Topic: What is the best basmati rice brand out there?

[pg89]

I have used Tilda and Badshah with fairly good results. I recently bought 5kg of 'Trophy' basmati rice for ?5 and I've noticed that even though it is very easy to cook and the grains turn out longer and fluffier than usual, it has very little of that nutty basmati aroma and makes pilau rice taste bland.

Are there any particular brands out there that are considered 'the absolute best' which are better than Tilda? Maybe a brand only available from Asian shops or by import?

[curryhell]

Now there's a leading question and i'd bet you'd get a lot of different answers with many of us having a personal preference.

Two threads well worth reading on the subject of the quality of basmati rice and different brands:

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3487.0

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=5627.msg71429#msg71429

My own preference is Badshah

[beachbum]

I've been using Himalayan Crown aged Basmati, my regular Indian Supermarket in Brisbane has been putting it out for 11 Aus Dollars for 5k.

However for a really nice Basmati by the kilo I was on Aldi Basmati for a couple of years, and will probably go back to that when the Himalayan Crown runs out.

I note that HC is also on Tesco's site in the UK. http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=271306938 although out of stock.

[pauly58]

Does anyone remember the basmati of the early eighties ? It had a lovely nutty aroma.

I have been trying a number of brands :

Badshah, TRS, Tohfa, Veetee Supreme, Tilda.

I have to say there is little between them & unfortunately none are as good as I remember.  Amazon list a Royale Supreme that interests me.

If I had to pick one brand it would be the Tohfa but really it is all about how you cook it.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Does anyone remember the basmati of the early eighties ? It had a lovely nutty aroma.  I have been trying a number of brands & unfortunately none are as good as I remember.

Is it possible that, to meet ever-increasing international demand and bring in much needed hard currency, the sub-continent's scientists have been experimenting with genetic engineering and we now have predominantly high-yield basmati with little flavour ?  This article suggests not, and that improvements in yield have been accomplished by more traditional techniques.

** Phil.