@@jeannefoster5594That annoys the crap out of me honestly. When I’m in cooking videos, I’m *only* here about the food, not the creator. Not to sound rude though, I love some of them, I’m just not here for…. Them, just their skill. There’s a time and place. I often watch separate and shorter (but still long form) videos or actual shorts about news and updates and random stuff, I do enjoy those too. But when I want to know about rice types, I seriously don’t care if you’re having a baby in 3 months (random example). Why do I have to keep skipping until I accidentally overshoot the beginning of the info I came for in the first place? Maybe put that at the *end* for dedicated viewers… She was so nice and refreshing 🥰 and gave me exactly what I came for, nothing more, nothing less. And for that alone, she gets my sub.
Speaking of gimmicks and fillers: What is it with those silly multiple commas and unnecessary spaces before commas and exclamations points in your comment?
You can stop water boiling over by wiping the top inside edges of the pot with a little oil. It breaks the surface tension and pops any bubbles that start to make their way to the top. Works for pasta, potatoes, rice, etc.
As an Indian, I'd say that Basmati has many different varieties within that fold. It's used on special occasions mostly. It's beautiful how so many cultures in Asia are connected with rice cultivation 🌾🍚
@@samuelmahoney6878 well, every district let alone a region , let alone a state in India has its variety of rice that has its usage, for example here where i live, there are 3-4 common types of rice, 2 or 3 special rice that are used for occasions. Different flavor, aroma profile in each.
OMG yes re: brown hom mali rice! My spouse is Chinese and I'm African, and brown hom mali rice is hands down our favorite! We like the flavor of brown rice and the health benefits, but the hom mali is the best - it fits our cooking very well compared to other brown rices.
Pandan and Jasmine rice have the same aroma compound (2-acetyl-1-pyrroline) So if you want to boost up that aroma, add a little bit of fresh pandan leaf.
milagrosa is the original name of jasmine rice....it was first marketed by a Thai company 40 years ago with 3 elephant heads and milagrosa name on it. the rice variety came from IRRI-iternational rice research institute in Los Banos Laguna, Philippines in1960s
Your tip about matching the rice with the cuisine you're eating is spot on. In Japan, due to its protectionist policies to preserve the pricing of Japanese rice and preventing imports from taking over, a lot of ethnic restaurants such as Thai or Indian use Japanese rice. I like Japanese rice for Japanese food but it does not work well with Thai food or Indian food because the grains are heavy and sticky. The floral scent of Jasmine rice works well with Thai food because the food is supposed to be aromatic all around. Basmati works well with Indian food because the curries and other things are heavy so it offers a light accompaniment to it.
@@greenislandserenade1 I think Jasmine is the middle ground and thus works best for everything. For Japanese food it's sticker than basmati, and it's not sticky enough to ruin indian food.
@@setonix9151 i could never eat indian food with jasmine rice or any rice other than basmati. if i don't have basmati rice i won't have indian food. jasmine is not a good substitute as indian cuisine where rice is involved just doesn't work without basmati. meanwhile for everything else outside of sushi either basmati or medium/short grain white rice works. a lot of westernized latin american recipes call for basmati rice these days... green rice, paella, arroz con pollo etc. at home we keep medium or short grain rice and basmati but no jasmine, and that covers everything that needs rice. basmati is basically the rice for everything that calls for any sort of long grain rice.
I have five different rice types in my pantry. 1. Japanese medium grain ... sushi, Japanese food 2. Long rain Jasmine brown ... everyday, stir fries, general Asian food. 3. Extra long, extra fancy basmati ... Indian food, everyday white rice, Curries, Middle Eastern, and rice-based salads. 4. Calasparra, Italian short grain ... Rissoto, Italian and Mediterranean food. 5. La Bomba, Spanish medium grain ... Paella, rice-based salads Also, there is another rice cooking method. There is the Persian rice cooking method for making saffron Persian rice. It is as follows. 1. Wash the rice 2. Bring a pot of water with about 2 quarts to boil, add a little salt 3. Boil the rice for 6 minutes 4. Drain the rice, and mix a gram of saffron to the parboiled rice. 5. Place the drained rice with a little bit of olive oil in a Dutch oven 6. Place a moistened towel over the Dutch oven 7. Place the lid on top of the towel 8. Cook on low heat for 25 minutes. When done, there should be a brown crust formed at the bottom of the pan. This browned crust is the best part of the rice. The Persians call this crust tah-dig. If you want more brown crust, then mix a little bit of yogurt in with the par-boiled rice before adding to the Dutch Oven.
Bomba is actually perfect for "watery" (caldoso in spanish) rices. Its best feature is tha it doesn't get overcooked. If you use "mediterranean" rice in one of those recipes it will get very mushy when you're finishing the dish. The "mediterranean" rice is the most used for paellas.
I am the same! I have multiple types of rice in my kitchen. I have several types of Japanese and for Spanish Valencia works the same as bomba. For risotto,mi use Arborio as well
Great summary! I'm a food nerd, and every time I said, "Aren't you going to tell them about...?" you'd say it within the next 2 minutes! 2 additional notes: - I do find that premium Japanese rices are a little aromatic. It's subtle, but there's a distinct savory aroma that a lot of rice lacks. It's rice-ier somehow. It can really elevate rice-forward dishes like simple sushi or (my preference for simplicity) chirashi bowls. - Good brown rice like brown jasmine is amazing! More people should also try red and black rice, which is also whole grain, and I've yet to find a brand that isn't delicious. High in healthy flavinoids and bring nice color to your plate!
YES! Thank you! I couldn't quite put a finger on it but I swear Japanese rice has an aroma too. It's just as you say, "rice-y" aroma, I guess. Like, the smell of carb power is definitely there. 😂
this is a 'MUST WATCH' video for anyone who want to start cooking asian dish. RICE ≠ RICE, I'm always annoyed when some cooking channel use wrong recipe for rice specific menu, like using mochi rice for mango sticky rice or using jasmine rice for sushi, it's like you try to cook Italian pizza with barley flour.
well...while i lived in Vietnam spaghetti were sooo expensive so instead of using them i used noodles for having Bolognese :D :D :D and it worked. i agree that different rice has different purpose. yet basmati i could eat with most European rice dish for example except risottos where you need arborio short grain rice hahahah
Your comment goes with an article from MRW. Kukrit Pramoch, one of the connoisseur in Thai food. He once wrote every dished invented according to local ingredients. And if you think about it it's true to every cuisines in this world. Some ingredient might be substitute for another but you'll lost parts of the texture, scent, etc. of that dish.
That mindset bumps heads with frugality, dietary restrictions/allergies, and personal enjoyment. It's amazing to make things 100% authentic, but it's not always feasible or good for everyone being served.
@@aprilbennett4161 I'm not talking about authentic here, I'm talking about KNOWLEDGE, you can substitute any ingredient you want as long as you know what that ingredient does in that recipe, and many channel does that, which I'm very grateful when they do that, but most of the time, many channels not even mention why they use alternate ingredient, they will say "authentic recipe" and proceed to use the wrong one, that's why I said this is a "must watch" video before you going to substitute any rice specific recipe, because rice ≠ rice, each variant has its own texture and flavor.
@@lactofermentationthen shouldn’t you not even eat the rice since you can’t wash arsenic away. It’s mostly likely absorbed into the plant when it Eva’s in the field
@@dojokonojo Yes, I have heard that about rice grown in South Asia. It seems that some places have Arsenic in the ground water. But they cook rice with an abundance of water. They cook the rice until almost cooked before draining the excess water in a colander. This will get rid of excess Arsenic. Uncle Roger might be upset but that is the technique all South Indians swear by. You can’t argue against the Darwin method of cooking rice 😅
I’m Australian and growing up in the 80’s and 90’s we mostly cooked rice the way we cook pasta, it wasn’t till I went to uni and lived with Asian friends, that I started cooking using the absorption method.- I noticed that rice cooked like pasta tends to taste sort of “water-logged” and less flavoursome🤷♀️👍🏻
That method is how I was taught many years ago.... I am STILL unlearning things my parents taught me in the kitchen. I learned how to cook rice properly about 10 years ago.
Altitude also makes a difference with how much water you use. I live in the mountains at about 4900 feet of elevation and I use a lot more water than most because the water evaporates at a lower temperature.
In Thailand, the purple rice (riceberry) is quite popular now, they taste kind of in the middle for White and Brown rice. Hope this rice gain more popularity around the world for a good tasting higher nutrition meal.
In Brazil we make rice every day using the same method, and we often eat it with beans. I was thinking about its origins and I imagine it was the Portuguese who brought it to us from the East. A very pleasant and useful presentation. Thank you.
