The Brown Rices – Do You Have a Favorite?

[weinoo]

As part of my seemingly never-ending attempt to be a bit more healthy, I want to talk about brown rice, because it's, you know, so much healthier. At least that's what they tell me.

Back when I was younger, and back when I was pretending I was a healthy eating Californian, in Santa Barbara no less, there was pretty much 1, maybe 2, types of brown rice one could buy. Long grain and short grain. And you had to get it at the health-food store...remember, this is pre- Whole Foods.

This afternoon I will probably make a stop at Kalustyan's, a great multi-cultural food store here in NYC. I will be presented with no less than a dozen varieties of brown rice, from Jasmine, to Basmati, to medium grain, to short grain, to you name it. And that doesn't include all their rices from black rice, to green rice, to bamboo rice...well, you get the picture. They must have 2 dozen rices on their shelves.

But back to brown rice. What's your favorite? Do you use any of the "exotic" browns? Do you make brown rice at all?

[baroness]

I like brown sticky/sweet/glutinous rice and brown jasmine rice; I use Sanyo micom/fuzzy logic cookers (usually on the Quick setting, not the Brown setting).

[llc45]

With a few exceptions, we pretty much only eat brown rice. I was buying organic brown rice in large quantity from Costco but they stopped carrying it. I love Massa organic brown rice and frequently order that in bulk as our basic rice. For jasmine and basmati, still prefer white. I love the Kashi multigrain packs, brown rice with other grains (I think options are 7 or 9) incorporated.

[Lisa Shock]

I like red cargo rice and jasmine brown. I like flavor of black, but, am not so fond of the way it colors your mouth.

I've also gotten some good unspecified short grain brown rice at an asian market here (LeeLee) that's from Japan. This rice is very uniform in size and has a pleasing plump shape.

[DanM]

I personally prefer medium grain brown rice for everyday cooking. I like the meatier nature of it. I use jasmine or basmati for Asian ethnic cuisines.

Dan

Edited April 4, 2011 by DanM (log)

[Dianabanana]

I've tried a LOT of brown rices and my favorite, by far, is this Tamanishiki Super Premium Short Grain Brown Rice, cooked in a fuzzy logic rice cooker. I wish I could find a brown basmati or jasmine rice that I like as well.

[dcarch]

This may not be a rice.

I like real, not farmed, wild rice. Kind of expensive, but nice taste.

dcarch

[Wholemeal Crank]

I like Thai black sticky rice to eat with curries and stir fries, and for making sweet sticky rice dessert with coconut and mangoes, and it makes a terrific breakfast (prepped the night before in the fuzzy rice cooker) when seasoned with some toasted pine nuts and some fresh or dried fruit. I prefer brown basmati for most middle-eastern meals or pilaf-type dishes. I have a weakness for exotic rices, and have tried a bunch of others here and there--red rice from Bhutan and black 'forbidden rice' from China, brown basmatic from India, pecan rice from Louisiana, etc, but the basmatic and the Thai black rice are the staples that I always keep on hand. I also enjoy, but don't always have on hand, the Lundburg Wehani rice and their Black Japonica blend.

The third staple rice I keep in my pantry is short grain 'sweet' brown rice, that I mostly use for baking--10-20% rice flour adds a nice crunch to some cookies etc, but I almost never cook that rice otherwise.

[Jenni]

Why not try some of the South Indian red rices? They are absolutely delicious and lighter than many of the brown rices. Kerala's rosematta rice is a favourite of mine.

[...tm...]

I like the red cargo rice to go with Thai curries and medium grain brown rice as a more general purpose rice. I started switching over thinking I would like brown jasmine or basmati best, but medium grain just works and tastes better to me. Part of that could be because I usually get it from Massa Organics at the farmer's market, but I recently picked up a 5 lb bag of Calrose Brown rice on the cheap and still prefer it. It actually works well for fried rice.

[DickL]

What's your favorite? Do you use any of the "exotic" browns? Do you make brown rice at all?

