Topic: Rice choice, plus a deal in Tesco

[Gezh]

Until now I've just been using Tesco own brand basmati rice. It's not good... comes out very sticky and soggy, no matter how carefully I follow the recipe. So, over the last couple of weeks I've done a lot of reading here and some experimenting.

I went to my local indian grocer, and the chap told me the best rice they do is Fudco Dehraduni Basmati. I hadn't heard this mentioned here before, but bought 2Kg at ?5. A bit pricey, but I want to experiment. Instant success with the cooking... finally I can produce fluffy, separated rice, the way the rest of you describe. However I'm not convinced on the flavour, it seems to emit a slight waxy, plasticy taste, a little like what you might  expect from long grain rice. It still doesn't taste like pilau rice from the local.... in fact the grains once cooked are much longer than anything I ever get served from a BIR.

Anyway, back to topic, just a heads up... Tesco are currently doing a deal on a Pakistani rice - Salaam Apna Basmati - 5Kg for ?5 - which is a great price, if it's any good. It says it's aged, and all that bumph, so who knows. Just wondered if anyone has tried it?

Any comments, tips, welcome :-)

[Malc.]

I have always used Tilda Pure Basmati. It tastes great and is easy to cook.

How are you cooking your rice?

[Gezh]

Oh I use the recipes here... the simple one provided by PeterandJen, and the more thorough one provided by C.A. Both tried, tested and trusted methods.

[Razor]

Gezh,

Before I bought my rice cooker, I only ever used Tilda, but seriously, now I buy any old rice.  It always comes out really fluffy and perfectly cooked.  I just follow these simple rules:

1) Wash the rice in a sieve under warm running water.
2) leave the rice to soak in salted water for about 20 minutes.  The rice will go snow white.
3) Drain the rice through a sieve and leave until dry.
4) Cook rice using a 2 rice : 3 water ratio (in the rice cooker)

Perfect results everytime.

Hope this helps!

Ray

[Malc.]

Ray, like yourself, I thought he/she  meant cooking rice as plain, but I think the member means cooking Pilau Rice. It wasn't clear in the original post.

[peterandjen]

I agree, you have really got to wash your rice well, the less starch the better it will be, i even put my hands in the saucepan under the tap and rub the rice between them, sort of scrubbing the grains against each other. You can feel the difference, removing the starch makes.
On a side note ive had a couple of dodgy rice events over the last few weeks and i believe it come down to the cheap asda's own brand of basmati rice i had bought.
Previously ive been fine no matter which/what or where the rice is from, so maybe just sometimes rice has a bad crop?

[Gezh]

Sorry if I wasn't clear... yes I meant cooking pilau rice with all the seeds and spices. Although my point remains the same, the cheap Tesco rice just wasn't good enough.

Incidentally, I cooked a Biryani tonight, using a recipe from this forum, and WOW, what a taste sensation. So I think my new rice might be great after all :-)