Steamed long-grain rice for pilaf is suitable. We will understand the varieties of rice: what is suitable for pilaf, soup or casseroles.

Steamed and polished rice is a cereal that has undergone certain processing to improve the quality of the product. But are both species suitable for preparing an oriental dish?

The heat-treated product is simply made for pilaf. Many housewives are satisfied with its friability, softness and high content vitamins. In addition, parboiled rice is more beneficial than peeled rice, as it absorbs more liquid, which means that cooked food is obtained in large volumes.

The appearance of raw steamed beans is amber-yellow, but the color changes when cooked. The only drawback is the nutty flavor, which is unacceptable in pilaf cooked in the East.

Polished rice is categorically not recommended for cooking pilaf. It has undergone deep processing, after which the grains become smooth, translucent, snow-white, and the content of vitamins and microelements is reduced by half. The polished product is only suitable for making viscous porridge.

Does form matter? Which one to choose: round or long?

On the shelves of the store, we often find varieties of rice according to the shape of the grains. It would seem, what's the difference? But for cooking delicious and fragrant dish these differences are important.

Long-grain rice (devzira, scalded) - best product for pilaf. Most often sold in supermarkets or from merchants of oriental spices and spices.

Attention! Elite varieties are very often counterfeited, staining cheap rice with red brick dust. You can only recognize a fake at home by soaking it in water for a few minutes, and then look at the draining water. If it's dyed, then it's 100% fake.

The advantages of long grains are:

The density of the structure, which allows you to keep the shape during cooking;
Clear separation of the grains of the cooked dish;
Fast hardening process after cooling;

If there is no time to search or funds to buy, then regular long-grain rice is fine. Let it be an imperfect pilaf, but certainly more beautiful and tastier than from a round one.

Round-grain cereals are categorically not suitable for preparing an oriental dish, despite the fact that it is the most consumed rice in the world. It contains a lot of starch, which swells during heat treatment and sticks the grains together. The round-grain product is more suitable for making sushi and sweet desserts.

A special type of rice specially created for cooking pilaf

This is devzira. Having found it on the shelves of the supermarket, the hostess will definitely not regret that she bought it. Rice has a sweetish taste with a pronounced hint of malt. Due to the fact that it contains practically no starch, its grains always remain crumbly.

At heat treatment the cereal expands 7 times, absorbing fat, water, the aroma of meat, vegetables and spices.

It is easy to distinguish this variety - it is heavy, when squeezed in the hand, it creates a characteristic creak of grains, and an attempt to erase the red-brown stripe will not be successful.

Devzira - rice that is ideal for cooking pilaf

Rules for choosing rice for pilaf

Properly selected cereal affects not only the taste of pilaf, but also its appearance(friability, fat content). In case of a bad choice, the grains will stick together and the dish will look like porridge. The following selection rules will help to avoid an unpleasant event:

Use only hard varieties Rice: Jasmine, Wild Rice, Basmati and others. It is not recommended to buy mixed varieties in a pack, since each type has a different cooking time;
Bite the grain with your teeth. You can’t do this in the store, but at home it’s quite. Take a grain and bite it with your teeth. If it immediately breaks, then such a cereal is not suitable for making real pilaf. The purchased bag of rice can be left for making milk porridge or soup;
The smoothness of the grain is not for pilaf. The surface must have a ribbed structure;
Watch the cereal during cooking. If it does not increase in size, sticks to the bottom of the pan and burns, then next time it does not need to be used;
Study the composition. The presence of various flavoring additives and GMOs is not allowed in the composition;
Pay attention to the structure of the cereal. Each grain should not be broken or cracked, the presence of any debris is excluded in the package. To study the contents of the package on the shelves of the store choose a transparent cellophane.

Attention! You should also pay attention to the expiration date, despite the fact that this is a dry product. Rice can be stored for 5 to 10 years, but it is better to give preference to grains that have been on the shelf for no more than a year.

There is an opinion that properly selected spices will help create an unforgettable taste dish that occupies a worthy place in oriental cuisine. In part, this is true, but if you choose a product with a high content of starch, then it is unlikely that you will get crumbly and beautiful-looking finished rice. A variety of varieties and processing methods lead to confusion during its choice specifically for pilaf, so you should be especially “picky” with cereal.

