Best-quality/favorite basmati rice

[Paul Fink]

Basmati rice should be fluffy with out grains sticking together.

I've never seen it it cooked properly in a rice cooker.

It should be steamed or cooked in a pot but that leaves lots to clean up.

[rotuts]

if one were to take a poll of eG's that a use any of the three methods ive mentioned

 

i think a lot of people would say they get fluffy rice each way

 

i have in the past , and do now with the Fuzzy and iP.

 

@Katie Meadow

 

i don't think you are going to get useful data.  

 

if you don't   get the cheeper rice  ' delivered price '

 

Ill bet you will be happy

 

and yes

 

driving around the BatArea these days leaves a lot to be desired.

 

.

 

 

[scubadoo97]

I never understood the issue with cooking rice.  I was showing my wife how easy rice can be made. I was using a sushi rice.  No rice cooker.  When the water level just reaches the level of the rice you can even just turn the fire off and let it sit until all the water is absorbed.  It works, at least for me.  

 

Not to my normal method but it works

Edited April 12, 2017 by scubadoo97 (log)

[Katie Meadow]

Clearly there are many ways to cook rice. I have been cooking long grain rice for a million years; lately I have been using local CA Lundberg organic rice. I don't rinse it and I don't soak it. I toast it in a little butter and salt, then add water, about 2 cups of water to 1 cup of rice, or slightly less. I let it come to a high simmer, turn the flame way way down, cover it, and cook until it just barely begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, somewhere between 10 and 15 minutes, although I don't time it. Just as it is starting to stick I turn off the flame and let it sit another few minutes off the burner, still covered. This will usually unstick any stuck rice. Then I take off the cover and let it sit another minute or two to let out the dampness. I wouldn't call the result "fluffy" exactly, but then I'm not sure what that means. My rice comes out distinct, not too soft, not mushy, just how I like it, so I'm good with that.

 

But here's my question: it sounds like many of you rinse or soak Indian basmati rice. Do you do this to all long-grain rice? And why? Should I be washing my rice for health reasons? I would be very resistant to soaking my rice, since it takes too much planning or just too much brainwork.   

 

When I looked on Amazon this morning, aged Royal rice is now priced at $16 for 20 lbs. with free shipping. Shopping on Amazon is getting more like shopping for airline tickets the way prices bounce around. So I went for it. Strangely, smaller quantities cost at least as much for the same rice. Go figure. 

[Anna N]

I believe the major reason for washing rice is to remove the starch or at least some of the starch. I do not believe there is any longer a health reason to do so although some might argue with that. With basmati rice if you want distinct grains which most people do then it is good to get rid of as much starch as you can before you cook it. I almost always rinse basmati a few times and when I am really on the ball will soak it for 15-30 minutes.  Not sure if I can honestly tell any great difference.  In cultures where rice is the staple food it is treated with much more respect I think.  I am sure others will pipe up with their opinions. 

[scubadoo97]

I was always taught to rinse rice before cooking.  Has worked so far

Edited April 13, 2017 by scubadoo97 (log)

[Soupcon]

The cuisine you are cooking/eating will also determine what kind of rice you need. See the following:  http://www.readersdigest.com.au/recipes/types-of-rice.asp

[liuzhou]

Here in China almost everyone washes their rice very carefully in several changes of water. This, I gather, is for two reasons: first to remove excess starch as has been mentioned; second, to remove dust. I follow their practice.

 

One friend washes her rice as above but saves the washing water from the first wash. This she lets settle so that the dust sinks (maybe China doesn't do floating dust) then uses the dust-free starchy water to wash her face. She claims it is an ancient beauty treatment. It must work, because she is beautiful in the extreme.

 

I should give it a try.

[liuzhou]

4 hours ago, Soupcon said:

The cuisine you are cooking/eating will also determine what kind of rice you need. See the following:  http://www.readersdigest.com.au/recipes/types-of-rice.asp

 

Oh dear. That article is terrible. Misleading at best. Downright inaccurate in places. Shallow beyond redemption. Typical Readers' Digest, in other words.

