Rice for pilaf - how to choose and which variety is the best
Any culinary specialist will say that the right pilaf is fragrant, beautiful, crumbly. And in order for it to really turn out like this, it is important to know which rice for pilaf is better to buy. Not only taste depends on this, but also the appearance and consistency of the dish. If stickiness is quite acceptable for porridge, then pilaf from this will lose its culinary value. Only by taking high-quality cereals, which are made specifically for such an occasion, can you prepare a culinary masterpiece.
What rice is needed for pilaf: selection criteria
Rice for pilaf should meet the following characteristics:
- cereals do not stick together during cooking;
- the grains remain dense, keep their shape, do not stick to each other, but retain flowability;
- rice absorbs aromas well spices and fats;
- pilaf gets a beautiful color.
Looseness depends on the amount of paste: the more there is, the more the dish will stick together. Long-grain varieties are most often used for rice, rather than round ones. In the latter, there is just more paste, although among them there are several varieties from which excellent pilaf is obtained.
Rice for pilaf - the best types
Cereal grains are not only of different varieties, but also of different types. The rice goes through some processing before it goes to implementation. The quality of the cereal depends on what it will be.
Three types of rice are usually used for pilaf:
- white;
- brown;
- steamed.
How do these varieties differ from each other?
White rice
It is easy to recognize it by the beautiful snow-white color of the grains, which are slightly translucent. This effect is obtained by carefully grinding the grain. By the way, rice is called polished. As a result of the procedure, the grains are completely peeled and whitened. There are both round and long grain varieties of white rice. Such cereals have a long shelf life, and pilaf from it is prepared quickly, in just a quarter of an hour.
Despite a number of advantages, polished grades also have a disadvantage. Very few nutrients are retained in them.
Brown rice
The most useful type, consisting of unpolished brownish grains. Minimal processing allows you to preserve a maximum of trace elements and useful properties of the cereal. Besides, brown rice also has a special taste and smell. Pilaf from it gets an interesting nutty aftertaste with the same aroma. It takes a little longer to cook than white rice - half an hour, but it is low in calories.
The disadvantage of brown rice is the rather high price. And it is not stored for long.
Parboiled rice
The translucent grains have a golden hue, but become completely white during cooking. Steaming the cereal saves more nutrients. Such rice is cooked for up to 30 minutes, as well as unpolished.But at the same time, it does not need to be soaked for a long time.
Perhaps, apart from the high price, parboiled rice has no disadvantages.
What rice is better to cook pilaf: varieties
Each country has its own brands that produce different cereals, including rice. So, here you can most often find on the shelves the products of Zhmenka, Mistral, Agro - Alliance. It makes no sense to argue which company is better, because it is much more important which brand it offers. And there are a huge number of them, but not every one makes excellent pilaf.
Among the line of cereals for the preparation of aromatic and crumbly pilaf, it is better to choose the following varieties of rice:
- Jasmine. Each rice has a characteristic groove and has a floral aroma and aftertaste. Pilaf is obtained with an original taste, free-flowing.
- Pathumtani. Another variety with a floral scent, but cheaper than the previous one.
- Aquatic. Long grain rice that takes the longest to cook, even if the cereal is soaked. But the dish in the end does not suffer from this, on the contrary. The disadvantage of the variety is its high price.
- Basmati. Groats from India are also quite expensive. The grains are hard, long and thin, milky in color. They retain their shape during cooking, while lengthening even more. They do not stick together, they perfectly absorb fat, juice and aromas of spices.
- Laser. The grains are long, white, starchy and soft. The variety differs in that it quickly absorbs water. This makes it possible to dispense with the minimum soaking times. Rice is cooked for no more than 40 minutes. Pilaf comes out tender, but crumbly.
- Indica. The grains are long, up to 6 mm, do not stick together during cooking.
- Camolino. One of the few round-grain varieties that are suitable for pilaf and remain free-flowing in the finished form.
Excellent pilaf is made from black rice, and it cooks quickly - in only 45 minutes. But the price for such cereals "bites". The cereal is grown mainly in Tibet and is subjected to special processing.
Which rice is better to use for Uzbek pilaf
Pilaf is considered a national Uzbek dish. In this country, everyone knows how to cook it, as well as what cereal is needed to obtain the desired consistency.
The most delicious Uzbek pilaf is obtained from the following varieties:
- Devzira. The groats are milky or darker, almost brick-colored. It is heavier in weight than other varieties due to its special processing. The grains are alternately moistened and dried over several years. But then, during the cooking process, they increase 7 times. Pilaf does not stick together even after cooling, but the rice must be soaked for a couple of hours.
- Chungara. It is a subspecies of Devzira, but contains more starch. After washing, the starchy grits turn into excellent opaque rice. The dish comes out tasty and airy.
- Dastar is a saryk. An excellent variety that absorbs aromas, spices and fats well. The grains do not stick together, and during the cooking process they increase in volume by 3 times.
- Alanga. One of the round grain varieties that does not require soaking. A simple rinsing will be enough. The rice is small, but dense; when boiled, it doubles and absorbs water well.
Rice for pilaf: do I need to rinse and soak
Regardless of which variety is used, the cereals must be washed. And not once, but until the water becomes transparent. Cloudy water is starch that is washed off the grains. It is he who sticks the rice together during cooking, which means that he is not needed in pilaf. The starchy film on the grains also prevents them from being saturated with water, fat, and spice aromas. Therefore, it is necessary to rinse the cereals until the water ceases to be cloudy.
Long grain rice should be washed very carefully - it breaks easily.
All varieties should be washed, but most of them still need to be soaked. This procedure allows you to shorten the cooking time for pilaf. Grains that have swollen and water will cook less.
How long the soaking time will take depends on the specific type and variety of rice:
- soft varieties such as Lazarus need 15 - 30 minutes;
- hard rice such as Basmati and Devzira need at least 2 hours;
- black and wild rice should be soaked overnight.
But there is one rule common to all varieties of rice, and it concerns water temperature. It is necessary to soak rice only in hot water, about 65 ° C. Not in cold water - the rice does not absorb it well, and then, when boiled, crack. And not in boiling water - then a gluteny film forms on the grains, which prevents the absorption of aromas.
How to keep the right proportions of cereals, meat, vegetables and water
It's simple with meat and vegetables. The classic recipe for real, Uzbek, pilaf provides that everything should be equal. That is, the main ingredients of pilaf (rice, meat, carrots) should be in equal proportions, for example, 1 kg each. However, no one forbids changing them in one direction or another. You can take less meat, but more vegetables. Or reduce the proportion of cereals in favor of the same vegetables. And absolute freedom in terms of spices: it can be either a traditional set of spices for pilaf, or individual solutions.
But with regard to water, it is important to observe the correct proportions. If you pour more, then even the best rice will turn out not pilaf, but viscous porridge.
Each variety has its own ratio of cereals and water:
- round rice - filled with water 1: 1;
- steamed varieties, previously soaked - also 1: 1, and laid in dry form - 1: 2;
- Basmati - 1: 1.3;
- Devzira - 1: 2;
- brown rice - 1: 3;
- black rice - 1: 4.
Which rice is best for pilaf, each housewife decides for herself, testing different varieties. Some people prefer a soft and tender dish, others prefer the rice to remain firm. But the culinary specialists agree on one thing: pilaf should crumble, smell delicious and look appetizing. And this result can be achieved only by taking the right cereal and observing the cooking technology. However, this is not at all difficult, you just need a desire to please yourself and your loved ones with a delicious dish.