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

[JerryM]

thanks currymonster,

now that i've clocked onto this i will do a bit more surveying when i'm next in the shop. it really took me back to see 20 off or so varieties and how much they seem to vary over time based (i guess) on what's at the wholesalers.

i am also very intrigued on the bag the guy bought - it was in a hessian sack which most people would walk past quickly.

i will also note down a bag that i've bought before which is not up to spec (despite a heavy price).

cooking tonight on the new stuff - here's hoping

[JerryM]

the latest rice i bought (Chenab) i think is ok but well short of some that i've had before.

surprisingly there appears to be a huge difference in the cooking time of the various rices. for example i usually bring to boil, simmer on v.low for 15mins then leave to stand 10 mins. for the Chenab this weigh over cooks it. i'm down to 7 mins simmer and 5 mins standing.

following the disappointment from a packaging that promised much - i've had another gander round the shop. despite reading pretty much every bags packaging - i gleaned no more on how to pick out the good ones.

i looked for "aged" and found only 1 off brand in about 25 ish (Laila).

i found Domi's East End Royal but i'm still recovering (i know u get what u pay for). at 13? per 5kg it reluctantly won't be going into the basket.

3 off varieties caught my eye: Laila, Neelam, MAP. i intend to google these in desperation.

[qprbob]

I have a 5 Kilo bag of aged Basmati rice. The bag is a cloth type, with a zip to close it and a plastic bag inside containing the rice. The name on the bag is Dawn and produced in Pakistan.
This is the first time i have used aged Basmati rice and you can really taste the difference. I cook by the absorption method and let it dry in the   oven, on thelowest setting and have perfect results every time.

[JerryM]

qprbob,

well pleased u've got onto basmati - i swear by it although i only use it for non curry food (i prefer naan).

i'll add Dawn to the google list.

i'm sure "aged" is the key but not convinced all brands put it on the packaging - some seem to stamp a date as a means of proving it's vintage.

all interesting stuff.

[qprbob]

HiJerryM

I found Basmati rice a long time ago, but until now only used supermarkets own brand.
Whilst reading through a thread on rice, someone mentioned trying aged Basmati rice
when I last went to London i picked up an aged Basmati and gave it a go.
As said earlier, the taste is quiet different to cheap own brands. On my next visit to my parents I will pick up some more, but of a different brand, perhaps a little more expensive to what I paid last time, which was incidentally ?8.85 for 5Kg.

Here is a picture of the rice I'm using at the moment

[JerryM]

qprbob,

thanks for the photo. it looks spot on stuff. the price is about right for me expecting the price per kg a little lower on 20kg bag (i aim for around 30?).

from what i've gathered to date the Dawn looks as if u won't beat it even at a higher price.

the big trouble i find is the brands in stock keep changing ie i can't always pick up what i've had before. this works both ways. i'd just like to cut out the imitations which are still labelled as top quality basmati when there not.

must have a google today.

[Secret Santa]

I don't know if anyone else has had this experience and I'd be interested to know. When I used to eat plain boiled basmati rice at the BIR (I usually have pilau these days), it always had that very fragrant and unmistakable basmati aroma. This even when they claimed to use Tilda rice, which I personally happen to rate very low on the quality front.

Now, when I cook plain basmati at home, and I've used many brands over the years, I never ever get the same depth of fragrant basmati aroma. Does anyone else have this problem? Is it another BIR secret, i.e. the secret of bringing out the basmati fragrance to the full?

[JerryM]

Secret Santa,

u've got into words what's in my head and the reason for the post.

i suspect that it's like most things. i think more rice is being blended and sold as top notch when it's well short.

attached pic is of the best rice i've had - not expensive either - trouble is it no longer seems to be readily available - hence the need for alternative.

a ps - the "extra long grain rice" on the packaging is something that surprises me and may or not be a clue to quality of taste. i associate long grain with American which is not basmati.

[currymonster]

the big trouble i find is the brands in stock keep changing ie i can't always pick up what i've had before. this works both ways. i'd just like to cut out the imitations which are still labelled as top quality basmati when there not.

I often have this problem too Jerry, an added problem is that Basmati crops vary in quality over the years (like wine) so sticking to one brand may not be the best solution. IMHO the only way to get the best Basmati is to ask a friendly Indian/Pakistani shopkeeper or cook what is the best at the moment.

[JerryM]

currymonster,

i'm getting that feeling that it's no easy nut to crack. i have had success asking the shop keeper (the one's that know aren't always in when i go). i probably need a day in the store watching who buys what.


qprbob,

could i ask u to take photo of the dawn rice for info. i feel at the mo that i'd like the shop keepers to have a little container of the opened rice on show.

have taken pic of the Chenab (not as good as it makes out) and the Shahmir (v.good). without thinking i would naturally go for the LH rice down to the whiter appearance. Wrong - the Shamir is RH and has a slightly brown/darker appearance. the end of each piece of rice seems to have a white spot on it and there seems to be much more consistency of the grains ie they look the same. the Chenab looks as if some other rice has crept in with the good stuff. the trouble is quite a lot crept in by the look.