My favourite Thia restaurant in Mexico has a chef from Thailand, and he uses the same brand of Jasmine rice from Costco. I do like the Jasmine, brown rice and Basmati rice. I learnt a lot from you today. Thank you ❤
In my (western) household, my wife has a preference for basmati rice, so unless a recipe specifically calls for a different type of rice (or if we are making sushi), I generally cook basmati rice. But since our preferred dinner starch is potatoes I only buy rice a pound at a time (not those big 5-10 pound bags) and store it in an air-tight canister. Another thing that I do occasionally when cooking rice is instead of cooking in water I cook in a bone broth to add a different flavor.
That info about the size of the plastic “cup” that comes with the recipe cooker is actually really handy- I currently have 3 rice cookers in my house- but I can’t find ANY of the cups that came with them! Lol- I usually use the “knuckle” method of measuring water👍🏻🤷♀️😅
I found the video so informative that I was a bit surprised myself. Not only did Ms. Pai give us very clear information but her delivery itself was impeccable and welcoming. Thank you Ms. Pai and let me say how eager I am to see you again soon.
What a wonderful tutorial. Crisp, clear and complete. Only one observation: Altitude makes a big difference when cooking. In Colorado, at 5000 feet of altitude, water boils faster and cooler due to the lower atmospheric pressure, and also evaporates faster because of the drier air, whereas in say Florida, where you're at sea level in dense humid air water boils slower and at higher heat. Factor this in to your calculations if you're really trying for perfection.
And then there are other rice varieties from other parts of the world like Arborio, a type of "Pearl" rice for Risotto from Italy, and "Wild" Rice from North America, which is not really rice but a grass (grain/seed?). Addendum: Well presented, clear and informative. Thank you.
It's true that wild rice is a grass, since it belongs to the true grass family, the Poaceae. However, the same applies to domesticated rice. In fact, it applies to wheat, maize/corn, barley, millet, rye and other, similar plants. They are ALL grasses. Hell, BAMBOO belongs to the Poaceae, making it a grass, though it belongs to a different subfamily than the rest. Among those listed, true rice is by far the closest relative to the wild rice.
All rice is a variety of grass. I don’t think American rice is very closely related to old world rices, but they are distantly related with a type of grass being the common ancestor.
I’m in Singapore and realized when I started buying Pyrex measuring cups (for liquids) that those made in the US and made in Japan had different measures. A Japanese cup is 200ml while a US cup is around 240ml? And yes, I had lost my Zojirushi rice cooker cup and was wondering how many mls it held 😂
The most important thing is the proportion of water and rice which could be 1.3 -1.5 of water : 1 of rice. You can use a measuring cup, a tea cup or a glass to measure the amount of water and rice.
I am an American living in UK and was very confused after moving here, because pints are 10oz instead of 8oz. And there are other differences. For cooking, I stick with grams and weigh everything, even for liquids.
@@m53goldsmith No. A UK pint is 20oz and an American pint is 16oz and what's worse is that if you buy a "pint" of beer in an American bar it is probably only 14oz. When in doubt about liquids use the metric system and ignore ounces, cups, pints and gallons. A liter is always 1,000 milliliters or 1,000 cc no matter where you are and a liter of water weighs 1 kilogram.
She just kept going with very informative stuff i thought it would be only about types and little bit differences. I REALLY enjoyed, thank you Pailin!!
Thank you for all this information. Clears up a lot of confusion I've had. Bookmarking for future review & will show my teenage daughter, who's gotten into cooking with rice of late. Cheers!
Our Chinese coworker was telling us how to make fried rice. She kept saying "don't use the wrong rice." We asked but what is the right rice? And again she said "well anything but the wrong rice" Finally figured out she was trying to say don't use LONG rice.
Very good and basic video on rice. Few points to add from my own experience cooking rice out of necessity since divorcing 28 y ago. I no longer measure the water, just cover the rice plus 1 cm. Rincing the rice is important since some have some dirt or extra things that float I put some oil first so the rice does not stick to the bottom of pot (this was not mentioned in the video) My mother always cooked the rice before adding water to "roast it" to keep the grains intact (more appetizing) After adding the water I put some ghee and this helps keep the rice look shiny and not sticking (more appetizing). This works well for any rice as a side dish (common in all middle eastern cookin) What helps with preserving the grains intact and separate is sauteeing vermicelli in some oil first and then adding the rice, roasting both a bit before adding the water etc Some ladies cover the rice pot with kitchen towel after turning the stove off while letting the cooked rice rest before serving.
I have a small Insta Pot cooker and I cook all these different rice. I have it down very well. Yes, very important to rinse the rice before cooking. I also cook my rice in a pot on my stove and again I have learned to cook my rice just right. Thank you for this great video. Initially, I went thru trial and error but that’s ok as it is a learning process.
We in Italy have way different types of rice all non sticky because we use it for our risotto (Vialone nano, Carnaroli, Arborio, Ribe, Venere, Originario and others)... but we have not only risotto, of course!
great informative video as always. i watched a TH-cam video by a chef who likes to replicate Chinese-American restaurant offerings. he says that many Chinese restaurants in America use a combination of Long Grain Rice (like Carolina) and Thai jasmine. so i gave it a try, and its ok, is it Chinese American, i don't' know. i think they do this to save money. texture for me is the main point with different rices, and fragrance comes 2nd. so when it comes to basmati and jasmine, i keep them seperate. within the spectrum of different Thai Jasmine rices, its quite broad IMO. when i was Exec Chef for Thai resort Hotels, i learned alot about local rice. in the hotels we had three different thai jasmine rices in our kitchen. #1: cheap (broken) rice for staff canteen. #2: middle of the road (whole grain) for buffets where guests can eat all they want for a good buffet value. #3: high end very fragrant whole grain rice for all a la carte Thai dishes. within each price range there are innumerable choices. some of the best rice i have had in Thailand was a gift from a chef who owns a great little Thai restaurant in Pattaya off of Pattaya Klang, behind, Big C. (best tom kha gai i have ever had) her brother grows organic rice upcountry and processes and packs it himself. in return, and to show my appreciation, i bring them Maple Syrup from Vermont.☮❤
I am from a Japanese family, so rice is at our core ❤ However, in the second half of her life, even my mother wanted to eat healthier rice, so her standard became a mix of 50% white 50% brown (both short grain)
@@Mr3DPrintWizarduh I think she already knows , it was mentioned in the video. And what she’s saying isn’t totally false. Brown rice is healthier than white rice thanks to the intact bran.
@@lemontea128 the addition of some fiber doesn’t inherently make it that much healthier or even at all. The misconception that brown rice is vastly more healthy is a myth that keeps being spread for some reason.
@@Mr3DPrintWizard It does change the glycemic index and the fiber content, as well as the levels of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. The increase in magnesium and fiber are linked to a decrease in blood sugar levels and risk of contracting Type 2 Diabetes. However, cooling white rice after cooking does increase its levels of resistant starch. This can be helpful when you live an area where it is difficult to find brown rice of various types. I have still not found brown basmati where I live.
@@eldoradocanyonro the levels of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins are basically negligible. The fiber change is 1 gram per serving. 1 gram. If you’re diabetic and worried about glycemic index brown or white rice aren’t what you should be looking for anyway. Brown rice also has a higher level of arsenic compared to white rice because it’s contained in the bran. Brown rice is and always has been a health scam. Like most fads it comes with poor information and a big budget trying to sell you a lackluster product.
I love your attitude - right to the point and not so much opinion. For example, you provide a description of each type of rice and which ones you enjoy while encouraging experimenting. I rarely offer my opinion and tend to stick with brown basmati rice for my staple since it has the least amount of processing.
Your videos are hands down the best on TH-cam for Thai food! I'm Hispanic and I cook a wide variety of food. Your videos have been insanely helpful! Thank you!
My mother and father always uses "sella basmati" rice but with how much japanese/korean/sea dishes I personally have been making lately I need to start buying sushi or jasmine rice for myself a vid like this is really helpful. thank you!
I am Asian and I did not know most of this. I carry 5 types of rice: brown, long-grain, jasmine, black and sushi. Brown is our de facto rice. But this is very interesting. And to not use sushi rice when serving sashimi, my dog will give me barkey face! Thanks,
Very informative. Perhaps one day you'll consider the use of an Instant Cooker, which once you're certain of the time and water mix for each rice type/brand, it's a true set-it and forget-it, with zero need to pay any attention once you hit start until the pressure naturally reduces to zero. And then it keeps itself warm.
Your Pro tip for matching the type of rice with the cuisine is exactly the same as I gave my clients when I was in the wine business and they asked about pairing wine with food. Simple. Where in the world did the food recipe you used come from? Pick a wine from that area. Easy peasy! This is the first time I've come across your channel. This video was so well done that I sub'd your channel. I'm fortunate to have two good Asian food shops close to me here in southwest France. I'm looking forward to watching some of your other videos.