 

"The cuisine you are cooking/eating will also determine what kind of rice you need." (my emphasis)

No. It may determine what kind you prefer. And many cuisines use more than one kind.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

I've started rinsing my basmati rice until the water runs clear before cooking it. I was turning out kind of gluey rice, and noticed someone else's on here that looked fluffy and separate grained, like I was eating in the excellent Indian restaurants we have here 

and was advised to rinse it thoroughly. Sheesh, no wonder it was gluey, because I rinse it the cooking pot probably ten times before the water is clear. The rice is heavy enough relative to the water, that you can just pour the water out of the pot. I tried it in my finest sieve, but some rice slipped through. 

 

Rinsing makes a big difference with basmati. 

[Paul Fink]

6 hours ago, Thanks for the Crepes said:

Rinsing makes a big difference with basmati. 

 

Correct. You can't treat basmati like just another long grain rice. Its not.

It should fluffy. Not sticky.

I once saw Madhur Jaffrey on TV say basmati rice "should be like brothers. Close but not stuck together."

Her words... not mine.

[Soupcon]

9 hours ago, liuzhou said:

 

Oh dear. That article is terrible. Misleading at best. Downright inaccurate in places. Shallow beyond redemption. Typical Readers' Digest, in other words.

 

"The cuisine you are cooking/eating will also determine what kind of rice you need." (my emphasis)

No. It may determine what kind you prefer. And many cuisines use more than one kind.

 

I prefer to eat basmati rice. But it is really difficult to eat basmati rice with chopsticks so when I cook Chinese/Japanese type dishes, the rice I do cook is a shorter grain with more surface starch so the grains when cooked are not mushy or gluey but do stick together. 

[Paul Fink]

1 hour ago, Soupcon said:

I prefer to eat basmati rice. But it is really difficult to eat basmati rice with chopsticks so when I cook Chinese/Japanese type dishes, the rice I do cook is a shorter grain with more surface starch so the grains when cooked are not mushy or gluey but do stick together. 

 They don't use chopsticks in Indian but its still great with a fork.

For most other dishes I use jasmine rice.

[Katie Meadow]

It is possible that CA grown Lundberg rice has not only less dust but less starch. When I get my Royal rice I am definitely going to try washing it various times to see how the end results compare: distinct grains vs sticky grains, etc. 

 

I am cooking lots of Chinese stir-fry these days, and have to say that I am pretty adept at eating distinct grains of basmati rice with chopsticks; wooden chopsticks, that is. I can imagine that the plastic jobs they give you in restaurants would make for a challenge if you didn't have at least somewhat sticky rice.

[Paul Fink]

Try Tilda basmati rice. very nice stuff.

[liuzhou]

10 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:

I can imagine that the plastic jobs they give you in restaurants would make for a challenge if you didn't have at least somewhat sticky rice.

 

It helps to develop the Chinese rice-eating technique of holding the rice bowl next to your lips and using the chopsticks to shovel the rice into your mouth. It works with both sticky and non-sticky rice. Picking up individual grains is not something they do.

 

The most prized rice found here is not Chinese, but Thai. I seldom buy Chinese rice despite Thai being a lot more expensive. Many years ago, I had to go back to England for a couple of months and Chinese friends who had mocked me for buying Thai rice were begging me to give them what I had remaining in my rice store - in case it "went bad" while I was away.

 

I also sometimes buy Cambodian Jasmine Rice - pretty indistinguishable from Thai and marginally cheaper. I've never seen basmati in stores here, although it is available online. India/China relationships have never been great.

Edited April 14, 2017 by liuzhou (log)

[lindag]

I really like rice a lot.  Any kind....(well, brown rice, not so much).

Recently I discovered Vigo Spanish rice and it is excellent!

Vigo

Edited April 14, 2017 by lindag (log)

[Paul Fink]

When we traveled to China I was surprised by the poor quality of the rice. Even in upscale restaurants it was gummy with no fragrance. Not at all like jasmine rice in Thailand.  

