Rice is one of the most sought-after cereals in the whole world. To always make successful dishes from it, you need to know which type of product is suitable for a particular treat. For example, mouth-watering non-decaying rolls can be made from round grains, and for a delicious risotto, it is best to buy a variety of carnaroli. Which rice is better for pilaf? We sort it out together.
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Types and varieties of rice
Today, several varieties and types of rice are known at once. In Russian stores you can find almost every one of them.
If we talk specifically about the species, then first of all they differ in the shape of the grains of cereals.
The following pictures are found:
- Normal (medium). Their length is 5-6 mm. The cereal contains a lot of starch, so it is opaque and becomes sticky during the heat treatment.
- Long (long grain rice). Their length reaches 6-8 mm. There is little starch in such grains; they only stick together weakly and are transparent.
- Round (round grain rice). The length of such grains is 4-5 mm. They have a lot of starch. During cooking, round rice is very softened.
The discussed cereals are also divided into types according to the type of processing. It happens:
- Brown unpolished. The most natural product combining a combination of taste and benefit. He is not spared the dark bran shell.
- White polished. The product undergoes several grindings. Its structure is poorer in the composition of nutrients.
- Steamed. Special steam treatment allows you to ensure that the branched dark part transfers to the base most of the useful trace elements.
As for rice varieties, their specialists managed to count more than 150.
The most famous and popular among culinary specialists are as follows:
- Basmati Expensive long rice with a nutty flavor.
- Arborio. Product with grains of medium cream color.
- Jasmine. Its soft rice has a delicate milky taste.
- Wild. The most healthy variety, which is ideal for diet foods.
- Niches. A special variety designed specifically for sushi.
- Carnaroli. A mid-grain product that creates a unique creamy texture for the finished treat.
- Red. Recommended for use with problems with the heart and blood vessels.
Which rice is better for pilaf?
Understanding which rice is better to use for pilaf, you can use ready-made "tips". On the shelves of modern supermarkets it is possible to find a product marked "for pilaf." If it was not available, the advice published below will help the cook.
For pilaf cooked in a cauldron
If the treat is prepared in a cauldron at the stake, then the choice of rice should be approached with great care. The “wrong” product will easily burn out or at the very end of the process will remain harsh inside. It is best to buy Thai steamed groats of the first grade. For example, Passim. True, its price is quite high, but periodically the product is offered in themed stores with impressive discounts.
Rice for pilaf in a slow cooker
An excellent solution to choose rice for pilaf in a multicooker of the Basmati variety. He will make the finished dish juicy, crumbly with a delicate milky-nutty taste. This variety is ideally combined with all kinds of seasonings, quickly absorbing their aroma. That is why Basmati is actively used in oriental cuisine.
For the recipe in the pan
If the hostess wants to cook refreshments in a saucepan, but as close as possible to the taste of this eastern pilaf, it is worth buying Devzira rice. It is believed that a traditional Uzbek dish can be prepared only from this variety of cereals.
When buying a product, you need to make sure its authenticity. To do this, cereals spill out into the hand and rub lightly. The grains of this Devzira should crunch slightly. In addition, they are heavy and have a brownish pink tint.
For pilaf cooked in the oven
If the dish is cooked in the oven, the cook probably considers its usefulness to be paramount. In such cases, the following rice varieties for pilaf are selected: red, wild. With them, the treat will have a specific aftertaste, but at the same time contain a lot of useful substances. Suitable for pilaf in the oven, rice Jasmine and Basmati.
Rules for processing rice before cooking
Regardless of the type of rice you have selected, you need to properly process it before further cooking. First of all, the product is always carefully selected. It needs to be eliminated from any inclusions and low-quality drawings. Otherwise, when caught in a finished dish, they will negatively affect the result.
Next, it is very important to soak the cereal in water. Liquid from the tap will not work. It should be filtered or even boiled water. Rice will be in it for several hours. The minimum is 2-2.5. It is this stage that many mistress neglect. And in vain. If you throw a handful of starch into cold water, you will be able to observe how the bulk product coagulates. A similar result is to be expected even if you skip the stage of soaking cereals. After a long stay in water, the grain becomes hard and you can no longer fear its digestion even with prolonged languishing over a fire.
Experts say that water with a temperature of 60 degrees is ideal for soaking. In fact, this condition is not necessary at all. Just use a cool liquid.
Further quenching of the cereal in fat allows you to cover its grains with a shell that retains moisture inside. As a result, rice softens inside, but the film does not allow grains to stick together, while maintaining the nutritional value of the product.
Rice to water ratio
The secret of a successful delicious pilaf lies also in observing the correct proportions of cereals and liquids. In a real Uzbek treat, the combination of water and rice is 1 to 1. These proportions are relevant only for those cases when the cereal has been soaked for several hours in a cool liquid.
If there was no such stage of rice preparation, the amount of water will need to be increased. Take 2 cups of liquid per 1 cup of grains.