You are very articulate. I recently bought a Japanese rice cooker. The Jasmine rice camesomewhat gummy, stuck together. After watching this video the differences are now apparent. Thanks for teaching us about the different rices.
To this day, none of the rice I have bought at the store had anything but one measurement system. UItis twice as much water as the amount of rice. I cook it covered on the stove till it all is absorbed and the rice is beautifully done. I like your info though and now am a subscriber. Time to learn more:)
Grew up in Hawaii eating Hinode Japanese rice. But transitioned to Jasmine rice after my grandmother recommended it to my wife and I. We use the "knuckle" method for measuring the amount of water we add to the rice cooker. My Dad taught me that. Also, love the comedian Jo Koy's riff on using the knuckle method. 😂
Thanks so much for this. I’ve had a rice cooker for the last 20 years and it’s a lifesaver (and time saver). And my preferred rice is Jasmine rice (thanks for the info on the name). Of course, if I cook Indian food, basmati is the one. Everything you covered is very helpful. I always wondered about rinsing and I want to get the water/rice ratio correct.
Very informative! Folks watching their blood sugar (like me) might like to know basmati rice has a different amylose structure that gives it a low glycemic index.
thai jasmine fragrance rice is the best rice for my throat eventhough the medical people tell me to change for brown rice, now that i know there is brown rice jasmine fragrance... i think i might try it and hope it similar to the white counterpart. thank you for this great informative video on rice types.
Enjoyable and informative. You don't mention every cook's favorite method of cooking rice: fill the pot with rice with water to the first finger knuckle. Works for me every time. Serious question: Rice for Chinese cuisine? Korean cuisine?
If you have a kitchen scale there's a little trick I like to do. I measure the right amount of water to the rice and weight it. (You have to tare the weight of the pot and then add the rice and water). Then you record that weight. You wash the rice and then put the pot back in the scale and add water until it's the same weight.
I'm from Indonesia, and here, there's a variety of long-grain rice that's not sticky at all called 'Beras Solok' or 'Bareh Solok' (Solok Rice), named after the region where it's cultivated in Solok, on the island of Sumatra. It's excellent for fried rice because you don't need to use day-old rice to get separate grains-this variety naturally stays fluffy. It also doesn't have a floral aroma, which is great for me since I don't really enjoy fried rice made with rice that has a floral scent. I grew up on the island of Java, where this variety isn't available. I only discovered it after I started working in Sumatra.
Jasmine rice can be cooked with quinoa because the grain to water ratio is the same. 13 min on low + 10 min rest for just Jasmine, 17 min + 10 rest for 50/50 rice and quinoa. A 900g Kraft cheese whiz jar serves as the perfect measuring cup for 2cups of Jasmine rice/quinoa.
Great Vid. I'm an American man who leans In toward the Asian culture. I've been this way since I was a kid, Anyway I appreciate the explanation of the rice difference. I always thought there were differences, but not 100%. Thank you for settling the nagging inner question I've had forever. I own an aroma rice cooker, and I buy and use specifically Jasmine rice. I love the taste, I love when I come home and the floral scent of Jasmine is abundant when I walk in. Though I'm single and live alone, it's always a warm welcome home feeling that makes me smile always. Yes, I remove my shoes at the door, and slip into indoor wear Only slippers. Thank you for the great video. ❤❤❤
Thanks for a very useful talk. I usually use basmati rice as a side dish, because I like it. I live at high altitude where the water boils at around 205deg F. I tweak the instructions on the bag a bit to compensate. We have some Asian markets in town and, using your information, I plan to try the Thai rice at home.
I hardly ever gave it a second thought beyond round grain (risotto) and long corn rice (I'm in Europe). Subsequently I usually experienced cooking rice as a kind of gamble and unpredictable, sometimes it's good, sometimes mushy, sometimes dry. Now I know what to watch out for. Very helpful, thank you.
I was so confused for years by Korean cuisine since the rice is clearly different from the rice varieties I normally cook. I even thought maybe it was closer to arborio rice. I didn’t want to spend the premium to buy the specialty Korean rice. Now I know it’s just sushi rice. Thank you.
Hi Adam here - and good question! If you want to ask her that one directly though rather that put it out to the community (as she doesn't see the comments on here once the post is more than a few days old), you can check out all the options to get hold of her at hot-thai-kitchen.com/contact . Cheers!
Excellent and highly professional presentation. The explanation of the various types of rice and their preparation was clear, concise, and straightforward. As someone who is beginning to make his own sushi and experiment with different Asian dishes, this video has been very helpful.😎
One cooking approach I've seen on youtube but never tried is to start froed rice on a stovetop and then transfer it into the oven for most of the cooking. I've been tempted to try it.
Growing up with Japanese style rice, I love how it takes on a different and even chewier characteristic at room temperature. Jasmine rice has the amazing smell. I’ve never tried cooking basmati at home. I’ll have to give it a go. I wonder if my Korean rice cooker has a setting for it, lol.
For those concerned about arsenic in rice (especially brown rice): University of Sheffield researchers found that boiling the rice for 5 minutes, then discarding that water and finishing cooking the rice in fresh water will remove most of the arsenic. Of course, you will need to use less water for the final cooking than you would normally use to cook the rice in the standard way.
Very nice! About a dozen or more years ago we bought the Zojurushi 'Neuro-Fuzzy' rice cooker you briefly showed on your counter. Been using it multiple times a week all these years, and never made a bad batch of rice (all from 25lb bags of Thai Jasmine rice). The aroma when it's cooking is fantastic. Found recently they still sell this exact same model, but noted its price has increased since we bought ours (still works gangbusters). It is so easy to use. Only different procedure we use is that about 10 minutes before the rice is finished, I open the lid and stir the rice around with the plastic spatula it comes with, and close the lid back for the remaining time.
Great video. The other factor concerning how much water to use is the age of the grain. This holds true for jasmine rice. New grains tend to require less water than older grains. Of course, one would only find this out after the first batch is cooked. ข้าวใหม่ vs ข้าวเก่า.
Wow, what a wonderful fountain of information. I had no idea about the differences in rices until now. Thank you so much for this content. Content like this makes the TH-cam platform great.
So we have some very thin and soupy “curries” in the Indian subcontinent. And yes the rice does disperse and float around. It’s not a problem. Yes matching rice to cuisine is good but mixing can lead to some interesting combinations. I like using Japanese rice with Indian curry. It’s not a traditional combination but it works. Yes the rice is not interchangeable but at the same time have fun with it rather than being stuck with a rigid pairings
This explains why I only like Basmatic with Afgan or middle eastern dishes. Thanks for the great😮 information! I don't keep Basmati rice around, I normally don't like it and tend to choke on the extra long and dry grains. i really like sushi rice best, but as you say, it's not for everything. So for most everyday meals it's Jasmine and now I know another reason besides time of cooking. i learned the very hard way that sushi rice is NOT for fried rice, ever! i learned the very hard way. I still can't make decent fried rice, but at least now know that sushi rice Is NOT for fried rice, it's way way too sticky.
I checked the finger method for measuring the water, and amazingly, it always comes to 1:1 ratio no matter how much rice you cook. Most rice varieties (except glutinous rice, and apparently Basmati) usually use 1:1 ratio of water. Some varieties need a bit more, others a bit less. If youre not sure how much water you need for the kind of rice you have, stick to 1:1 ratio. You can just add a bit more water later if needed. If the rice needed less, it would be just a bit mushier, but still acceptable. Then you can adjust the water accordingly the next time you cook rice.
Sometimes it works well for some people, some times it doesn't. There are so many factors, the size of the joint, the size of the rice cooker bowl, etc; and you must adjust it for different types of rice. It's always a hassle I just always follow the amount of water that it says.
@@setonix9151 ah I get your point. Those factors didn't cross my mind. But the way it was taught to me is that the height of the grains from the bottom of the rice cooker to the top should be the same as the height of the water from the top of the grains to the surface. So it's still 1:1. A family usually cooks about 4-5 cups of rice. And the height of the water would reach to that finger joint. If the amount of rice or the size of cooker changes, then the finger method is no longer reliable. I think that's the part that confuses people.
@@setonix9151 Yes it seems simple but it is not. I wonder if a Thermodynamic engineer could explain or debunk the knuckle theory. It is actually a difficult question considering all the different boiling pots shapes and sizes. The different quantity of rice and water. Finally, Engineers don’t bother about the type of rice, it is someone’s else problem.
as someone who has been working with rice for a long time now, I mostly use basmati rice and it's imo the most "cotton"-like of all the rice, fluffy and light
Great explanation. I would love to see you talk about how to make good Thai sticky rice (like for stcky rice and mango!). I once had a housekeeper/cook in Thailand who was furious with me when I came home from the store with the wrong type (I think quality too) of rice. She told me never to shop for rice againr! Now I know why. There is a lot more to it than I realized.