How to choose the right rice - video

Cunning Chinese have long been forged in industrial scale... rice - mixed potato starch with synthetic resins and mold "seeds". How to choose a quality product for porridge and pilaf?

Only for pies

Arriving at the store, do not be too lazy to peer at the rice through the transparent part of the package. For these reasons, it is better to purchase it in a plastic bag, and not in a cardboard box. However, the manufacturer, who has nothing to hide, will definitely make a “window” in the cardboard through which the buyer can easily view the contents.

“If there are a lot of fragments among the grains, the pack should be put aside - they will spoil the dish, as they boil faster and more strongly. If the manufacturer worked honestly, he would separate them and sell them as crushed rice - such a product is acceptable for sale in accordance with GOST. But in fact it is a waste product. You can’t cook good porridge from it, ”I’m sure Alexander Miller, nutritionist, PhD.

It’s bad if there are a lot of white, like chalk, grains in the package. These are the so-called chalky rice kernels - unripe grains of mealy opaque consistency. They are more fragile and worsen the taste of the dish. In a word, this rice is clearly not of the highest quality - it will go into the filling of pies, but as a side dish it will only spoil the mood.

It is very important that there are no yellowed rice kernels in the pack. This is the official name for grains and their fragments, which even in the cut are yellow. Yellowness means that prior to packing this rice was kept moist and in large piles -
under such conditions, fungi are planted that produce harmful mycotoxins, among which there are even carcinogens.

Shake the package of rice a few times to stir the grains so you can really see them. Good rice should always be, as they say, grain to grain, and the grains themselves look like frosted glass. In this case, this is definitely not a “double” of rice “double” made by the Chinese “on the knee”.

No need to hurry

IN last years so-called parboiled rice began to be sold. Many people think that it is intended for fast food, because other steamed cereals are sometimes enough to pour boiling water over. But rice is different. The steamed version needs to be cooked even longer than usual - at least 30 minutes, it is good for a side dish, it has a more pronounced taste.

"Flattened" rice, which supposedly cooks quickly, is also a myth. Thanks to flattening, oats, barley and some other cereals really cook faster. But rice does not flatten, but splits when pressed - few consumers know about it. Therefore, the inscription on the packages “instant rice” is very conditional: the fastest rice is cooked in 8-10 minutes, and not 1-2, like other cereals with the same inscription. To do this, the grains are thinned by grinding. By the way, in these 10 minutes you can also cook the famous fragrant basmati rice - because its grains are thin and long, like needles.

But even darker and longer “needles” of wild rice need to be simmered for a record long time - 40-60 minutes, until they absorb water and their tips crack, revealing a white inside. It is better to take such black rice separately, and not mixed with ordinary grains, as it is often sold: when white rice is boiled soft, the “needles” will still be hard. Dishes from two such rices start with wild rice, and add white later.

Although you can buy brown, red and even black rice today, know that their insides are white.

The color of the grains is given by fruit and seed coats, rich in B vitamins and antioxidants. When they are removed, and then the grains are also polished, freeing them from the remnants of the shells and the embryo, the rice becomes completely white - the one we are used to. In cooking, he is good, but from the point of view of usefulness, he is bad, because useful substances after peeling, it did not remain.

By the way

What kind of rice to take for porridge or soup? Look at the variety.

Arborio- round or medium grain Italian rice. When cooking, it absorbs the taste of other ingredients of the dish. Suitable for porridge, risotto and paella.
Basmati- long-grain rice grown at the foot of the Himalayas in India and Pakistan. Basmati has an aromatic taste that makes it the king of rice. When cooking, the grains lengthen without being boiled or sticking together. Good for side dishes and meals oriental cuisine, including pilaf.
Wild rice- very thin, almost black and shiny "needles". Its homeland is the region of the Great North American Lakes. Suitable for salads and side dishes.
Jasmine Long grain rice from Thailand. The grains retain their shape, but stick together. It is optimal to cook it under the lid.
indica- long grain rice, the most popular in the world. Does not boil soft, does not stick together - for side dishes, pilaf and salads.
Krasnodar- round or medium grain rice. Suitable for soups and milk porridge.
Japanese- round grain rice. Doesn't melt, but sticks together. Ideal for sushi.

