Rice?

[Adam Balic]

What gives with rice in the UK?

Given the healthy numbers of South-East Asians, Italians and Folk from the Subcontinent in Melbourne (Australia) we have a lot of rice options. In general, we ate Jasmine rice (mostly as broken rice, but higher grades as well) Risotto type rices and Basmati types, as well as Sushi rice. Great flavours and textures.

We have noticed that Jasmine rice and Basmati rice (as bought from Supermarkets or smaller stores) have no or very little flavour and the texture is all funny (tends to go mushy quickly). Is it treated somehow?

I now buy 10 kg sacks of Basmati and Jasmine rice from the Asian groccer, but in the last two years I have bought and thrown out dozens of packets of rice. Given the stupidly high price you pay for Jasmine and Basmati rice here, it should taste better otherwise you might as well buy American long grain (or buy that boiled frozen rice from Tescos). Still now source of decent risotto rice, although that is not as critical.

[Wilfrid]

Just you. I don't recall ever having problems with supermarket bought Basmati rice. Could it be something else, like the local water you're cooking it in that makes it go mushy? Dunno, only guessing.

[Miss J]

I read somewhere that the growing demand for basmati rice has lead to a lot of "fake" basmati flooding the market. The article testified that the Tilda brand basmati was the real thing, but that an awful lot of other ones weren't.

Sorry, can't remember the source.

[Wilfrid]

Tilda was the one I usually bought, Miss J, and thanks because I would never have remembered (the blackouts, you see).

[Adam Balic]

Actually, "Tilda" is one of the Basmati rices that I have been throwing out after using once. Maybe it is just me, but it doesn't seem to have Basmati flavour?

Simon, Carbs=Death obviously, but do you have an opinion on this (sorry I can't remember if Bengali eat rice or bread?).

[Miss J]

Okay, now my curiousity is piqued. What brands meet Balic basmati standards?

[Adam Balic]

OK I looked into this rice thing. "Basmati" refers to a group of rice (many types of these) the best Basmati is aged for 1-2 years. During this process the water content is lost and the natural oil flavours becomes more pronounced. When I eat basmati rice I am looking for a dry fluffy rice that has a nutty/butterery aroma and flavour. This comes from aged rice apparently, so maybe that is what I am not getting here. Will investigate this further.

Still screwed on the Jasmine front.

[Tyke]

Just my two pennorth, but its probably you who is cocking up the cooking process and bollock all to do with the rice.

[Miss J]

Ah, I've found the source of that article. It's from Caterer.com.

"Adulteration of basmati and blending with cheaper and inferior rice varieties is widespread, particularly in the own-label and no-label market, where the packer needs to drive down the cost to meet a price point. This adulteration not only adds false grains but cuts out the vital ageing process, in which good basmati is stored for at least six months to develop its delicate flavour and help prevent stickiness.

The extent of this scam has been exposed by a team from Nottingham University who examined 41 brands and packs of so-called basmati rice, using DNA fingerprinting to identify true basmati. Of the 41 samples examined, 19 were found to have been adulterated."

[Simon Majumdar]

Actually, "Tilda" is one of the Basmati rices that I have been throwing out after using once. Maybe it is just me, but it doesn't seem to have Basmati flavour?

Simon, Carbs=Death obviously, but do you have an opinion on this (sorry I can't remember if Bengali eat rice or bread?).

fake basmati flooding the market

The bastards. Let's nuke em

Adam- If I ate rice or bread, which I don't as we all know

CARBS = DEATH

I would, as a good ghoti have both a paratha and some plain boiled rice. Being a Brahmin means you can have it all .

[yvonne johnson]

Interesting piece of evidence there, Miss J, that may well explain Adam's observations in the kitchen.

[Adam Balic]

Ah, I've found the source of that article. It's from Caterer.com.

See! Am I right or am I right? Right? Right! Bought some authentic Pakistani, aged, expensive Basmati on the week end. Still sucked, Damn it all to Hades.

I don't even consider par-boiled rice as rice. Uncle Ben? .

[Tonyfinch]

Adam, if you're into gizmos you can by an electric rice cooker. We were given one by Iranian friends who swear by it. It results in fluffy separated rice and if you want you can add oil to achieve a golden crust which,by adjusting the dial,can be as light or as dark as you wish.

[Adam Balic]

Tony - my rice is as light and fluffy as Angel down. I have looked into buying a rice cooker and have decided that until my wife and I wax and mutiply that we really can't justify it. However, I did thin that the Iranian type cookers would be better as you can, as you said, make the crispy rice bottom in these (what is this called? Targ/ Tark?), unlike many of the Eastern-Asian cookers.

[Kikujiro]

Does anyone have further thoughts on electric rice cookers? I've been meaning to get one for some time but am confused by the range of prices etc.

[Miss J]

Me too...if anyone can comment on types and suppliers I'd really appreciate it. Now that I'm getting into multi-dish Chinese cooking, being able to start the rice off and just leave it 'til I'm ready for it seems like a great idea.

[jeremysco]

Sounds to me Adam as though you shouldnt have thrown out your rice but kept it for another one to two years.

A bit like laying down a fine wine although it wouldnt be as tempting to crack into your 6 month old Basmati when you came back from the pub on a Friday night.

[Tonyfinch]

Our rice cooker is from Iran..............you plug it in............................it has a dial to control the degree of doneness of the crust, like a toaster.................................it's very nice.....................................yup.