Pailin, thank you for this very clear and informative video. I would very much like to know whether there is a general guideline regarding the use of salt in cooking rice. My sense is that Thai rice is usually cooked without salt, because the sauces served with it are flavourful and spicy, but that basmati (for example) would usually be cooked with salt. Is there a general rule?
For cooking brown rice, I adapted a recipe from Julie Sahni's book "The Moghul Microwave"; I take one cup of brown rice (regular supermarket brown rice) rinsed and drained. about 2.75 cups of water, into an open-top container large enough that the water comes only about halfway up, then in a 1200-watt microwave oven, cook 10 minutes at 50%, then 15 minutes at 100%, then fluff the rice and let sit for five minutes. Normally, when I make this, I'll add some turmeric to the rice before I pour the water in, which I find adds a nice flavor to the rice.
Hi Pai and Adam, This is a very interesting subject especially for those who do not eat rice as a staple carb. But rice is gaining popularity all over the world now. Thank you for your hard work doing this video.
I read the blog post and now I understand why the knuckle method never worked for me. Firstly, I'm a single-person household so I don't cook large amounts of rice, and second, I have very small hands, so my knuckles probably aren't "standard" size, lol. I recently bought a smaller Yum Asia rice cooker (the Panda model). It's cheaper than Zojirushi but still a high end brand. One of my biggest reasons for choosing it is that is has a ceramic nonstick coating in the rice bowl instead of teflon. But it makes my rice cooking so much easier and gives a great result every time since it has different programs for long grain, short grain and brown rice, and it also has programs for porridge, slow cook and even cake! And you can set a delayed program too. I cook overnight steel cut oat porridge in it and wake up to hot freshly cooked porridge in the morning. It's a game changer.
Thank you. That was a very concise yet thorough explanation of the main types of rice, how to cook and which to use. I took notes and will try to remember what you taught. I loved your saying that if a recipe calls for rice without specifying the kind, throw it out. LOL. Although I have all three kinds of rice in my pantry, I so often just grab the "generic American long grain rice." I'm going to give it more thought in the future and will definitely find the "real" Jasmine rice next time I shop.
THANK YOU! This makes So much Sense! Omg, thank you for sharing this! You have opened up so many avenues for me with this one video! You have a new sub for sure!❤❤❤
I just got the same zojirushi rice cooker as a gift and it's so nice. It's make perfect, jasmine, short grain and medium prewashed rice so far. Can't wait to try basmati/khao niao/brown rice and even quinoa in it next.
I have 9 or 10 different varieties of rice in my house, so I'm no longer a newbie--I'm at the point of deciding if I want to use arborio or carnoroli for my risotto. However, I have discovered that in a pinch, Jasmine rice does fill in fairly well as all-purpose. It's not too terribly sticky, so it can work in place of basmati, but if you add a little extra water, it gets sticky enough to make sushi or work in Japanese dishes..... And if you don't rinse it, or rinse it in the broth you add back in, it makes a half decent risotto. (Yes, I use a light rinse to remove dirt/dust etc) I'm not suggesting that you can use it to replace anything--it won't replace sweet rice or glutinous rice, in the same way you don't make a cake with bread flour.
The highest quality Jasmine rice is A5 grade from Thailand. However, it is sold out at the beginning to high end restaurants in Thailand and also exported to Hong Kong, Japan and other countries. Japanese use it to make Sake. Some are left so I have to buy it from local rice farmers in the north-east of Thailand, Surin or Sri Saket provinces. ...... For cooking Jasmine rice, it is necessary to clean it 2 times as we have seen in the video. After draining the water, I use an open-lid 8-inch pot with a proportion of 1 part rice grain and 1.3 part of water, and for a rice cooker 1 part of rice grain and 1.5 part of water.
Thank you for your comment. My mom and I see a great reduction in the quality of Jasmine rice over 40 years. It definitely doesn’t smell as fragrant and the taste is also not as delicious. Have you noticed that? I can only think they are changing to higher yielding stains of rice.
@@AdscamJasmine rice must be grown in Thailand not other countries using the same grains. Long time ago the USA imported Jasmine rice as rice paddy from Thailand and grew it in the USA. However, the taste and the good smell was something else. It became just white rice so they call it long grain rice. So sad. Many mix Jasmine rice with white rice and sell it at cheap price so it is not 100 percent jasmine rice. .... When cooking real jasmine rice, the color of boiling water should be a little bit green. ... Same thing, when Japanese rice was grown in Thailand, the quality is nothing. Just a short grain rice without good smell ....
@@MiyaOzawa-gj9xh Yes, I am comparing the highest export quality Thai Hom Mali rice in Singapore. The standard has gone down. It is less Aroi. I also noticed rice in Jawa Indonesia has changed over the years. 40 years ago, Indonesian rice was unique, it was slightly fat and wouldn’t break up in soup. That is why Indonesian love rice with soup dishes. Now I think Indonesian rice tasting more like Thai/Chinese rice. I still think, they are changing the rice species/hybrid for productivity reasons.
@@Adscam Try to differentiate the real and the fake Thai Hom Mali. Use filtered or purified water for cooking rice, not tab water. Do not wash the rice so hard before cooking.
@@MiyaOzawa-gj9xh I can’t go to Thailand and buy Special Hom Mali rice. Like I said, rice quality has been changing over the year in the commercial field. So slightly, that you don’t notice, but I did after visiting Indonesia after many years.
I was able to find the brown jasmine online at Amazon in the UK, called Yum Asia Thai Hom Mali -- The brand includes suchi rice, jasmine (both brown and white), and basmati.
2 other things that can alter cooking times is altitude and humidity. We had a place up in the mountains and a place at sea level. It made a difference.
Videos the way TH-cam should be done,
all meat no filler ,,,
no stupid music ,, no gimmicks,
Intelligent, articulate, well informed , fun
Loved it !!
I agree!
And no longwinded history for 10 minutes.
@@jeannefoster5594That annoys the crap out of me honestly. When I’m in cooking videos, I’m *only* here about the food, not the creator. Not to sound rude though, I love some of them, I’m just not here for…. Them, just their skill.
There’s a time and place. I often watch separate and shorter (but still long form) videos or actual shorts about news and updates and random stuff, I do enjoy those too.
But when I want to know about rice types, I seriously don’t care if you’re having a baby in 3 months (random example). Why do I have to keep skipping until I accidentally overshoot the beginning of the info I came for in the first place? Maybe put that at the *end* for dedicated viewers…
She was so nice and refreshing 🥰 and gave me exactly what I came for, nothing more, nothing less. And for that alone, she gets my sub.
Thank you for this critique of this great video. Totally agree!
Speaking of gimmicks and fillers: What is it with those silly multiple commas and unnecessary spaces before commas and exclamations points in your comment?
You can stop water boiling over by wiping the top inside edges of the pot with a little oil. It breaks the surface tension and pops any bubbles that start to make their way to the top. Works for pasta, potatoes, rice, etc.
This is a great tip. It never fails my rice will foam and spurt out the little hole at the top.
I’m going to try this.
I can’t wait to try this!
Awesome. Thanks.👍
As an Indian, I'd say that Basmati has many different varieties within that fold.
It's used on special occasions mostly.
It's beautiful how so many cultures in Asia are connected with rice cultivation 🌾🍚
OTR channel has a good vid.
I usually associate soona masoori with Indian cuisine, except northern dishes.
@@samuelmahoney6878 well, every district let alone a region , let alone a state in India has its variety of rice that has its usage, for example here where i live, there are 3-4 common types of rice, 2 or 3 special rice that are used for occasions.
Different flavor, aroma profile in each.
Basmati is very exotic in Philippines.
@@eduardochavacano thanks for sharing that.
But there are many types of Basmati, can you elaborate which one are you talking specifically about?
OMG yes re: brown hom mali rice! My spouse is Chinese and I'm African, and brown hom mali rice is hands down our favorite! We like the flavor of brown rice and the health benefits, but the hom mali is the best - it fits our cooking very well compared to other brown rices.
I haven't heard of it before this video now I should buy some 😮
I am also a fan of brown rice.
There are many colors of Thai Rice..recommended to try or mix!
I almost exclusively use brown (limited milling) rice of all varieties. Using brown rice for risotto is very difficult
Pandan and Jasmine rice have the same aroma compound (2-acetyl-1-pyrroline)
So if you want to boost up that aroma, add a little bit of fresh pandan leaf.
Wow thank you!! Interesting!
can you get pandan leaf in Canada ? Because I fell in love with Jasmine rice
@@edwardmacnab354 If you can't get fresh/dried pandan leaves they do sell the essence in those little bottles. A couple drops should do it...