[Shel_B]

For quite some time I've been looking for an excellent basmati rice.  I've tried some Tilda versions, a Daawat variety, Royal, and a couple-three others. They have all been recommended by one source or another, including my Indian tenants, and they have all been disappointing in one way or another.  Flavor and texture were lacking in most, aroma was scant or non-existent, the grains were short, and so on. One was recommended by the Indian grocery near me and was so bad that I returned it.

 

I am looking for an outstanding, organic, aged, long-grain basmati. Any suggestions? 

[saluki]

Lately I've been using Zafarani Reserve and also Zebra.

[rotuts]

if you've been unhappy w Daawat 

 

( I use the blue bag ' Traditional ' )

 

 

 

'''   Flavor and texture were lacking in most, aroma was scant or non-existent, the grains were short, and so on. '''

 

its not Daawat , but your cooking method 

 

for sure .

 

a fuzzy rice cooker might help out a lot 

 

you still have to accurately measure the ref , rinse the rice , and use the proper amount of water 

 

there is a reason rice ccokers are ubiquitous 

 

in rice eating lands

 

and of course , if it not your rice cooking method 

 

which might be tuned up

 

then its your palate 

 

hard to fix that.

 

Edited August 15 by rotuts (log)

[KennethT]

9 minutes ago, rotuts said:

if you've been unhappy w Daawat 

 

( I use the blue bag ' Traditional ' )

 

 

 

'''   Flavor and texture were lacking in most, aroma was scant or non-existent, the grains were short, and so on. '''

 

its not Daawat , but your cooking method 

 

for sure .

 

a fuzzy rice cooker might help out a lot 

 

you still have to accurately measure the ref , rinse the rice , and use the proper amount of water 

 

there is a reason rice ccokers are ubiquitous 

 

in rice eating lands

 

and of course , if it not your rice cooking method 

 

which might be tuned up

 

then its your palate 

 

hard to fix that.

 

I find that even non fuzzy rice cookers can do a good job with basmati, but you just need to add more water than normal rice, or jasmine rice.

 

In order to properly lengthen and cook, basmati rice needs to be boiled prior to steaming, as opposed to jasmine rice which needs much less boiling.  In many Indian restaurants, the rice is boiled in a large quantity of water and then drained, then left to steam for a while.  You can duplicate this in a normla rice cooker by using a bit more water than normal, so the rice cooker will boil until the water's gone and then switch to steaming for the rest of the way.

 

So, in my old crappy crockpot/rice cooker, when using 2 go of rice, for jasmine rice, I fill to the 2 mark and then just slightly over - about 2-1/4 to 2-3/8.  For basmati, I fill to almost the 3 mark - so about 2-3/4 to 2-7/8 and it comes out consistently well.

[rotuts]

@KennethT

 

I completely agree .  Ive cooked basmati in an on/off rice cooked successfully .

 

the poster has a cooking problem

 

or a palate problem .

 

or some combination of both.

Edited August 15 by rotuts (log)

[Katie Meadow]

It isn't cheap, but CA grown Lundgren basmati rice is delicious. There is an organic variety which may be a little trickier to track down, but most of the places you probably shop in Berkeley carry at least the one designated "natural" if not organic. I use my Zoji rice cooker for all my meals calling for Sushi or Japanese short grain rice, but I like to cook my Basmati on the stovetop. A heavenly aroma, and worth it for my money.

[Alex]

3 minutes ago, Katie Meadow said:

It isn't cheap, but CA grown Lundgren basmati rice is delicious. There is an organic variety which may be a little trickier to track down, but most of the places you probably shop in Berkeley carry at least the one designated "natural" if not organic. I use my Zoji rice cooker for all my meals calling for Sushi or Japanese short grain rice, but I like to cook my Basmati on the stovetop. A heavenly aroma, and worth it for my money.

 

Vitacost has both the organic and non-organic in stock, in both brown and white. Right now, with the discount code that they give you on the website, it's 30% off, so $5.94 for 2# of white, $6.57 for brown. You get free shipping at $49 after discounts. Rakuten always has at least a 3% rebate for Vitacost, occasionally as much as 15%.