I don't make brown rice very often because my wife doesn't like it, but I do keep some from Trader Joe's on hand for when I get hungry for some. Currently I've got some Brown Basmati (from India), which I haven't tried yet. I've also had another, I think it was called something like "Fragrant Brown Rice" (and I think it was from California) which was good, much better than the Riceland that I used to keep on hand.

I've had and liked Lundberg's "Black Japonica" rice ("A field blend of black and mahogany"), which I'd put more in the category of "exotic". I usually use it in my own adaptation of a recipe for Anandamayi Kitchuri which I found on Dolphyn.com, which was adapted from a recipe from Simply Heavenly! The Monastery Vegetarian Cookbook.

[Wholemeal Crank]

I've had a couple of long grain red rices, some from Thailand and at least one from India, that were quite delicious, reminding me a lot of Basmati. I do buy them from time to time as a treat, but need to limit the varieties I keep on hand because I don't go through it fast enough.

[Country]

Lundberg short grain organic is what I generally use. Good clean rice.

[nice_guy1812]

I personally prefer medium grain brown rice for everyday cooking. I like the meatier nature of it. I use jasmine or basmati for Asian ethnic cuisines.

Dan

I second this notion. Although I often will use basmati as well. My favourite technique is to toast the brown rice before cooking it pilaf style. It is so flavourful, and seems to have a softening affect on the rice. To the uninformed, it's texture is less "brown"

Come to think of it, I've never really seen brown jasmine rice here in the GTA (greater Toronto area). There are about 7 asian supermarkets within a 10 minute drive from my house (I LOVE this city!), and not once have I seen it...

[Will]

I like short grain, Japanese style ones. Kokohu Rose organic short grain is pretty good. Korean and Japanese markets often have some pretty nice ones.

Also been eating the Tamaki "Haiga" recently, which is interesting. It's been specially milled so the germ is left on; you don't get all of the benefits of brown rice, but it's supposed to be more nutritious than ordinary white rice, and the taste is very similar.

[...tm...]

I forgot to mention, the key to me enjoying it, rather than just thinking of brown rice as healthy,is the cooking method. So far I have found the easiest way to ensure separate, non-gummy grains is to start an excess of water boiling, drop in rinsed brown rice, drain at 30 minutes and return to pan. Fluff, cover, and let sit for at least 10 minutes.

[Jim Dixon]

Koda's Kokuho Rose, cooked using their recommended soak, cook, rest, fluff, and rest again method, is the best I've had. The texture is like white rice, but with better flavor and the benefits of a whole grain.

Certified Organic, limited production Kokuho Rose® Brand Rice is an Heirloom, Japanese style medium grain, grown by the Koda family since the 1950s in the San Joaquin Valley in California.

Jim

[teapot]

I love the Lundburg organic short grain brown rice at Costco. I believe they still stock it. If they don't leave a comment in the comment box requesting it (they really do pay attention). You folks have me to thank for Costco stocking marcona almonds

[Shel_B]

I'm cooking up some brown rice as I type. One of my favorites is an organic, long grain basmati that is available in bulk at the local organic grocery. For absolute convenience, I sometimes use Trader Joe's frozen brown rice, but mostly when I need some rice on short notice. At home I sometimes make a big batch and freeze it in large zip loc bags, so it can lat flat in the freezer. Then, when I need some, all that's needed is to break off a chunk.

[Hassouni]

This stuff is my favorite, I make it in a Zojirushi neuro fuzzy:

http://www.asianfoodgrocer.com/product/kagayaki-brown-rice-4-4-lbs

Kagayaki genmai

[Syzygies]

http://www.massaorganics.com/

We're on our third 20 lb bag.

[Alex]

http://www.massaorganics.com/

We're on our third 20 lb bag.

Second that.

[ojisan]

Brown rice and arsenic

I was unaware that arsenic was a problem. According to the article, California rice is safer than east coast, and beware of all rice in baby food.

[Toliver]

Brown rice and arsenic

I was unaware that arsenic was a problem. According to the article, California rice is safer than east coast, and beware of all rice in baby food.

Lead in imported rice has also become an issue:

"Worrisome Levels of Lead Found In Imported Rice"

[jmolinari]

the partially milled brown rice, haiga, is theoretically healthier, and while not as tasty as white rice, it's still quite good.