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Author Topic: BIR rice colouring  (read 5,942 times)

AI Summary
The discussion centers around achieving the subtle coloring of BIR (British Indian Restaurant) rice, as opposed to the vivid colors often produced at home. Participants suggest various methods, including adding food coloring to the cooking water or using a dropper to apply diluted coloring directly to cooked rice. Some believe that BIRs may use powdered coloring applied directly to the rice to achieve a less vibrant effect. A consensus emerges that while achieving the desired subtlety is challenging, using a dropper with careful amounts of coloring during cooking may yield better results.

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Offline Bobby Bhuna

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BIR rice colouring
« on: May 16, 2010, 10:01 PM »
I've started this thread because I've taken the Malik's takeaway topic on a bit of a tangent.

So, here's my rice.

BIR rice colouring

Here's Malik's rice (which looks similar to the rice I want to reproduce, and receive from most takeaways)

BIR rice colouring

My colouring is far to vivid, unlike their subtle and occasional lightly coloured grain. I am suggesting using a dropper and diluted powdered colouring but cannot imagine BIRs doing this.

Does anyone know the technique that BIRs are using for their rice colouring?

Thanks

BB

See discussion from other thread below:

Quote from: Bobby Bhuna on May 16, 2010, 09:42 PM
Quote from: Razor on May 16, 2010, 09:28 PM
To achieve what I think it is that your after, you would literally have to do just one drop of each colour, then lock in the colour in the oven, I guess.

Hey Ray, thanks for your input. Those are my thoughts exactly. I somehow doubt that BIRs are using droppers though... Seems a little clinical.

Can someone ask their local who does similar rice? All my locals round here are crap.

I'm wandering off topic here. I'll start a new thread. Let's get back on track before an angry moderator throws their weight around :P

Quote from: Razor on May 16, 2010, 09:49 PM
Hi BB,

My local TA does do a similar looking rice, maybe just a tad more colourful, but not too much.

You dont think that they would do 2 smaller portions of coloured rice then add a spoonfull into the main rice do you?  I can't see them using a dropper either, they probably use a massive chef's spoon and just let one drop drip off it into the rice lol ;D

Ray ;D
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Offline Domi

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Re: BIR rice colouring
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2010, 10:23 PM »
We've not had that three coloured rice served anywhere for years, BB...they just don't seem to do it anymore round our way. TBH the red in the malik's rice looks to stand out a bit but theirs will be mixed into a far bigger batch of plain rice....maybe it gets rubbed off a bit lol

**EDIT** after doing a bit of searching, some say to add the colouring to the rice water as it's cooking which would lessen the effect rather than adding it after cooking.... :-\
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Offline Bobby Bhuna

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Re: BIR rice colouring
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2010, 10:46 PM »
Quote from: Domi on May 16, 2010, 10:23 PM
after doing a bit of searching, some say to add the colouring to the rice water as it's cooking which would lessen the effect rather than adding it after cooking.... :-\

That's a thought! One tiny green batch, one tiny red batch, then adding a few cooked grains of each to the large white batch! Time consuming though... Frozen small batches of coloured rice perhaps? Doubt it's their method TBH but I bet it would work. Dropper still seems easiest to me.
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Offline JerryM

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Re: BIR rice colouring
« Reply #3 on: May 17, 2010, 07:33 AM »
Bobby,

i just use yellow rice (adding a little turmeric ~0.25 tsp).

i can't even imagine how they could make it like the malik pic. i've only tended to see it in top notch places suggesting that it's not that easy to do (time consuming).

best wishes,
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Offline Domi

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Re: BIR rice colouring
« Reply #4 on: May 17, 2010, 08:55 AM »
Hi Jerry ;)

I'd assumed it was all part of the "no colourings no preservatives healthy choice" kick as most of the top notch places stopped doing it first and it kinda spread to all takeaways. The only places I've seen it sold for a while is in supermarkets in tubs :\ Similarly the majority seem to have stopped using the red colouring in madrases and vindaloos prefering the natural coloured curries, the only ones still using it are of the Malik's crap quality T/A's where they seem to think that colour = flavour. I thought it was the same all over but apparently not lol.
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Offline Malc.

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Re: BIR rice colouring
« Reply #5 on: May 17, 2010, 11:19 AM »
If you look closely at the rice, specifically the green coloured rice, you can see that some of the grains are not coloured all the way through. This suggests that colour is dropped onto the cooked rice just as CA does in his recipe.

I would suggest that they probably use powdered colouring directly onto the rice and this is why you get less 'bleed' and pigmentation.
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Offline Razor

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Re: BIR rice colouring
« Reply #6 on: May 17, 2010, 07:24 PM »
Bobby,

I give the dropper theory ago tonight.  Defo a move in the right direction.

I basically, used red and yellow powder food colouring (TRS), quantities no bigger than the head of a matchstick.  I diluted each with just enough water to make it runny.  I then added about, 6 drops of each colour to a cooked portion of 250g of pilau rice, and finished off in the oven for about 15-20 mins, 150c, just to lock in the food colouring.

Once it was cooked, I picked out all of the whole spices and gave it a good mix.

Result? not as subtle as Maliks but certainly getting there, and nowhere near as vibrant as my rice in the picture (CA's Madras)

Next time, I will go for 3 drops of each, and see what that brings.

For me, this is the way, I'm sure the BIR's don't have 3 seperate colours of rice on the go, they just couldn't be arsed.

Ray :)

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Offline Malc.

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Re: BIR rice colouring
« Reply #7 on: May 17, 2010, 07:39 PM »
I think I've misread your post Bobby, the first pic is of your home cooked rice?

If you asked me to pick the rice I wanted to eat based on the two pics, i'd pick the first, which looks far more tasty than the second.

What recipe do you use for your rice?
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