Rice: Varieties, Storage, Preparation, Use

[liuzhou]

Rice.

The world's biggest staple food. But many varieties.

Although I live in China, at home I exclusively eat Thai. I'd eat Indian too, but we don't get it here.

Chinese rice is highly variable in quality - I only eat it in restaurants and, generally, the cheaper the restaurant the worse the rice. I noticed the same in India - the rice was bad. Perhaps they export the good stuff rather than eat it.

Anyway, what rice do you prefer? Any other rice thoughts? Or rice cooking tips? Or whatever.

[radtek]

I like them all...

Flirted with long-grain brown rice this summer and am interested in short-grain brown rice now. I seem to go in cycles between polished short, medium and long-grain varieties. Right now I want sticky clumpy rice- so it's sushi-rice in the freezer awaiting steaming...

Also, mostly what's available is US grown- for example, the Nishiki premium short-grain I got at the Korean market was grown in California. My understanding is that the States exports a lot of rice to the Middle East and Asia since they cannot keep up with their own demand.

I learned rinsing my rice form a Cambodian friend of mine. It certainly makes for better end results IMO. I've skipped buying a rice-cooker and steam my rice in a sauce-pan. Over the past 20 years I've figured out how to do it easily and get the same results.

[Paul Bacino]

My best rice is a wild rice harvested from Wisconsin, its green in color with tons of lake water flavors ( well ). Being Italian I use Carnaroli Riso that I get from Casale in Italy it produces a nice creamy Risotto. Lately I have using brown rice in my rice cooker, gives me a bit of toothsome..ness,

I take that , brown rice, combine with Pomegranate seeds ( 50/50 ) and chopped cilantro ( T ). Zest with lime. you could add some nuts too. Healthy and simple.

Paul

[Darienne]

Good topic, Liuzhou.

Radtek: just how do you rinse your rice?

Our daughter is giving us a 7 cup rice cooker for Christmas and so another piece of tech enters our lives.

My DH does not like brown rice in any form. Once he tasted white Basmati rice, that was his rice for years. Now I have converted (pun?) him to white Jasmine rice. If ever I've had Thai rice I don't remember it.

Oh, he doesn't like rice pudding either. Probably grew up eating it. My Mother never made rice pudding so I like it, but there's no point in making it. I need a REALLY GOOD recipe. He loves Capirotada (Mexican bread pudding) the way I make it, so perhaps we could work a rice pudding into our lives also.

I'll look for Thai rice in our local Oriental market and give it a try.

[sparrowgrass]

I was a little surprised when I moved to Missouri to find rice growing down in the Bootheel. I drive down to Bernie once in a while for jasmine rice from this company: http://www.martinrice.com/

It is so fresh and fragrant. They have other varieties, but jasmine is my all time favorite.

[Hassouni]

Growing up with an Iraqi mother and Iraqi grandparents, my single greatest comfort food is well made Iraqi-style rice (which is the same as Persian style). The water must be salted and oil or butter MUST be applied. I could eat plate after plate of this, plain, with a shovel, if it weren't a really unhealthy thing to do.

So that said, my two go-tos are basmati and short grain koshihikari, in white and brown. I used to have jasmine too, for use in Chinese, Thai, Viet, and other non-Middle Eastern/Indian and non-Japanese and Korean applications, but in an effort to downsize, I don't have that anymore. It may reappear at some point, but for now, I'm fine with short-grain for any Asian applications.

I also LOOOOVE Lao/northern Thai style sticky rice, but have never bought it or attempted to make it.

I bought a Zojirushi made in Japan neuro fuzzy rice cooker, which has made everything a snap except for proper Iraqi or Iranian style rice. Even adding oil to the rice didn't get the crust (hakkaka/tadig), and the rice came out a bit too wet. Properly made basmati should be the slightest bit wet and should not stick AT ALL.

For what it's worth, there are rice cookers on the market that specialize in Persian style rice, but I can't be bothered to have two rice machines. I'm happy making that the old fashioned way, as imprecise as it may be. In Iraq and Iran one's skill as a cook almost entirely comes down to one's rice, so I feel a rice cooker is cheating anyway!

[Joe Blowe]

FWIW, I rinse rice using one of these -- www.amazon.com/Japanese-Fruit-Vegetable-Rice-Wash/dp/B004K6KIPC/ -- which I picked up (at one of our numerous local Asian grocers) for a buck. Note how it drains rice through a screened spout at front of a bowl. You can also use the rice cooker bowl itself; just rinse the rice under the faucet, and tip the cloudy water into the sink while holding the rice back with your hand. (I do this with basmati which tends to jam the screen of the plastic rice washing bowl.)

If you decide to get this type instead, you might as well use a sieve.

