or frying.

I do know that the frying method makes the best pilau I've made by a long shot.

[CurryOnRegardless]

My main complaint would be that Tilda is not the most affordable of basmati rices by a long chalk

Yes it tends to be the most expensive but as I explained earlier in this thread there are good reasons for this, it is apparently ethically produced and traded so leading to a consistently good product. In the overall scheme of things just how expensive is it? A 2kg bag is ?5 in the Asian grocers (?7/8 in AsdaTesMorriSains) that works out at 50p per double serving, hardly a King's ransom.
As for cooking there shouldn't be any need to rinse good rice as it will have been polished in the milling so a quick gentle fry and then cooked by absorption does the trick every time.

Regards
CoR

[Cory Ander]

it is apparently ethically produced and traded so leading to a consistently good product. In the overall scheme of things just how expensive is it? A 2kg bag is ?5 in the Asian grocers (?7/8 in AsdaTesMorriSains) that works out at 50p per double serving, hardly a King's ransom

Hmmm, whatever "ethically produced and traded" is supposed to mean   

Either way, I pay about a half as much for my basmati.  That is a significant difference, even for the domestic cook, never mind a BIR.  I'd be very surprised if it's the workers in the paddy fields that are benefitting from this price difference!  :

there shouldn't be any need to rinse good rice

Perhaps CoR, but if some people haven't necessarily got "good rice", have a problem with "chalkiness".....and that's what the packet instructions say to do....

[qprbob]

Josh

I also fry the rice as well as the spices,after soaking and rinsing. Soaking also plumps up the grains a little. Will have a go at just frying, and see if there is a noticeable difference in the taste.

[JerryM]

following CA's prompt (and the willingness to believe if i could that the back of the chenab pack is not a load of old chalk) i made 2 batches of rice last night which we had for tea along with a few bhajis.

the Zebra is for me top notch so i cooked it as i've always done - weigh the rice, x2 weight of water, into pan, lid on, just as it comes to boil turn v.low (3/4 of setting 1 on electric hob), cook for 10mins (i normally optimise this over a number of go's within a range of 8 to 15 mins), off heat leave to stand for 5 mins.

the chenab has no room on the packaging for cooking instructions (see initial post). however following the Zebra cooking instructions and CA's prompt i cooked as follows: weigh rice, rinse x2, soak 30 mins & drain, x2 weight of water, the rest as per above.

as CA predicted the chenab did taste much better. the chalkiness had almost gone. the rice remained what i'd call "sticky rice" though and had differing texture across the grains whilst eating it.

the Zebra did not taste as good as the previous go when i rinsed and soaked it. however it did not disappoint and was what i call basmati rice. the aroma is not as strong as i've experienced with other brands. there was no stickiness at all, separate huge grains all of the same texture.

conclusions:

1) rinse and soak makes a difference but not essential
2) the zebra consists of 1 type of grain and is in the super class (patent)
3) the chenab is a mixture of grains. it needs rinsing and probably soaking to get the best out of it. i suspect that most rice in the shops is this type and although branded as basmati is hugely different to the best stuff.

pics chenab & zebra

nb there was some water in the base of the pan of both batches and i would normally up the low ht cooking on the next go by 1 min and see how it turns out

[JerryM]

just had a real disaster - it's a tricky business this rice cooking malarky.

i thought i would try to adopt the rinse and soak pre cooking stage. after the soaking i re weighed the drained rice to work out how much water needed adding for the cooking. i also thought (big mistake) to reduce the amount of water to x1.5 (to reduce the water in the finished rice which seemed too high on the last go at cooking). i then netted off the extra weight of the soaked rice.

i should have stuck to x2 and netted off the extra weight of the soaked rice. the end result was grim - very hard rice.

the reason for the post being if u've got your rice right for yourself then stick to it and don't change - it becomes real hit and miss otherwise and the heartache's not worth the gain.

[JerryM]

have been trying a range of rice:water ratio's and have settled on using 10% less water ie weigh the rice then add x1.9 the rice weight in water. it seems to make a difference in that there appears to be less chance of getting overcooked rice.

i'm still cooking as before: bring to boil, then on low 15 mins followed by 5 min resting off the heat. 

might be worth a try.

REv2 - apologies but the above stated 5 min resting time should have been be 10 mins