You can find it frozen in most asian stores @@edwardmacnab354
milagrosa is the original name of jasmine rice....it was first marketed by a Thai company 40 years ago with 3 elephant heads and milagrosa name on it. the rice variety came from IRRI-iternational rice research institute in Los Banos Laguna, Philippines in1960s
Your tip about matching the rice with the cuisine you're eating is spot on.
In Japan, due to its protectionist policies to preserve the pricing of Japanese rice and preventing imports from taking over, a lot of ethnic restaurants such as Thai or Indian use Japanese rice. I like Japanese rice for Japanese food but it does not work well with Thai food or Indian food because the grains are heavy and sticky.
The floral scent of Jasmine rice works well with Thai food because the food is supposed to be aromatic all around. Basmati works well with Indian food because the curries and other things are heavy so it offers a light accompaniment to it.
honestly basmati rice works with just about everything with rice except sushi and sushi adjacent stuff
@@greenislandserenade1 I think Jasmine is the middle ground and thus works best for everything. For Japanese food it's sticker than basmati, and it's not sticky enough to ruin indian food.
@@setonix9151 i could never eat indian food with jasmine rice or any rice other than basmati. if i don't have basmati rice i won't have indian food. jasmine is not a good substitute as indian cuisine where rice is involved just doesn't work without basmati. meanwhile for everything else outside of sushi either basmati or medium/short grain white rice works. a lot of westernized latin american recipes call for basmati rice these days... green rice, paella, arroz con pollo etc. at home we keep medium or short grain rice and basmati but no jasmine, and that covers everything that needs rice. basmati is basically the rice for everything that calls for any sort of long grain rice.
Thank you for all such great information
@@lofiben It goes vice versa here in Thailand as well. I have to say that Japanese curry with jasmine rice doesn’t feel right at all. 😂😂😂
I have five different rice types in my pantry.
1. Japanese medium grain ... sushi, Japanese food
2. Long rain Jasmine brown ... everyday, stir fries, general Asian food.
3. Extra long, extra fancy basmati ... Indian food, everyday white rice, Curries, Middle Eastern, and rice-based salads.
4. Calasparra, Italian short grain ... Rissoto, Italian and Mediterranean food.
5. La Bomba, Spanish medium grain ... Paella, rice-based salads
Also, there is another rice cooking method. There is the Persian rice cooking method for making saffron Persian rice.
It is as follows.
1. Wash the rice
2. Bring a pot of water with about 2 quarts to boil, add a little salt
3. Boil the rice for 6 minutes
4. Drain the rice, and mix a gram of saffron to the parboiled rice.
5. Place the drained rice with a little bit of olive oil in a Dutch oven
6. Place a moistened towel over the Dutch oven
7. Place the lid on top of the towel
8. Cook on low heat for 25 minutes.
When done, there should be a brown crust formed at the bottom of the pan. This browned crust is the best part of the rice. The Persians call this crust tah-dig.
If you want more brown crust, then mix a little bit of yogurt in with the par-boiled rice before adding to the Dutch Oven.
Bomba is actually perfect for "watery" (caldoso in spanish) rices. Its best feature is tha it doesn't get overcooked. If you use "mediterranean" rice in one of those recipes it will get very mushy when you're finishing the dish.
The "mediterranean" rice is the most used for paellas.
Try sona masoori rice from south india as well
I am the same! I have multiple types of rice in my kitchen. I have several types of Japanese and for Spanish Valencia works the same as bomba. For risotto,mi use Arborio as well
@@isabelab6851 Arborio, Yes, I have Arborio. Arborio is very good.
I also have converted rice for my Louisiana cooking. People think I'm nuts (have six varieties of those in my pantry at the moment.)
Great summary! I'm a food nerd, and every time I said, "Aren't you going to tell them about...?" you'd say it within the next 2 minutes!
2 additional notes:
- I do find that premium Japanese rices are a little aromatic. It's subtle, but there's a distinct savory aroma that a lot of rice lacks. It's rice-ier somehow. It can really elevate rice-forward dishes like simple sushi or (my preference for simplicity) chirashi bowls.
- Good brown rice like brown jasmine is amazing! More people should also try red and black rice, which is also whole grain, and I've yet to find a brand that isn't delicious. High in healthy flavinoids and bring nice color to your plate!
YES! Thank you! I couldn't quite put a finger on it but I swear Japanese rice has an aroma too. It's just as you say, "rice-y" aroma, I guess. Like, the smell of carb power is definitely there. 😂
this is a 'MUST WATCH' video for anyone who want to start cooking asian dish. RICE ≠ RICE, I'm always annoyed when some cooking channel use wrong recipe for rice specific menu, like using mochi rice for mango sticky rice or using jasmine rice for sushi, it's like you try to cook Italian pizza with barley flour.
well...while i lived in Vietnam spaghetti were sooo expensive so instead of using them i used noodles for having Bolognese :D :D :D and it worked. i agree that different rice has different purpose. yet basmati i could eat with most European rice dish for example except risottos where you need arborio short grain rice hahahah
Your comment goes with an article from MRW. Kukrit Pramoch, one of the connoisseur in Thai food. He once wrote every dished invented according to local ingredients. And if you think about it it's true to every cuisines in this world. Some ingredient might be substitute for another but you'll lost parts of the texture, scent, etc. of that dish.
That mindset bumps heads with frugality, dietary restrictions/allergies, and personal enjoyment. It's amazing to make things 100% authentic, but it's not always feasible or good for everyone being served.
@@aprilbennett4161 I'm not talking about authentic here, I'm talking about KNOWLEDGE, you can substitute any ingredient you want as long as you know what that ingredient does in that recipe, and many channel does that, which I'm very grateful when they do that, but most of the time, many channels not even mention why they use alternate ingredient, they will say "authentic recipe" and proceed to use the wrong one, that's why I said this is a "must watch" video before you going to substitute any rice specific recipe, because rice ≠ rice, each variant has its own texture and flavor.
also annoying when entering 'authentic restaurant' and they used the wrong rice. just remove the authentic part and it'll still be fine 🙄
If you garden, save the rice water for your plants for extra nutrients and keep bugs away.
Some rice has arsenic in it because of the soil it was grown in, so find out where your rice is grown first!
@@dojokonojo Or use it for plants you don't eat.
@@lactofermentationthen shouldn’t you not even eat the rice since you can’t wash arsenic away. It’s mostly likely absorbed into the plant when it Eva’s in the field
@@dojokonojo Yes, I have heard that about rice grown in South Asia. It seems that some places have Arsenic in the ground water. But they cook rice with an abundance of water. They cook the rice until almost cooked before draining the excess water in a colander. This will get rid of excess Arsenic. Uncle Roger might be upset but that is the technique all South Indians swear by. You can’t argue against the Darwin method of cooking rice 😅
@@Adscam Uncle Roger and his precious MSG, phooey!
I’m Australian and growing up in the 80’s and 90’s we mostly cooked rice the way we cook pasta, it wasn’t till I went to uni and lived with Asian friends, that I started cooking using the absorption method.- I noticed that rice cooked like pasta tends to taste sort of “water-logged” and less flavoursome🤷♀️👍🏻
Yep, because you're draining away a ton of flavour with that cooking water :)
I had never heard of cooking rice like pasta until recently when watching a UK cooking video!
@@isabelab6851 well... some British person also added water into fried rice... not too surprising there!
That method is how I was taught many years ago....
I am STILL unlearning things my parents taught me in the kitchen. I learned how to cook rice properly about 10 years ago.
The boiling method is good for rice puddings and porridges where you keep the water, at least.
Altitude also makes a difference with how much water you use. I live in the mountains at about 4900 feet of elevation and I use a lot more water than most because the water evaporates at a lower temperature.
Anyone who likes to cook will fall in love with this outstanding representation. Thank you dearly!
In Thailand, the purple rice (riceberry) is quite popular now, they taste kind of in the middle for White and Brown rice. Hope this rice gain more popularity around the world for a good tasting higher nutrition meal.
In Brazil we make rice every day using the same method, and we often eat it with beans. I was thinking about its origins and I imagine it was the Portuguese who brought it to us from the East. A very pleasant and useful presentation. Thank you.
My favourite Thia restaurant in Mexico has a chef from Thailand, and he uses the same brand of Jasmine rice from Costco.
I do like the Jasmine, brown rice and Basmati rice. I learnt a lot from you today.
Thank you ❤
In my (western) household, my wife has a preference for basmati rice, so unless a recipe specifically calls for a different type of rice (or if we are making sushi), I generally cook basmati rice. But since our preferred dinner starch is potatoes I only buy rice a pound at a time (not those big 5-10 pound bags) and store it in an air-tight canister.
Another thing that I do occasionally when cooking rice is instead of cooking in water I cook in a bone broth to add a different flavor.