The Asian grocers here in Southern California stock an amazing assortment of domestic and imported rice. Even the warehouse stores, like Costco, offer at least five types: long grain, short grain, basmati, jasmine, brown, and at least one seasonal special (wild, red, black, etc.). The two biggest Japanese chains here, Marukai and Mitsuwa, and the big Chinese and Korean chains, have huge rice aisles/departments. My wife and I have probably made my way through only a tenth of the offerings...

I have a recommendation for those looking to "ease into" brown rice: Find yourself a bag of the lightly polished rice called Gen-Ji-Mai (that is a brand name, actually). Less brown tasting

Also, I'd be remiss not posting these links:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/11/arsenic-in-your-food/index.htm

https://www.google.com/search?q=rice+arsenic

Not too much to worry about, but do pick wisely.

[rotuts]

H: your Zojirushi doesnt brown the bottom? i have a now dated (15 y) 'National' fuzzy (Panasonic) and it has a 'Komado' setting that works nicely.

I agree: Rice is made for Butter!

I use basmati 'Tilda' and Tj's jasmine. ive never made 'good' brown rice, but Im guessing its my fault for not trying very hard.

Ive had excellent 'brown rice' sushi where i could eat that BR forever!

[patrickamory]

I've always lusted after a Zojirushi fuzzy logic but the fact is we make all our rice in pots and it all comes out great.

Our three basics:

- Carolina rice, not rinsed, prepared according to the Julia Child "master" recipe in The Way To Cook. Plenty of salt, twice the amount of water, stir once, bring to boil, stir again, tightly seal (with foil and lid) and steam at lowest heat for 12 minutes, let it sit for 2 minutes off flame, fluff. It comes out slightly glutinous, a bit damp, soaks up any sauce like a sponge - the way we make it might not be to everyone's taste

- Tilde brand basmati rice from India in the big blue resealable bag. Always rinsed 3-4 times and soaked for half an hour. When I make it, I boil/steam it according to the Madhur Jaffrey method - boil with about 1 1/3 as much water to rice, tightly seal, steam for 25 minutes, let sit for 10 minutes. When Adam makes it, he does it the Persian style that Hassouni describes above. It involves oil and ghee, a mysterious paper towel that has a triangular hole cut in it, and lots of open steaming followed by a crusting. I don't know the details.

- Elephant brand jasmine rice from Thailand, in 10-lb bags. Always rinsed. I make it Kasma Loha-unchit's way, in metal bowls sitting inside a stockpot on top of a steamer. Maybe 1/4" water in the stockpot. Boiling water poured on top of the rice, amount depends on how old the rice is (date on back of bag), then steamed for 25 minutes, always turns out perfect. Can sit in the steamer for longer with no harm if need be too.

We also make Thai sticky rice using the tall bamboo basket on the metal pot. So long as the rice has been soaked, it takes about 15 minutes - incredibly easy.

Very occasionally carnaroli rice for risotto... I need to get back into that. Risi e bisi too.

Also wild rice, black rice and other varieties.

We eat a LOT of rice. (Never brown, though I don't mind it.)

[rotuts]

Patrickamory:

some times, not too often. L**T is better served "satisfied"

this is the case here:

look for this at your library or Best Friends House:

http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Rice-Cooker-Cookbook-Porridges/dp/1558326677/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355424998&sr=1-1&keywords=rice+cooker

then study the current situation with the RC's

make sure the one you get does 'Perssian'

but their usefulness to me was using milk in groats etc on the 'slow' also puddings.

no scorching.

when you pick your model, get the bigger one, only a few bucks but it allows room for 'Mix ins'

[Hassouni]

My rice cooker will typically not brown rice, I guess the computer keeps the "warm" temperature low enough that it doesn't happen. I made some takikomi gohan with dashi, mushroom stock, and mushrooms, and the bottom browned a bit, but did not get crispy.

As for those who have yet to warm up to brown rice, this is where a good rice cooker shines. I can make white rice decently in a pot, but brown, just dump it in and forget about it.

Also, Kasma's steaming method for jasmine rice IS awesome

[rotuts]

I'm very sorry for your loss H.

find the book and then decide to Move On!

[radtek]

I simply rinse the rice by swirling in the saucepan with several changes of water- until it begins to run clear. The sprayer attachment makes this quite easy. A sieve fine enough ought to work as well. Rinsing gets rid of any talc or loose starch, plus the odd weevil or two; around 2008-2009 it seemed a lot of grains and legumes had weevils and particulate. Probably due to decreased demand and a oversupply of product that had the opportunity to sit for longer than intended.

When we lived in Iran my mother learned how to make tadiq from the women that would come in to help with house-parties. It was simply amazing: a golden crunchy layer almost an inch thick topped with perfectly steamed fragrant rice...

She was sorta cagey about the process and went to the grave with it. However this past year I have been experimenting with it and believe the process and results are now within my grasp.

As far as brown rice goes I use the same amount of water and heat but just extend the cooking time to 45 minutes. Turns out great with distinct grains and not a gummy mess.

