Rice for pilaf. Which rice is better

Rice for pilaf. Which rice is better to use for pilaf?

The secret of the perfect taste of any dish is the proper preparation of the products and in the good mood of the cook.

The unspoken law of any cook

Which rice is better to use for pilaf?

At first glance, choosing the best rice for pilaf is not an easy task, because each of us has our own preferences and preferences: someone likes it to be bold and satisfying, and someone except for lean pilaf with a turkey cannot imagine anything ( More precisely does not want). But in reality, not everything is as complicated as it seems ...

In our opinion, even the attempt to award the palm branch to a rice variety is pointless. Too much different tastes  with all of us. So it turns out that the best rice for pilaf is the one that you have at the moment (do not be nervous once again in search of the “same”, perfect rice  for pilaf). Well, or the one that you have already experienced and recognized as the most delicious.

Most likely, now the idea of \u200b\u200bequality of all varieties of rice seems to you somewhat thoughtless, if not silly. And we understand you perfectly. But! Let us nevertheless go a little further than simple emotional judgments and try to understand the physics of the process of preparing pilaf.

How to choose and prepare rice for pilaf?

Instead of wondering what kind of rice is needed for pilaf, let's determine what the gastronomic assessment of pilaf depends on. And most often the evaluation criteria are as follows:

• friability (ideal pilaf should be friable)
• brightness (the brighter the better ... or not?)
• richness of taste (should be satisfying, bold and rich - for most of us)

Let's deal with each of these parameters in order.

How to make rice in pilaf crumbly?

In order for the rice in the pilaf to be crumbly, you need to take care of only one thing - to destroy the paste on the surface of the rice. There are three different ways  achieve this effect:

1. Choose the right kind of rice.

The following varieties can be classified as the least sticky: Devzira (and its varieties), Basmati, Sadri and other long-grain varieties of rice. Much more paste is allocated from the varieties Bomb, Nishiki, Krasnodar, Lazar, Arborio, Jasmine and other medium and short varieties. Round varieties are usually the most sticky.

2. Thoroughly rinse the rice before cooking pilaf and thereby wash off all the starch from its surface.

Only it should be borne in mind that when washing the rice it is better to adhere to a certain algorithm: first soak for half an hour or an hour in clean tasty water - with salt and spices, for example (since in the first half hour rice very actively absorbs water), then you need to drain the water and replace it with pure water. Repeat several times if necessary. To speed up the process, you can still wipe the rice grains with your fingers, but this is not for everyone.

3. “Burn” the paste during cooking.

A paste on the surface of the rice forms at a temperature of about 80 ° C. Therefore, when cooking pilaf, you should try to step over this threshold. Just do not be mistaken: if bubbles are visible on the surface of the pilaf, this does not mean at all that the temperature of 100 ° C is maintained in the entire mass of the pilaf. On the surface, the temperature is 20 degrees lower.

To achieve the conversion of starch into glucose (the same “burning”), it is better to cook pilaf in thick-walled dishes. In this case, you need to wait until all the water has boiled away, after which you must close the dishes tightly with a lid and either leave the dishes at minimum heat (in the oven, in the oven), or wrap the cover with a blanket. In any of these options, starch will gradually be converted to glucose, making the rice crumbly. Unfortunately, you will have to look for the optimal time for keeping pilaf in this state on your own - there are too many variables in the process of cooking pilaf.

Separately, it should be said about two types of rice, which can be of any kind: brown and steamed. If you cook pilaf from brown or steamed rice, then it will almost always turn out friable. And without any preliminary manipulations.

What determines the brightness of pilaf?

The appearance of pilaf depends on two factors: the variety of rice and the spices used. White rice varieties should be seasoned well with colored spices (turmeric, saffron, safflower), and colored varieties look pretty good without any additional additives. But how do you imagine pilaf without spices?

Rice Flavor Saturation

With the richness of taste, the situation is approximately the same as with brightness. That is, the variety and spices are decisive. And again, the variety and spices will have to choose for themselves.

However, it affects the taste and something else, or rather the preparation of rice. We wrote about this above when we talked about soaking rice in clean and tasty water. If you use simple tap water for soaking and washing, the taste will not be so saturated.

Otherwise, different rice varieties differ little in their hygroscopicity and absorb fats and zirvak in approximately the same way. So try not to get hung up on rice, use all the possibilities to create a delicious pilaf. After all, even the same Uzbeks do not always prefer crumbly rice  in pilaf and with pleasure prepare pilaf from any available rice.