That info about the size of the plastic “cup” that comes with the recipe cooker is actually really handy- I currently have 3 rice cookers in my house- but I can’t find ANY of the cups that came with them! Lol- I usually use the “knuckle” method of measuring water👍🏻🤷♀️😅
same. knuckle method always worked. learned it in indonesia
Yep, knuckle method is the standard here in Hawai’i 👍🤙🏻
Knuckle method is standard in restaurants.
Cup makes ZERO difference I cup rice 1 cup water same same its ONE CUP
@@yfelwulf Not really if you use the per “cup” water level markings inside the rice cooker pot.
I found the video so informative that I was a bit surprised myself. Not only did Ms. Pai give us very clear information but her delivery itself was impeccable and welcoming.
Thank you Ms. Pai and let me say how eager I am to see you again soon.
What a wonderful tutorial. Crisp, clear and complete. Only one observation: Altitude makes a big difference when cooking. In Colorado, at 5000 feet of altitude, water boils faster and cooler due to the lower atmospheric pressure, and also evaporates faster because of the drier air, whereas in say Florida, where you're at sea level in dense humid air water boils slower and at higher heat. Factor this in to your calculations if you're really trying for perfection.
I accidentally bought the brown version of jasmine rice. I am glad I did. I appreciate more whole foods and this one is good!
It takes twice as long to cook imho though
And then there are other rice varieties from other parts of the world like Arborio, a type of "Pearl" rice for Risotto from Italy, and "Wild" Rice from North America, which is not really rice but a grass (grain/seed?).
Addendum: Well presented, clear and informative. Thank you.
And African varieties including Carolina Gold popular in the US South
It's true that wild rice is a grass, since it belongs to the true grass family, the Poaceae. However, the same applies to domesticated rice. In fact, it applies to wheat, maize/corn, barley, millet, rye and other, similar plants. They are ALL grasses. Hell, BAMBOO belongs to the Poaceae, making it a grass, though it belongs to a different subfamily than the rest. Among those listed, true rice is by far the closest relative to the wild rice.
All rice is a variety of grass. I don’t think American rice is very closely related to old world rices, but they are distantly related with a type of grass being the common ancestor.
Just found a new favorite food video creator! Simple, direct, insightful. No needless fill talk.
Thank you so much. This is very helpful for a European home cook. The way you explain things is always very clear. And ejoyble to watch.
Genuinely love the way you explain things. You make a natural teacher ❤
I’m in Singapore and realized when I started buying Pyrex measuring cups (for liquids) that those made in the US and made in Japan had different measures. A Japanese cup is 200ml while a US cup is around 240ml? And yes, I had lost my Zojirushi rice cooker cup and was wondering how many mls it held 😂
The most important thing is the proportion of water and rice which could be 1.3 -1.5 of water : 1 of rice. You can use a measuring cup, a tea cup or a glass to measure the amount of water and rice.
I am an American living in UK and was very confused after moving here, because pints are 10oz instead of 8oz. And there are other differences. For cooking, I stick with grams and weigh everything, even for liquids.
@@m53goldsmithI think you meant half pints, a US pint is 16 oz and a UK pint is 20 oz.
200 ml. it is for zojirushi cup.
@@m53goldsmith No. A UK pint is 20oz and an American pint is 16oz and what's worse is that if you buy a "pint" of beer in an American bar it is probably only 14oz.
When in doubt about liquids use the metric system and ignore ounces, cups, pints and gallons.
A liter is always 1,000 milliliters or 1,000 cc no matter where you are and a liter of water weighs 1 kilogram.
She just kept going with very informative stuff i thought it would be only about types and little bit differences. I REALLY enjoyed, thank you Pailin!!
My Chinese wife taught me what rice to use and exactly how to prepare it.
Your advice here is priceless!
Godspeed good lady.
Thank you for all this information. Clears up a lot of confusion I've had. Bookmarking for future review & will show my teenage daughter, who's gotten into cooking with rice of late. Cheers!
Pailin’s instructional videos are the best! Whenever a new one comes out, I’m always sure to watch it.
Our Chinese coworker was telling us how to make fried rice. She kept saying "don't use the wrong rice." We asked but what is the right rice? And again she said "well anything but the wrong rice"
Finally figured out she was trying to say don't use LONG rice.
Very good and basic video on rice. Few points to add from my own experience cooking rice out of necessity since divorcing 28 y ago.
I no longer measure the water, just cover the rice plus 1 cm.
Rincing the rice is important since some have some dirt or extra things that float
I put some oil first so the rice does not stick to the bottom of pot (this was not mentioned in the video)
My mother always cooked the rice before adding water to "roast it" to keep the grains intact (more appetizing)
After adding the water I put some ghee and this helps keep the rice look shiny and not sticking (more appetizing). This works well for any rice as a side dish (common in all middle eastern cookin)
What helps with preserving the grains intact and separate is sauteeing vermicelli in some oil first and then adding the rice, roasting both a bit before adding the water etc
Some ladies cover the rice pot with kitchen towel after turning the stove off while letting the cooked rice rest before serving.
I have a small Insta Pot cooker and I cook all these different rice. I have it down very well. Yes, very important to rinse the rice before cooking. I also cook my rice in a pot on my stove and again I have learned to cook my rice just right. Thank you for this great video. Initially, I went thru trial and error but that’s ok as it is a learning process.
We in Italy have way different types of rice all non sticky because we use it for our risotto (Vialone nano, Carnaroli, Arborio, Ribe, Venere, Originario and others)... but we have not only risotto, of course!
great informative video as always.
i watched a TH-cam video by a chef who likes to replicate Chinese-American restaurant offerings. he says that many Chinese restaurants in America use a combination of Long Grain Rice (like Carolina) and Thai jasmine. so i gave it a try, and its ok, is it Chinese American, i don't' know. i think they do this to save money.
texture for me is the main point with different rices, and fragrance comes 2nd. so when it comes to basmati and jasmine, i keep them seperate.
within the spectrum of different Thai Jasmine rices, its quite broad IMO. when i was Exec Chef for Thai resort Hotels, i learned alot about local rice. in the hotels we had three different thai jasmine rices in our kitchen.
#1: cheap (broken) rice for staff canteen.
#2: middle of the road (whole grain) for buffets where guests can eat all they want for a good buffet value.
#3: high end very fragrant whole grain rice for all a la carte Thai dishes.
within each price range there are innumerable choices.
some of the best rice i have had in Thailand was a gift from a chef who owns a great little Thai restaurant in Pattaya off of Pattaya Klang, behind, Big C. (best tom kha gai i have ever had) her brother grows organic rice upcountry and processes and packs it himself. in return, and to show my appreciation, i bring them Maple Syrup from Vermont.☮❤
Excellent lesson from a great presenter! I'll happily check out your other videos.
I am from a Japanese family, so rice is at our core ❤ However, in the second half of her life, even my mother wanted to eat healthier rice, so her standard became a mix of 50% white 50% brown (both short grain)
White rice is brown rice. White rice is brown rice that’s been milled. They remove the bran layer.
@@Mr3DPrintWizarduh I think she already knows , it was mentioned in the video. And what she’s saying isn’t totally false. Brown rice is healthier than white rice thanks to the intact bran.
@@lemontea128 the addition of some fiber doesn’t inherently make it that much healthier or even at all. The misconception that brown rice is vastly more healthy is a myth that keeps being spread for some reason.
@@Mr3DPrintWizard It does change the glycemic index and the fiber content, as well as the levels of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. The increase in magnesium and fiber are linked to a decrease in blood sugar levels and risk of contracting Type 2 Diabetes.
However, cooling white rice after cooking does increase its levels of resistant starch.
This can be helpful when you live an area where it is difficult to find brown rice of various types. I have still not found brown basmati where I live.
@@eldoradocanyonro the levels of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins are basically negligible. The fiber change is 1 gram per serving. 1 gram. If you’re diabetic and worried about glycemic index brown or white rice aren’t what you should be looking for anyway.
Brown rice also has a higher level of arsenic compared to white rice because it’s contained in the bran.
Brown rice is and always has been a health scam. Like most fads it comes with poor information and a big budget trying to sell you a lackluster product.
I love your attitude - right to the point and not so much opinion. For example, you provide a description of each type of rice and which ones you enjoy while encouraging experimenting.
I rarely offer my opinion and tend to stick with brown basmati rice for my staple since it has the least amount of processing.
Your videos are hands down the best on TH-cam for Thai food! I'm Hispanic and I cook a wide variety of food. Your videos have been insanely helpful! Thank you!
Thank you Pailin, I believe only a rice eating person will understand the complexities of all the rice you have shown. Thank you so much.
This is very high quality production for me. Thank you for your effort, very informative and clear. I definitely learned new things!
