RICE

INTRODUCTION  NATIVE TO ASIA  STAPLE FOOD  LOW COST  PALATABLE  EASY TO DIGEST

RICE STRUCTURE  INEDIBLE HUSK REMOVED = UNPOLISHED/BROWN RICE  BRAN & GERM REMOVED = REFINED WHITE RICE (POLISHED)  DIFFERENT TYPES  WHITE RICE  SWEET RICE  WILD RICE

ADVANTAGES  CHEAP  CONVENIENT  LITTLE PREPARATION  STORED IN COOL, DRY PLACE  GLUTEN FREE  VERSERTILE  HIGH STARCH CONTENT = FILLING  SERVED AS AN ACCOMPANIMENT

MAIN TYPES  BROWN RICE  LONG GRAIN  BASMATI  JASMINE (THAILAND)  MEDIUM GRAIN  ARBORIO  SHORT GRAIN  SUSHI (JAPANESE)  WILD RICE  AQUATIC WILD GRASS  MEALIE RICE

 BROWN  MINIMAL MILLING  HUSK REMOVED – BRAN LAYER RETAINED  NUTTY FLAVOUR  LONG, MEDIUM, SHORT GRAIN  LONG GRAIN (BASMATI/JASMINE)  VERSITILE & POPULAR  WHITE GRAIN  SLIM  4-5 TIMES LONGER IN LENGTH THAN WIDTH  SUBTLE FLAVOUR  GRAINS SEPARATE WHEN COOKED (FLUFFY)  MILLED TO REMOVE HUSK & BRAN LAYER  VERY LONG GRAIN  FRAGRANT FLAVOUR & AROMA  SOFT & SLIGHT STICKY TEXTURE WHEN COOKED  OVERCOOKED OR STIRRED FREQUENTLY = STICKY

 SHORT GRAIN (SUSHI)  SHORT, TUBBY & CHALKY  STARCHY  CLING TOGETHER  SMOOTH CREAMY TEXTURE & TENDER WHEN COOKED  MEDIUM GRAIN  WHEN COOKED BECOMES STICKY  SERVED PIPING HOT  ARBORIO RICE (MEDIUM GRAIN)  ITALIAN RICE  PLUMP  ABSORBS SAUCE  DISTINCTIVE WHITE SPOT IN KERNEL  PROCESSED  ROUGH RICE IS PROCESSED BY CLEANING THE WHOLE KERNEL  CONVERTED (SOAKED, PRESSURED, STEAMED) REDUCE SURFACE STARCH  COOKING THE INEDIBLE HUSK IS REMOVED, LEAVING BROWN RICE

 WILD RICE  NOT RICE  AQUATIC GRASS  LONG, SLIM GRAINS  RANGE IN COLOUR DARK BROWN TO BLACK  MEALIE-RICE  MILLED INTO SMALL GRAINS  CONVERTED RICE/PARBOILED RICE  PROCESSED LONG GRAIN RICE  PARTIALLY COOKED UNDER STEAM PRESSURE, RE-DRIED & POLISHED  NUTRIENTS & VITAMINS IS ADDED TO ENRICH  RETAINS MORE NUTRIENTS THAT REGULAR MILLED RICE

QUALITY POINTS  NO TINY STONES OR HUSKS  NO INSECT EGGS, THAT HATCH IN TRANSIT OR IN STORAGE  SIGNS OF INFESTATION, SEAL AN RETURN TO SUPPLIER  CHECK PACKAGING – INTACT & NOT DAMAGED  NO SIGNS OF DAMP  TAKE INTO ACCOUNT RICE NEEDED FOR DISH  BUY BEST QUALITY FOR GOOD END PRODUCT  CHECK SELL-BY-DATE

PURCHASE & UNITS  WEIGHT, DRY FORM  PLAIN OR FLAVOURINGS ADDED  MIX OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF RICE  PLAIN RICE LESS EXPENSIVE

PREPARATION METHODS  WASHING  FOLLOW DIRECTIONS  CERTAIN RICE SHOULD NOT BE WASHED (STICKY)  PLACE IN LARGE BOWL FILLED WITH COLD WATER  STIR THE RICE  ONCE SETTLED POUR OFF CLOUDY WATER  REPEAT UNTIL CLEAR  DRAINING  AFTER WASHING, DRAIN WITH FINE SIEVE/COLANDER  MIXING  USE FORK TO MIX COOKED RICE (LESS DAMAGE)  RICE STIRRED WITH OTHER RECIPE INGREDIENTS  MOULDING  COOKED RICE PACKED INTO RING MOULDS/CUP-SHAPED MOULDS  MOULD OILED

