Rice. Can you tell the difference?

[kirei_na_me]

Well, as I'm waiting for my nikujaga to cook down, I was thinking about different brands of rice. I know a lot of people say that they can't tell the difference between different brands of rices and that people who claim that some brands of rice are better than others are just plain foolish.

Take me, for example. I really believe, or at least I think, Tamaki is better than any other brand of rice I've used. I've used Kokuho Rose, Nishiki, and Tamaki.

So, do you think it's all in my head that Tamaki is better than the other two, or do you think it's possible for one brand of rice to be better than the other? Do you prefer one brand of rice over the other?

[playaa]

I really, cant tell most of the time but it does vary for who cooks it. Because sometimes I like rice made by one person, and its horrible made by the next.

[jeisan]

it just depends, like i can tell korean sticky rice from minute rice or uncle ben's brown rice from wild rice

[neko_girl22]

Definately I can tell the difference between cheap and more expensive rice. Also I can tell the difference between rice that is given to me by a farmer (I have to take it to a machine to take the husks off) and packaged shop stuff. But sometimes I can't tell the difference between two different brands of the same price/quality level. My husband can. Maybe it takes time and experience. I eat rice at every meal so I'll be an expert in no time I guess!

[TyPe-ZeRo]

I have a question concerning rice, I mean how do the japanese get their rice sticky? I mean the rice we eat isn't sticky.. i want it sticky... i wanna use chop sticks, i think we use "jasmine" rice or something blehh

[neko_girl22]

I guess it's all in the way you cook it and you should use short- medium grain, not long. Do you have a rice cooker? That will be easier, but if you cook on a stove, remember not to take the lid off, just let it steam, even after cooking. Sorry I can't remember the directions for cooking on the stove right now ... I've always used a rice cooker. but let us know if you want the directions and we'll try and find them for you

[TyPe-ZeRo]

I do use a rice cooker , I heard that you do something with vinegar water or salt water or something, do you know any of this :P

[neko_girl22]

nope. Just wash the rice a couple of times, add to rice cooker, add water up to required line. It does the rest! Have you checked the intructions just in case?

[Yuka82]

If you use popular brands of Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai rice, they don't stick no matter how you cook them. You have to ask for Japanese sticky rice and you can use anything to cook them and they will stick.

[fugue]

Yuka82 is correct.

[bossel]

Originally Posted by Yuka82

If you use popular brands of Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai rice, they don't stick no matter how you cook them. You have to ask for Japanese sticky rice and you can use anything to cook them and they will stick.

The Chinese have also sticky rice, but it's not too common, I think. They use it only for special dishes. It's more expensive & looks different.
There is also some Turkish rice which is very sticky & some Japanese here in Germany use that because the Japanese rice is rather pricey.

If you want to have sticky rice, you have to buy the right variety. For what I know, it doesn't get sticky by preparing it in a special way.

[Yuka82]

That's why I said "popular brands". Unlike Koreans and Japanese, Chinese people don't eat sticky rice on a daily basis.

[bossel]

I didn't want to contradict you, just add a thought, Yuka. As I said: "They use it only for special dishes."

[neko_girl22]

Originally Posted by bossel

For what I know, it doesn't get sticky by preparing it in a special way.

well you can certainly make it un-sticky by making it like my Aunty does.....

[Gaki]

I can tell the difference, it even bothers me when rice has been cooked with too much or too little water. :P

[Haivart]

If you mean brands of the same style or country, then no. If it's rice of different countries, then yes. I can tell the difference between basmati, Thai, Japanese-style, and the typical American rices.

[Maciamo]

Originally Posted by Haivart

If you mean brands of the same style or country, then no. If it's rice of different countries, then yes. I can tell the difference between basmati, Thai, Japanese-style, and the typical American rices.

Rachel meant rice brands, not varieties, so I suppose it is only valid for rice of the one same country (especially Japan).

[fugue]

Some people are confused about Japanese ``sticky rice.''

Japanese eat relatively more sticky medium grain rice on daily basis,
and there is also another still more sticky rice, called mochi-gome (餅米), that
you use to make rice cake. Japanese naturally don't consider their
regular rice sticky. Sticky rice for them is mochi-gome.

[Eternal Wind]

I like japan sticky rice...it tastes kinda different from original rice...
very...yummy!!...
can make sushi with it right?

[dreamer]

Depends on the rice for me...I can tell the difference between different kind of rices but brands...

[kirei_na_me]

And yes, I meant the difference between brands of Japanese rice.

For example, I think I think Kokuho Rose loses some of its shape after cooking and is maybe too sticky. Nishiki is pretty good all around, but I think it's less sticky than I prefer. To me, Tamaki is good in all areas. It has a good texture, which is not too firm, not too soft. It has just the right amount of sticky-ness and the individual grains don't lose their shape as much as the other two do.

I always cook my rice in a rice cooker, so it's done the same all the time. The same rice/water ratio every time. The same amount of cooking time. I believe I can tell a bigger difference when it's allowed to go the entire "regular" cycle instead of the "quick cook" cycle, though.

Then again, maybe all of this is in my imagination?

[dreamer]

Lol well I don't think I have enough experience to see the difference between 2 brands of rice
I can cook for myself but that's all. Beside I usually make ramen, pasta or cakes and for the rice we've been using the same brand for years now in the family

[Hachiko]

In my opinion, rice is rice, as long as it tastes good, it fills you up, and never lets you down. I eat it every day. The Milagrosa/Calrose variety, that is.

[bossel]

Originally Posted by kirei_na_me

Then again, maybe all of this is in my imagination?

Well, I couldn't tell the difference, but I don't think, it's only imagination. The companies very probably have different suppliers from different regions, maybe even slightly different rice varieties.
It's probably a bit like coffee, where you can tell the region where the coffee was grown from the taste of it. Although, this also depends on the handling/preparation after the harvest, which counts for rice as well.

[mdchachi]

> Then again, maybe all of this is in my imagination?

I doubt it. I'm sure your perceptions are valid though I imagine there might be differences between batches & crops within the same brand.

However I, personally, I couldn't tell. I mean, given two samples of rice I could tell you which I like better and why but since I'm not usually aware of which brand we're eating, I couldn't differentiate between brands.

We've switched to musenmai -- the rice that doesn't require washing. It's offered by a few different brands. Easier to prepare and better for the environment.