My mother and father always uses "sella basmati" rice
but with how much japanese/korean/sea dishes I personally have been making lately I need to start buying sushi or jasmine rice for myself
a vid like this is really helpful. thank you!
I am Asian and I did not know most of this. I carry 5 types of rice: brown, long-grain, jasmine, black and sushi. Brown is our de facto rice. But this is very interesting. And to not use sushi rice when serving sashimi, my dog will give me barkey face! Thanks,
Very informative. Perhaps one day you'll consider the use of an Instant Cooker, which once you're certain of the time and water mix for each rice type/brand, it's a true set-it and forget-it, with zero need to pay any attention once you hit start until the pressure naturally reduces to zero. And then it keeps itself warm.
Your Pro tip for matching the type of rice with the cuisine is exactly the same as I gave my clients when I was in the wine business and they asked about pairing wine with food. Simple. Where in the world did the food recipe you used come from? Pick a wine from that area. Easy peasy! This is the first time I've come across your channel. This video was so well done that I sub'd your channel. I'm fortunate to have two good Asian food shops close to me here in southwest France. I'm looking forward to watching some of your other videos.
You are very articulate.
I recently bought a Japanese rice cooker. The Jasmine rice camesomewhat gummy, stuck together. After watching this video the differences are now apparent.
Thanks for teaching us about the different rices.
use less water if too sticky or mushy
... jasmine rice came* out* somewhat* gummy
To this day, none of the rice I have bought at the store had anything but one measurement system. UItis twice as much water as the amount of rice. I cook it covered on the stove till it all is absorbed and the rice is beautifully done. I like your info though and now am a subscriber. Time to learn more:)
Grew up in Hawaii eating Hinode Japanese rice. But transitioned to Jasmine rice after my grandmother recommended it to my wife and I. We use the "knuckle" method for measuring the amount of water we add to the rice cooker. My Dad taught me that. Also, love the comedian Jo Koy's riff on using the knuckle method. 😂
Thanks so much for this. I’ve had a rice cooker for the last 20 years and it’s a lifesaver (and time saver). And my preferred rice is Jasmine rice (thanks for the info on the name). Of course, if I cook Indian food, basmati is the one. Everything you covered is very helpful. I always wondered about rinsing and I want to get the water/rice ratio correct.
Very informative! Folks watching their blood sugar (like me) might like to know basmati rice has a different amylose structure that gives it a low glycemic index.
You do such a wonderful job of teaching and explaining! Plus, your smile and positive persona makes the subject that much more interesting!
thai jasmine fragrance rice is the best rice for my throat eventhough the medical people tell me to change for brown rice, now that i know there is brown rice jasmine fragrance... i think i might try it and hope it similar to the white counterpart. thank you for this great informative video on rice types.
Enjoyable and informative. You don't mention every cook's favorite method of cooking rice: fill the pot with rice with water to the first finger knuckle. Works for me every time. Serious question: Rice for Chinese cuisine? Korean cuisine?
If you have a kitchen scale there's a little trick I like to do. I measure the right amount of water to the rice and weight it. (You have to tare the weight of the pot and then add the rice and water). Then you record that weight. You wash the rice and then put the pot back in the scale and add water until it's the same weight.
I'm from Indonesia, and here, there's a variety of long-grain rice that's not sticky at all called 'Beras Solok' or 'Bareh Solok' (Solok Rice), named after the region where it's cultivated in Solok, on the island of Sumatra.
It's excellent for fried rice because you don't need to use day-old rice to get separate grains-this variety naturally stays fluffy. It also doesn't have a floral aroma, which is great for me since I don't really enjoy fried rice made with rice that has a floral scent.
I grew up on the island of Java, where this variety isn't available. I only discovered it after I started working in Sumatra.
Jasmine rice can be cooked with quinoa because the grain to water ratio is the same. 13 min on low + 10 min rest for just Jasmine, 17 min + 10 rest for 50/50 rice and quinoa. A 900g Kraft cheese whiz jar serves as the perfect measuring cup for 2cups of Jasmine rice/quinoa.
I NEVER met rice I didn't like.
This is a superb video. Thank you.
Great Vid. I'm an American man who leans In toward the Asian culture. I've been this way since I was a kid, Anyway I appreciate the explanation of the rice difference. I always thought there were differences, but not 100%. Thank you for settling the nagging inner question I've had forever. I own an aroma rice cooker, and I buy and use specifically Jasmine rice. I love the taste, I love when I come home and the floral scent of Jasmine is abundant when I walk in. Though I'm single and live alone, it's always a warm welcome home feeling that makes me smile always.
Yes, I remove my shoes at the door, and slip into indoor wear Only slippers. Thank you for the great video. ❤❤❤
Thanks for a very useful talk. I usually use basmati rice as a side dish, because I like it. I live at high altitude where the water boils at around 205deg F. I tweak the instructions on the bag a bit to compensate. We have some Asian markets in town and, using your information, I plan to try the Thai rice at home.
I hardly ever gave it a second thought beyond round grain (risotto) and long corn rice (I'm in Europe). Subsequently I usually experienced cooking rice as a kind of gamble and unpredictable, sometimes it's good, sometimes mushy, sometimes dry. Now I know what to watch out for. Very helpful, thank you.
I was so confused for years by Korean cuisine since the rice is clearly different from the rice varieties I normally cook. I even thought maybe it was closer to arborio rice. I didn’t want to spend the premium to buy the specialty Korean rice. Now I know it’s just sushi rice. Thank you.
Very helpful. One question I have is what kind of rice is best for making fried rice. Also, how to prepare rice for making fried rice. Thanks.
Hi Adam here - and good question! If you want to ask her that one directly though rather that put it out to the community (as she doesn't see the comments on here once the post is more than a few days old), you can check out all the options to get hold of her at hot-thai-kitchen.com/contact . Cheers!
I hope my sister watches this video. She's 55 years old and still thinks there's only 1 kind of rice. She gets angry if you try to tell her different.
That's hilarious
Excellent and highly professional presentation. The explanation of the various types of rice and their preparation was clear, concise, and straightforward. As someone who is beginning to make his own sushi and experiment with different Asian dishes, this video has been very helpful.😎
Hey you are the rice cooker girl that taught me about the rice years ago! Thank you for being wonderful girl!!!
One cooking approach I've seen on youtube but never tried is to start froed rice on a stovetop and then transfer it into the oven for most of the cooking. I've been tempted to try it.
It’s very tasty!
Growing up with Japanese style rice, I love how it takes on a different and even chewier characteristic at room temperature. Jasmine rice has the amazing smell. I’ve never tried cooking basmati at home. I’ll have to give it a go. I wonder if my Korean rice cooker has a setting for it, lol.
Yep. Day-old sushi rice is simply the best rice for fried rice!
Most excellent, perhaps the best video explanation about Rice and how to cook it! Truly - TY!
I have been cooking rice of varying types for a while now, and I can attest that you get great quality by following Pailin's pot cooking directions!
For those concerned about arsenic in rice (especially brown rice): University of Sheffield researchers found that boiling the rice for 5 minutes, then discarding that water and finishing cooking the rice in fresh water will remove most of the arsenic. Of course, you will need to use less water for the final cooking than you would normally use to cook the rice in the standard way.
This is simply awesome.
You just gave me the key to the universe. Finally, I understand rice.
Thank you very much ❤
Very nice! About a dozen or more years ago we bought the Zojurushi 'Neuro-Fuzzy' rice cooker you briefly showed on your counter. Been using it multiple times a week all these years, and never made a bad batch of rice (all from 25lb bags of Thai Jasmine rice). The aroma when it's cooking is fantastic. Found recently they still sell this exact same model, but noted its price has increased since we bought ours (still works gangbusters). It is so easy to use. Only different procedure we use is that about 10 minutes before the rice is finished, I open the lid and stir the rice around with the plastic spatula it comes with, and close the lid back for the remaining time.
Great video. The other factor concerning how much water to use is the age of the grain. This holds true for jasmine rice. New grains tend to require less water than older grains. Of course, one would only find this out after the first batch is cooked. ข้าวใหม่ vs ข้าวเก่า.
She missed the chance to say "the 'rice' decision" at 0:26 😂
Wow, what a wonderful fountain of information. I had no idea about the differences in rices until now. Thank you so much for this content. Content like this makes the TH-cam platform great.
Thank you for the brown rice mention, and yes jasmin brown rice is sooo much better than the "regular" one!!
So we have some very thin and soupy “curries” in the Indian subcontinent. And yes the rice does disperse and float around. It’s not a problem. Yes matching rice to cuisine is good but mixing can lead to some interesting combinations. I like using Japanese rice with Indian curry. It’s not a traditional combination but it works. Yes the rice is not interchangeable but at the same time have fun with it rather than being stuck with a rigid pairings
This is the best rice specific YT video in English I have ever watched!!!