COOKING  MOIST COOKING  WATER  STOCK  STEAM  BOIL 1 ST, THEN STIRFRY/SHALLOW FRY  MINUTES MOST VARIETIES  BROWN RICE MINUTES  DO NOT OVERCOOK = MUSHY & DESTROY NUTRIENTS

 BOILING  LONG GRAIN/BROWN RICE LOTS OF WATER  STIR AS IT AS IT IS ADDED, PREVENTS GRAINS FROM STICKING  RICE DRAINED & SERVED  RINSED UNDER COLD WATER NEEDS TO BE REHEATED  REHEAT:  MICROWAVE  COLANDER OVER BOILING WATER  BAIN MARIE  STEAMER  ABSORBTION METHOD  EXACT AMOUNT OF WATER  NO NUTRIENTS LOST  FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS ON PACKET  TO COOK RICE:  HEAVY BASED SAUCEPAN, TIGHT FITTING LID  PLACE RICE, LIQUID & SALT AND BRING TO THE BOIL  STIR ONCE & SIMMER  COVER

 BAKING  COOKED IN OVENPROOF DISH IN MODERATE OVEN  LONGER COOKING TIME  STEAMING  FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS  QUICKER COOKING  USED TO REHEAT  PLACE IN COLANDER OVER BOILING WATER  STEAM HEATS THE RICE  FLUFF GRAINS WITH A FORK

TESTING RICE  LIGHTLY SQUEEZE GRAINS BETWEEN FINGERS  FEEL TENDER  KEEP SHAPE

PORTION CONTROL  PORTION SIZE DEPENDS ON RECIPE & USAGE  UNCOOKED RICE YIELDS 3 TIMES ITS VOLUME WHEN COOKED  1 CUP = 2CUPS COOKED  180g LONG/MEDIUM = 850g COOKED RICE  180g SHORT GRAIN = 750g COOKED RICE  45g – 50g UNCOOKED RICE PER PORTION  LONG, MEDIUM, WHITE, BROWN (4 pax)  UNCOOKED 180g  COOKED 850g  SHORT GRAIN (3-4 pax)  UNCOOKED 180g  COOKED 750g

STORING RICE  RAW OR COOKED FORM  BACILLUS CEREUS – FOOD POISONING BACTERIA  STORE, HEAT & COOL PROPERLY  RAW  DRY  AMBIENT TEMPERATURE  TIGHTLY SEALED  PREVENT DAMP, PEST DAMAGE, DRYING OUT  COOKED HOT  70˚C, BACTERIA DOES NOT MULTIPLY  COVER TO PREVENT DRYING OUT

 COOKED COLD  RAPIDLY COOLED  3 DAYS IN REFRIGERATOR  REHEAT AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE  FREEZING  SOME FREEZE WELL  BASMATI = MUSHY  INDIVIDUALLY FREEZE

USES  BASIS BREAKFAST CEREALS  STUFFING  SIDE DISH  BASIS MAIN DISH  MEAL ACCOMPANIMENT  MEAL ON OWN  INGREDIENT IN OTHER DISHES  DESSERT BASE

TYPES OF RICE DISHES  YELLOW RICE  SERVED WITH MOST DISHES  LOOKS ATTRACTIVE  FLAVOUR NOT ALTERED  PINCH OF TURMERIC BOILING RICE  SAFFRON RICE  SOAK A FEW STRANDS IN 3TBSP WATER 30 MINUTES  RICE COOKED, POUR OVER SAFFRON & WATER  PLACE ON LID (TO PREVENT AROMA & FLAVOUR FROM ESCAPING)

GLOSSARY  BREYANI  INDIAN RICE DISH  CHICKEN OR OTHER MEAT OR VEGETARIAN  PILAU/PILAF  INDIAN DISH  RICE BOILED WITH VEGETABLES, MEAT & SPICE  RISOTTO  ITALIAN SAVOURY RICE DISH  COOKED IN STOCK  PAELLA  SPANISH DISH  SAFFRON, CHICKEN, SEAFOOD  SUSHI  JAPANESE  RICE FILLING