Lady&Mister Chef
© 2013 Cristian Lucisano Editore Lady&Mister Chef
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Some More Rice
Easy-cook rice
The grains don’t stick together: it’s steamed before it’s milled. Chefs don’t think much of it because it’s overly chewy and lacks flavour.
American long-grain rice
A generic term used for delicate, white long-grain rice, also known as Carolina rice; a worldwide favourite.
lt cooks to a dry, separate-grain texture and is great with juicy dishes.
Basmati rice
Now this is a rice you can do something with, a white long-grain needle-shaped rice from India and Pakistan. It smells fabulous, cooking, and has an amazing, delicate nutty flavour. Used in Indian and Persian cuisine, some brands contain grit and husks, so rinse and pick the rice over, before cooking.
Brown rice
Unmilled wholegrain rice with its brown bran and germ intact, which gives a nutty flavour and makes it very chewy. It’s a popular health food in the west, but, compared with other rices around, it’s pretty unexciting.
Thaijasmine rice
Also called fragrant rice, because it smells so fantastic, when cooked. lt’s a long-grain rice similar to basmati that’s soft and slightly clinging, when cooked. A perfect partner to curries.
Arborio rice
The most widely available ltalian rice, it’s used for risotto. The short white grains absorb a lot of liquid and release the starches that give risotto its essential creamyness. Some risotto lovers use carnaroli or vialone nano, which are more-tricky to cook to perfection.
Paella rice
The proper term for this short-medium grain white rice is “bomba”. It’s grown in the Calasparra region of Spain and, Iike risotto rice, its relatively large grains absorb same quantities of liquid - and paella’s fabulous flavours.
Glutinous or sticky rice
Can be long or short grain, and has a chalky opaque look when raw.
A staple in many parts of Asia. It cooks into a slight aroma.
Japanese rice
A short-grain rice which has distinct firm grains and is slightly sticky when cooked, which makes it easier to eat with chopsticks or mould for sushi. Rice grown in Japan is not exported, so the rice you see on sale in Asian supermarkets was probably grown in California.
Red Camargue rice
A unique variety from the wild wetlands of the Camargue region of south eastern France. lt has a medium or short grain, is slightly rounded at one end and has a wonderful nutty flavour. And yes, it really is red. Great for livening up salads.
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© 2013 Cristian Lucisano Editore Lady&Mister Chef Wild rice
Actually the seed of a North American aquatic grass. With distinctive Iong grains and a dark colour, it’s chewy with an unusual herby taste. It can be bought mixed with Iong-grain rice. Allows long cooking.
Black rice
An unmilled rice from China with a purpley colour outside and a white kernel. It’s very tender if cooked for over 30 minutes; tastes nutty and goes well with strong flavours. Buy it in eastern food shops.
Many peoples like rice, and each of them
has his favourite. The most important nourishment in
many oriental countries.