[patrickamory]

One thing about rice made the old-fashioned way is that the results vary enormously based on the kind of water you have. Proportions and results change a lot it seems. And of course flavor. We have very good tasting tap water. That's not the case everywhere...

[HungryC]

I use a pot atop the stove....most often Campbell Farms popcorn rice or Jazzmen rice , both grown in Louisiana. My fallback is Mahatma's long grain. I never rinse and I generally do a ratio of 1.5 water to 1 part rice.

[Hassouni]

When we lived in Iran my mother learned how to make tadiq from the women that would come in to help with house-parties. It was simply amazing: a golden crunchy layer almost an inch thick topped with perfectly steamed fragrant rice...

She was sorta cagey about the process and went to the grave with it. However this past year I have been experimenting with it and believe the process and results are now within my grasp.

Egads, an inch of tadig! You must share these results! Lotfan begu!

[radtek]

One needs to parboil the rice for 6 minutes and then drain and rinse. Use a heavy bottomed pot- I used a dutch-oven. Mainly I think it is an oil quantity issue that relates to the thickness. I am going to experiment with mixing a bottom layer in the oil then mounding the rest of the rice on top. Cover with double towel-wrapped lid. Cook low and slow for about and hour. I've achieved close to half an inch with just mounding and plenty of oil.

A simply amazing delicacy!

[Hassouni]

Ah, OK, that's more or less how I do it too. I just don't use very much oil. The more, the better, from a tadig production standpoint, no doubt. When I make rice for guests I always use much more oil or butter and get better, more consistent results. Do you mean the crust goes up an inch at the surface, or is an inch thick all the way through? For instance here, the surface is crispy going up an inch, but the actual thickness of the crispy layer is not more than a few grains of rice deep:

PS to those unfamiliar with this, it's basically the most delicious thing in the universe, hands down.

Edited December 13, 2012 by Hassouni (log)

[huiray]

Ah, OK, that's more or less how I do it too. I just don't use very much oil. The more, the better, from a tadig production standpoint, no doubt. When I make rice for guests I always use much more oil or butter and get better, more consistent results. Do you mean the crust goes up an inch at the surface, or is an inch thick all the way through? For instance here, the surface is crispy going up an inch, but the actual thickness of the crispy layer is not more than a few grains of rice deep:

PS to those unfamiliar with this, it's basically the most delicious thing in the universe, hands down.

a.k.a. "fan chew" in Cantonese. An old, old "stuff" known in most rice-eating cuisines for however long the cuisine has been cooking rice, methinks. :-)

The Chinese also cook rice with a melangé of stuff (meat + veggies + etc) in smallish clay pots [traditionally, preferably over charcoal fires] with a tight-fitting clay lid to give a wonderful meal-in-a-pot with very nice "fan chew" at the bottom. Some people push aside the rice & ingredients on top and get to the rice crust at the bottom first!

https://www.google.com/search?q=clay+pot+rice&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=6Fg&tbo=u&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=foPKUJPUC8jVqQG7uYH4Dw&ved=0CDgQsAQ&biw=1274&bih=981

[liuzhou]

This is one of my favourites. Black rice or forbidden rice.

It has a pleasant mild nutty taste. It tends to turn a dark purple when cooked.

[huiray]

Forbidden Rice. Heh. A nice one, though something I seldom eat. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_rice

One type of rice I dislike, except for specific purposes, is the kind of short-grain sticky-type rice like Hitomebore. Talk about congealed lumps of starch.

[Hassouni]

a.k.a. "fan chew" in Cantonese. An old, old "stuff" known in most rice-eating cuisines for however long the cuisine has been cooking rice, methinks. :-)

The Chinese also cook rice with a melangé of stuff (meat + veggies + etc) in smallish clay pots [traditionally, preferably over charcoal fires] with a tight-fitting clay lid to give a wonderful meal-in-a-pot with very nice "fan chew" at the bottom. Some people push aside the rice & ingredients on top and get to the rice crust at the bottom first!

https://www.google.c...iw=1274&bih=981

Except our version is salty and buttery/oily, and I must say, laden with bias, that that makes it far tastier In Iraqi and Persian food, it's considered the highlight of the meal.

(The bottom of dolsot bibimbap (nurungji) is pretty good, but not as good, and the nurungji that gets served immersed in hot water is soggy and tasteless.)

[huiray]

Have you had Chinese-type clay pot rice? ;-)

[liuzhou]

Guoba (锅巴)

"Traditionally guoba forms during the boiling of rice over direct heat from a flame. This results in the formation of a crust of scorched rice on the bottom of the wok or cooking vessel. This scorched rice has a firm and crunchy texture with a slight toasted flavour" - Wikipedia

[Hassouni]

Have you had Chinese-type clay pot rice? ;-)

Yup. It's fine, about on par with nurungji from dolsot bibimbap, but tadig/hakkaka is much more scrumptious