❤❤❤
Probably the best video on the internet about cooking rice. Thx khun Pai 🙂
Thank you.
Nutritional information and differences would also be interesting. Especially, protein differences would be interesting to hear about.
This explains why I only like Basmatic with Afgan or middle eastern dishes. Thanks for the great😮 information! I don't keep Basmati rice around, I normally don't like it and tend to choke on the extra long and dry grains. i really like sushi rice best, but as you say, it's not for everything. So for most everyday meals it's Jasmine and now I know another reason besides time of cooking.
i learned the very hard way that sushi rice is NOT for fried rice, ever! i learned the very hard way. I still can't make decent fried rice, but at least now know that sushi rice Is NOT for fried rice, it's way way too sticky.
I checked the finger method for measuring the water, and amazingly, it always comes to 1:1 ratio no matter how much rice you cook. Most rice varieties (except glutinous rice, and apparently Basmati) usually use 1:1 ratio of water. Some varieties need a bit more, others a bit less. If youre not sure how much water you need for the kind of rice you have, stick to 1:1 ratio. You can just add a bit more water later if needed. If the rice needed less, it would be just a bit mushier, but still acceptable. Then you can adjust the water accordingly the next time you cook rice.
Sometimes it works well for some people, some times it doesn't. There are so many factors, the size of the joint, the size of the rice cooker bowl, etc; and you must adjust it for different types of rice. It's always a hassle I just always follow the amount of water that it says.
@@setonix9151 ah I get your point. Those factors didn't cross my mind. But the way it was taught to me is that the height of the grains from the bottom of the rice cooker to the top should be the same as the height of the water from the top of the grains to the surface. So it's still 1:1. A family usually cooks about 4-5 cups of rice. And the height of the water would reach to that finger joint. If the amount of rice or the size of cooker changes, then the finger method is no longer reliable. I think that's the part that confuses people.
@@setonix9151 Yes it seems simple but it is not. I wonder if a Thermodynamic engineer could explain or debunk the knuckle theory. It is actually a difficult question considering all the different boiling pots shapes and sizes. The different quantity of rice and water. Finally, Engineers don’t bother about the type of rice, it is someone’s else problem.
as someone who has been working with rice for a long time now, I mostly use basmati rice and it's imo the most "cotton"-like of all the rice, fluffy and light
Great explanation. I would love to see you talk about how to make good Thai sticky rice (like for stcky rice and mango!). I once had a housekeeper/cook in Thailand who was furious with me when I came home from the store with the wrong type (I think quality too) of rice. She told me never to shop for rice againr! Now I know why. There is a lot more to it than I realized.
Pailin, thank you for this very clear and informative video. I would very much like to know whether there is a general guideline regarding the use of salt in cooking rice. My sense is that Thai rice is usually cooked without salt, because the sauces served with it are flavourful and spicy, but that basmati (for example) would usually be cooked with salt. Is there a general rule?
For cooking brown rice, I adapted a recipe from Julie Sahni's book "The Moghul Microwave"; I take one cup of brown rice (regular supermarket brown rice) rinsed and drained. about 2.75 cups of water, into an open-top container large enough that the water comes only about halfway up, then in a 1200-watt microwave oven, cook 10 minutes at 50%, then 15 minutes at 100%, then fluff the rice and let sit for five minutes. Normally, when I make this, I'll add some turmeric to the rice before I pour the water in, which I find adds a nice flavor to the rice.
Hi Pai and Adam,
This is a very interesting subject especially for those who do not eat rice as a staple carb. But rice is gaining popularity all over the world now. Thank you for your hard work doing this video.
Love this information! Can’t wait to read more on the blog. It is this type of video that first introduced me to your channel. Love them. Thank you❣️
I read the blog post and now I understand why the knuckle method never worked for me. Firstly, I'm a single-person household so I don't cook large amounts of rice, and second, I have very small hands, so my knuckles probably aren't "standard" size, lol.
I recently bought a smaller Yum Asia rice cooker (the Panda model). It's cheaper than Zojirushi but still a high end brand. One of my biggest reasons for choosing it is that is has a ceramic nonstick coating in the rice bowl instead of teflon. But it makes my rice cooking so much easier and gives a great result every time since it has different programs for long grain, short grain and brown rice, and it also has programs for porridge, slow cook and even cake! And you can set a delayed program too. I cook overnight steel cut oat porridge in it and wake up to hot freshly cooked porridge in the morning. It's a game changer.
Very interesting. I grew up in a "meat and potatoes" culture. But now, I'm exploring rice. Thank you for the guidance.
The best rice cooking tutorial I have ever seen.
Thank you. That was a very concise yet thorough explanation of the main types of rice, how to cook and which to use. I took notes and will try to remember what you taught. I loved your saying that if a recipe calls for rice without specifying the kind, throw it out. LOL. Although I have all three kinds of rice in my pantry, I so often just grab the "generic American long grain rice." I'm going to give it more thought in the future and will definitely find the "real" Jasmine rice next time I shop.
I am ready to learn! Question: If I boil the rice in a LOT of water (like pasta) and then I strain the rice, is it wrong? And why? Thank you.
THANK YOU! This makes So much Sense! Omg, thank you for sharing this! You have opened up so many avenues for me with this one video! You have a new sub for sure!❤❤❤
I just got the same zojirushi rice cooker as a gift and it's so nice. It's make perfect, jasmine, short grain and medium prewashed rice so far. Can't wait to try basmati/khao niao/brown rice and even quinoa in it next.
I have 9 or 10 different varieties of rice in my house, so I'm no longer a newbie--I'm at the point of deciding if I want to use arborio or carnoroli for my risotto.
However, I have discovered that in a pinch, Jasmine rice does fill in fairly well as all-purpose.
It's not too terribly sticky, so it can work in place of basmati, but if you add a little extra water, it gets sticky enough to make sushi or work in Japanese dishes..... And if you don't rinse it, or rinse it in the broth you add back in, it makes a half decent risotto. (Yes, I use a light rinse to remove dirt/dust etc)
I'm not suggesting that you can use it to replace anything--it won't replace sweet rice or glutinous rice, in the same way you don't make a cake with bread flour.
The highest quality Jasmine rice is A5 grade from Thailand. However, it is sold out at the beginning to high end restaurants in Thailand and also exported to Hong Kong, Japan and other countries. Japanese use it to make Sake. Some are left so I have to buy it from local rice farmers in the north-east of Thailand, Surin or Sri Saket provinces.
...... For cooking Jasmine rice, it is necessary to clean it 2 times as we have seen in the video. After draining the water, I use an open-lid 8-inch pot with a proportion of 1 part rice grain and 1.3 part of water, and for a rice cooker 1 part of rice grain and 1.5 part of water.
Thank you for your comment. My mom and I see a great reduction in the quality of Jasmine rice over 40 years. It definitely doesn’t smell as fragrant and the taste is also not as delicious. Have you noticed that? I can only think they are changing to higher yielding stains of rice.
@@AdscamJasmine rice must be grown in Thailand not other countries using the same grains. Long time ago the USA imported Jasmine rice as rice paddy from Thailand and grew it in the USA. However, the taste and the good smell was something else. It became just white rice so they call it long grain rice. So sad. Many mix Jasmine rice with white rice and sell it at cheap price so it is not 100 percent jasmine rice. ....
When cooking real jasmine rice, the color of boiling water should be a little bit green. ... Same thing, when Japanese rice was grown in Thailand, the quality is nothing. Just a short grain rice without good smell ....
@@MiyaOzawa-gj9xh Yes, I am comparing the highest export quality Thai Hom Mali rice in Singapore. The standard has gone down. It is less Aroi. I also noticed rice in Jawa Indonesia has changed over the years. 40 years ago, Indonesian rice was unique, it was slightly fat and wouldn’t break up in soup. That is why Indonesian love rice with soup dishes. Now I think Indonesian rice tasting more like Thai/Chinese rice. I still think, they are changing the rice species/hybrid for productivity reasons.
@@Adscam Try to differentiate the real and the fake Thai Hom Mali. Use filtered or purified water for cooking rice, not tab water. Do not wash the rice so hard before cooking.
@@MiyaOzawa-gj9xh I can’t go to Thailand and buy Special Hom Mali rice. Like I said, rice quality has been changing over the year in the commercial field. So slightly, that you don’t notice, but I did after visiting Indonesia after many years.
I was able to find the brown jasmine online at Amazon in the UK, called Yum Asia Thai Hom Mali -- The brand includes suchi rice, jasmine (both brown and white), and basmati.
Thank you for such a clear, well-presented video on rice. So very well done, and full of great information!
2 other things that can alter cooking times is altitude and humidity. We had a place up in the mountains and a place at sea level. It made a difference.