Finally

We hope that after reading our article, the question of choosing rice for pilaf will not be as acute as before. Indeed, by and large, the choice of products for your loved ones always depends only on our preferences. So, it is up to you to decide which rice you need for pilaf. Which is not so scary, and definitely easier than constantly doubting and looking for an unattainable ideal on kilometer-long supermarket shelves.

Enjoy your cooking, and don't be afraid to experiment!

Experienced chefs know what to get delicious pilaf  You can only by choosing a suitable variety of rice. However, this is a difficult task, given the current selection of cereals offered in stores. How to choose the perfect grain for cooking Uzbek dishes?

How to choose rice for pilaf

Groats, which are used for cooking pilaf, should have a number of properties, for example, perfectly absorb water, aromas, fats of other products. In addition, the grains must keep their shape, not stick together with each other during cooking, otherwise the dish will not be crumbly. Which rice is better to use for pilaf? It is preferable, according to experts, to prepare it from the Devzira variety, specially bred by breeders. This cereal has a beautiful beige hue, a pleasant smell and a slightly sweet taste. Consider other rice varieties as ingredients for pilaf.

Brown rice for pilaf

  This variety of grains undergoes minimal processing, therefore it retains a maximum of useful components and has a slight smack of nuts. Croup contains copper, zinc, iodine and many other elements necessary for the human body. The average cooking time is half an hour, and the shelf life of the product is shorter than that of other types of rice, so you can’t keep it at home for a long time. Another disadvantage of such cereals is its high cost.

Pilaf from brown rice is not only interesting in taste, but also low in calories and minimal starch content, unlike white cereals. In addition to the Uzbek dish, you can also cook other side dishes and even delicious desserts from brown grains. Some modern pilaf recipes combine dark with long-grain white rice. In addition to the unusual appearance, this cooking solution is economical.

White rice for pilaf

Polished rice has a white color, can be translucent and have an oblong or round shape. Since in the process of processing the grains lose almost all of their valuable properties, they are significantly inferior to the use of brown cereal. However, grinding increases the shelf life of groceries. A big plus of white cereal, as the basis for pilaf, is the speed of its preparation (it only takes about 15 minutes to cook). Which rice is better for pilaf:

1. Basmati Long grains are grown in Pakistan and India. They have a very pleasant taste, swell during cooking and become twice as large. At proper preparation  groats will turn out friable, integral and soft. For pilaf, this is a very good option.
2. Arborio. This is medium grain or round grain rice. When cooking, it very actively nourishes the smells and tastes of other ingredients, so it is great for preparing pilaf, risotto, and other multi-component dishes.
3. Krasnodar rice May have a round shape or slightly elongated. Delicious porridge is made from it, it is suitable for cooking soups, pilaf and other dishes, but it is better to soak the grains before cooking.
4. Jasmine. This variety has a beautiful snow-white color and is grown in Thailand. When cooking, the croup perfectly retains its shape without boiling and sticking together. Cook delicious rice  standing in a cauldron or deep pan with a closed lid.
5. Indica. Ideal for pilaf, because it does not boil and is crumbly, it absorbs broth, smells and tastes well.

Steamed rice for pilaf

Thanks to the steaming technology, most of the valuable components in the cereal are preserved. After such processing, the rice grains have a light golden hue, which leaves during the cooking process. The steamed product does not stick together and can compete with brown in the number of vitamins / microelements. The disadvantages of steamed rice are its relatively high price compared to other types of polished grains and the increased cooking time, which is about 30 minutes.

Steamed rice pilaf turns out to be very tasty, while pre-soaking the product is not necessary. Just rinse the grains under running water. If left in the liquid for a long time, its structure will collapse and the rice will become too brittle. There are many types of steamed cereals, each of which is intended for the preparation of certain dishes. What rice to take for pilaf:

• Jasmine or Super Basmati (perfectly soaked with fats, aromas of spices, therefore ideal for cooking oriental dishes);
• Amber (this variety is specially grown for steaming, has a beautiful golden hue and large elongated grain).

Red rice for pilaf

This type of cereal is especially rich in iron, and if the degree of processing of grains was low, then vitamins of group B and other valuable components were preserved in them. Rice for uzbek pilaf  Rubin varieties are very useful, therefore nutritionists recommend eating it more often. Thanks to the preserved shell, such grains contain a huge amount of fiber. Gourmets appreciate red groats for its unusual color (you can evaluate it in the photo) and a subtle nutty smell. However, to make the dishes delicious, you need to know how to cook the grains, otherwise it will be difficult to chew them.

