The Basmati I use is imported, comes in a sealed plastic bag inside of a
zipper burlap bag. The rice is "dirty" and needs to be washed. Also 4 out
of 5 times there are minute bugs that need to be rinsed away. When I've
questioned about it where it's bought and also some Asian families that use
it, they said it was usual for the rice to have 'bugs". Basmati MUST be
rinsed and rinsed to get it clean and clear. I guess the imported stuff
from places like Pakistan is not for vegetarians! :-) There is no
comparison in taste to the stuff bought in the supermarkets. Totally
different consistency and flavor.


"James Silverton" not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.net wrote in message
...
Hello, All!

I wonder why recipes for asian food always seem to insist the
rice be washed until the water runs clear. With American rice it
runs clear almost immediately. Is imported rice so dirty?


James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland, USA

No One wrote:
The Basmati I use is imported, comes in a sealed plastic bag inside of a
zipper burlap bag. The rice is "dirty" and needs to be washed. Also 4 out
of 5 times there are minute bugs that need to be rinsed away. When I've
questioned about it where it's bought and also some Asian families that use
it, they said it was usual for the rice to have 'bugs". Basmati MUST be
rinsed and rinsed to get it clean and clear. I guess the imported stuff
from places like Pakistan is not for vegetarians! :-) There is no
comparison in taste to the stuff bought in the supermarkets. Totally
different consistency and flavor.

I used to buy Basmati form Indain store - the one that doesn't have
rice bags sitting there for a long time, only Tilda brand. No bugs but
I washed once gently. Now I am just using long grain parboiled or
white rice from the grocery store.

On 2006-06-21 00:25:26 +0100, "James Silverton"
not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.net said:

Hello, All!

I wonder why recipes for asian food always seem to insist the rice be
washed until the water runs clear. With American rice it runs clear
almost immediately. Is imported rice so dirty?


James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland, USA

It's to do with the starch on the exterior of the grains. If this is
not washed off it tends to form a paste that binds the rice grains
together and makes the rice "claggy". Most often I use basmati rice. I
find that if I don't overcook it and if I allow it to steam for a while
then it doesn't need washed. If I do decide to wash it I boil the rice
for a few minutes, drain it, then add more boiling water to complete
the cooking.

"Andrew" wrote in message
news:2006070123411750073-thecroft@macunlimitednet...
On 2006-06-21 00:25:26 +0100, "James Silverton"
not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.net said:

Hello, All!

I wonder why recipes for asian food always seem to insist the
rice be washed until the water runs clear. With American rice
it runs clear almost immediately. Is imported rice so dirty?


James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland, USA

It's to do with the starch on the exterior of the grains. If
this is not washed off it tends to form a paste that binds the
rice grains together and makes the rice "claggy". Most often I
use basmati rice. I find that if I don't overcook it and if I
allow it to steam for a while then it doesn't need washed. If
I do decide to wash it I boil the rice for a few minutes,
drain it, then add more boiling water to complete the cooking.


But, as far as I can tell, there is *no* starch on the surface
of domestic (US) rice. To reiterate what I have said before,
unwashed rice works fine in a Japanese rice cooker. The result
is not sticky.



--
James Silverton,
Potomac, Maryland