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

[qprbob]

JerryM

Here are a couple of photos of the rice.

On the left is the Dawn aged Basmati and on the right Sainsbury's own brand. As you pointed out, the better rice seems to be darker in colour. Whether some producers bleach their rice, believing that's what the consumer wants, I don't know, but what I do know the darker rice being aged tastes so much better.


the rice on its own is the Dawn variety. Hope this is what you were after Jerry.

[CurryOnRegardless]

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?

Hi SS

I find the very opposite to be the case on both fronts. When eating out or ordering a T/A I always get plain boiled rice and invariably (especially so recently) they end up fobbing off what is obviously ordinary long grain American patna type rice as basmati. It doesn't seem to matter wether it's an up market style gaff or a sawdust and spittoon place, I can't remember the last time I got pukka basmati from a BIR. I put this down to the way the price has gone over the past year or so.

Tilda is the one brand of readily available rice that I have found to be consistently good over the years. If you look at their website you'll see that they operate a sort of fair trade policy and deal with local farmers co-operatives so ensuring quality and a good return for the growers, instead of just relying on the spot wholesale markets and going for the cheapest product.
How are you cooking the rice? Try using the absorption method with an Asian(cinnamon)leaf and leave it in a (very) low oven, the aroma develops slowly and is amazing.

Regard
CoR   

ps. That Dawn stuff looks really good, never seen it round here, will make some enquiries.

[qprbob]

I live on the Isle of Wight and there are no Asian stores on the Island. When going back to my parents or when they come down here, that's when I get my supplies, but always manage to forget something. the Dawn rice was bought in an Asian store in Queensbury Middlesex. My parents live in Harrow and we are spoilt for Asian grocery stores, and each one differs due to the fact some are run by Bangladeshis or Pakistanis and Indians.

[JerryM]

qprbob,

thanks for photo - sorted.

i'm now convinced it's the darker stuff to aim for and aged whenever possible.

[Cory Ander]

Jerry, it may be that the colour difference is due to whether the rice is hulled and polished (the white colour) or not (the darker colour). 

Either that or the darker colour may be because the rice has maybe gone off!

Arguable, the whiter it is the "better" it is (or at least the more expensive it is) since you're no doubt paying for the extra processing involved in getting it white.

I understand that a couple of years aging (up to maybe ten years) is pretty normal.

Basmati rice is also a "long-grained" rice (opposed to "medium-grained" or "short-grained").

The best basmati allegedly comes from the foothills of the Himalayas (where the unique climate allegedly best suits it's growth). 

You should probably look for a basmati rice that is:

-  From the foothills of the Himalayas (often of Pakistani origin)
-  Has uniform, unbroken grains and no grit, residual husks, etc
-  Has some reputable seal of quality approval
-  Basmati from "Dehra Dun" is purportedly the best basmati of all

Like most things in life, you get what you pay for.

[Cory Ander]

As with most things BIR, I doubt many use "the best" basmati rice and no doubt strike a compromise between quality and price.

I suggest the better BIRs then develop the frangrance via their cooking methods.

[JerryM]

CA,

nicely timed. i'm aiming to do an in depth survey tonight and will look out for u say (Pakistan, 10 yrs & Dehra Dun). appreciate the clarification on the colour. i was getting a bit perplexed as i recall most that i've had in the past that were good were in deed white. i'd not even come across/aware of the darker variety until recently.

i agree fully on the BIR fragrance. my use is purely non curry when u do need the what u pay for. i just want to avoid the pay for imitations.

best wishes,

[JerryM]

i had a further look round my local armed with the additional knowledge.

1st up - there are a lot of bags packaged in the UK. i put these in one category as blended and will be staying well clear (i think these have much blame)

the best rice seems to be in the larger bags (20 & 45kg). for example i found CA's recommendation dehraduni - trouble is there was only 1 off shelf space and only in 45 kg (a defo possibility for the future).

very few have the words "aged" on them. very few have "extra long grain" on them. this chucks out a few more imposter's.

i asked the bosses wife for help. i was quite surprised that she said they are reluctant to recommend as peoples tastes (i read non asian) vary and this can lead to disappointment. we had a good chat. chenab despite all it says on the packaging is not good. it's now on offer and perhaps that's another good marker.

in the end she recommended 3 brands. the best fit (limiting myself to 10kg range as i'm already awash with the chenab) was Zebra. it looks very promising. of the other 2 one was tilda (with i'm undecided on) and the other (White Pearl) too expensive at 20? for 10 kg.

i've started googling and having a look at a few mills.

[commis]

Hi

Don't dismiss the packaged in the UK statement. Due to taxation on rice coming into Europe allready milled. Most rice on sale will have been milled and packaged in the EU. Look more for where the rice was grown, if it says basmati but does not mention much else. Most likely to be from the USA. Get hold of The Rice Book by Sri Owen. For a beter in-site. I tend to stick to Pakistani grown.

Commis

[Secret Santa]

the best fit (limiting myself to 10kg range as i'm already awash with the chenab) was Zebra.

Be careful Jerry, this rice buying business is a bit of a grey area,  it's not all black and white you know!  ;D

one was tilda (with i'm undecided on)

Despite what the blurb on the pack might say, I still don't rate Tilda. I personally wouldn't make this my first choice.

and the other (White Pearl) too expensive at 20? for 10 kg

Well I've heard very good reports on this, but for the life of me I can't recall whether I've tried it myself. But perhaps that fact means that, if I have, it wasn't that good, or perhaps my memory is just fading. Probably the latter!