What rice is needed for pilaf in a cauldron? Devzira, a culture growing in the central regions of Uzbekistan, is ideally suited for this. This is the only variety that is adapted to local conditions (other rice crops do not grow here). In a suitable season, Devziru is not very difficult to find in the Russian markets. The variety has the properties ideal for preparing an oriental dish - it absorbs broth, vegetable juice and the aroma of seasonings very well, therefore it is perfectly suited for pilaf.

Long grain rice for pilaf

Such grits during cooking increase in size, do not stick together, maintain their integrity. Long-grain varieties can be purchased at any store, but for pilaf it is better to look for real Uzbek rice Devziru. If there is no time for this, you can add other types of long-grain cereals to the dish, for example, varieties Laser or Basmati. Their main advantages are:

• ability to maintain shape during cooking;
• good absorption of liquids, aromas;
• availability;
• cooking speed.

How to choose rice for pilaf

You can simply take the product packaging in the store, which says "For pilaf," but in the absence of it, you will have to choose the variety yourself. What rice is suitable for pilaf:

1. To get a friable structure, it is better to choose steamed grains such as Basmati or Jasmine. In addition, a mixture of steamed with wild rice is suitable for oriental dishes.
2. During the purchase, do not hesitate to try the grain: if it bites easily, then it is better to refrain from buying (the porridge will be sticky and may boil).
3. When choosing a packaged product through the packaging, grains should be visible, which should be solid and not contain excess litter.
4. Ideally, the surface of the patterns should be slightly rough and ribbed.
5. Round grains are not suitable for Uzbek dishes, so long-grain rice is preferred.
6. The product should not have an unpleasant odor.

How to rinse rice for pilaf

If you do not prepare the grits for cooking, you can spoil the whole dish. How to prepare rice for pilaf? The first thing to do is to remove the maximum amount of starch, for this purpose rice is poured with hot water (without soaking) and immediately drained. This procedure is repeated up to 5 times until the liquid becomes transparent. At the same time, turmeric can be added to the last water, which will color in a beautiful tone and impregnate the grains with a light pleasant taste.

How to cook cereals? To swell it, leave the grains (with the exception of steamed) in water for 30-60 minutes. If you chose Devzira or Samarkand, it is better to soak the rice longer. Experienced chefs believe that almost any variety is suitable for preparing Uzbek dishes, the main thing is to properly prepare the grains, so this aspect should not be ignored.

The ratio of rice to water for pilaf

Proportions should be selected taking into account the method of cooking. For example, according to the Uzbek recipe, there should be less liquid than other ingredients: up to 700 ml of water (including zirvak - broth) is taken for 400 g of meat and the same amount of rice. How to cook an Azerbaijani dish? The proportions of rice and water for pilaf are calculated differently, since all the ingredients are prepared separately and only at the end are mixed in one container. In this case, the liquid should be taken three times more than cereals. When cooking in a slow cooker, water is poured so that it covers the cereal by 2 cm.

The best rice for pilaf

Even knowing the appropriate varieties of rice for pilaf, you can get confused at the store - the range of products from different manufacturers is very large. Below is a rating with photos of brands offering a quality product. What rice is better to cook pilaf from:

1. Long grain. The best choice for pilaf / risotto is Basmati and Jasmine. Good products are offered by the brands Mistral and National. Jasmine grits are also available from Scotti.
2. Brown. Brown grains are considered the most useful, in Russia they are offered only by some brands specializing in rice. Good products can be bought from the Agro-Alliance.
3. Red. Good choice  for oriental dishes and side dishes is long-grain red rice from the Platinum Fair.
4. Devzira. This cereal is best purchased not from a store, but from market traders.
5. Arborio. Good products from Gallo and Mistral. Arborio is ideal for cooking pilaf, as it is well absorbed by the sauce and aromas of other ingredients.

Price for rice for pilaf

The cost of the product depends not only on the variety of groceries, but also on the manufacturer. It is possible to buy rice for pilaf in an online store, in any supermarket or in a market where Uzbeks sell it in glasses. In the latter case, you can carefully study the quality of the seeds and try them before purchasing. When buying through the online service catalog, goods can be ordered directly to your home, and it’s more convenient to choose a product in the supermarket (you can immediately see the product information on the package). Examples of prices and photos of popular products:

• Agro-Alliance for pilaf - 95 rubles;
• Mistral Arborio - 280 rubles;
• Jasmine National - 150 rubles;
• Ameria Amber steamed - 120 rubles.

Video: how to cook rice for pilaf