What the packaging tells
White round grain rice	By shape rice is long, medium, round grain and crushed. Long is good for side dishes, round and medium is better for cereals. by color There are white (polished) rice, brown, red and black (husked, but not polished types of rice).
First grade	The only quality characteristic- it's a variety. There are extra, highest, 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades. However, the last two are rarely found in stores - they are used in industrial cooking, stuffed with rice pies, put on rice flakes, etc.
Krasnodar/Indica and others (see "By the way")	This is a variety, not a place of origin of rice. Even Krasnodar rice can be grown in China or Egypt (carefully read the label, focusing on the “Country of origin” column. By the way, very often rice is produced in one country, but packed in a completely different one - this is also indicated).
top quality	This and similar inscriptions give the impression high quality product, but in fact they do not mean anything, since they are not regulated by law.
GOST 6292-93	According to GOST make polished white and crushed rice, other types are produced according to specifications.

Many housewives are interested in how to choose rice for pilaf so that the dish comes out tasty and crumbly. Delicious and fragrant pilaf is one of the favorite dishes of the inhabitants of our country. Although it originated in the vast Central Asia, its fame and popularity extends far beyond its borders. He was especially fond of the hostesses of the Slavic countries, who brought a piece of their own to this dish. national flavor and adapted to their traditional cuisine.

Almost all ingredients have undergone changes, while the cooking process has remained the same. It is no secret to anyone that the main ingredient of pilaf is well-chosen cereals, the quality and variety of which determine the final taste of the dish.

How to choose rice for pilaf? We will try to understand the variety of cereals and their use for pilaf, in addition, we will consider the qualities and main characteristics of each of them.

There is an opinion that the main aromatic characteristics of pilaf determine the presence of various spices and spices. Such a statement is only half true, since no aromatic additives can correct improperly cooked pilaf.

Much depends on what kind of rice is the basis of the dish, its basic qualities and varieties. The perfectly matched look of this cereal will allow you to create unforgettable flavor combinations for which this magnificent dish is so famous.

Various Caucasian cafes and restaurants present to our attention original types of pilaf that amaze with their aroma and external characteristics. At first glance, such options are no different from traditional dishes for us, with the exception of an abundance of spices and cooking in a special cauldron.

However, this initial view is misleading. If you look closely, you can see that the spices are slightly different from the spices we are used to smelling, and the appearance of rice is different. The taste of such dishes vividly illustrates everything. distinctive features such pilaf from our familiar home-cooked counterparts.

The magnificent taste of pilaf cooked in such establishments primarily depends on what kind of rice is used as the basis of the dish.

In most cases, the following varieties of rice are used in these types of pilaf:

Indica.
Basmati.
Devzira.
Oshpar.

It is these varieties of cereals that have all the necessary characteristics, which allows you to cook fragrant and colorful pilaf. The varieties of cereals presented above, it would seem, are specially created for the preparation of pilaf, since they create those unforgettable notes that this dish is famous for. What are these qualities?

General criteria for choosing cereals and its important characteristics

First of all, rice grains should have an oblong shape.

Long-grain groats allow for a more distinct separation of grains ready meal and give it the desired consistency. Not all of us stock special varieties of rice. Of course, they can be purchased at the supermarket, but there are times when there is simply no time for this. In this situation, regular long-grain rice is fine.

Even if he does not create the ideal characteristics of the finished dish, he certainly will not spoil it. Round-grained cereals or a crushed analogue are categorically not suitable, since they are more focused on making cereals or using them as an additive to soups. The quality of pilaf will be completely spoiled by the use of such cereals.

The second, but at the same time important, factor is the presence of starch in the grains. Special varieties of rice contain almost no it, which makes the finished dish friable. Our analogues contain starch. This makes pilaf prepared on their basis monolithic and sticky.

Round-grain rice or crushed cereals contain starch and its compounds to the greatest extent and are not suitable for cooking pilaf. Long-grain cereals also have a certain amount of this thickener in their structure, but its share is insignificant and allows it to be used as the main ingredient in the dish.

Such specific varieties for us as Devzira or Basmati contain practically no starch, which makes all dishes based on them fragrant and crumbly.

During cooking, these types of cereals are impregnated with juices and spices that are in close contact with them, and are also enveloped in oils, which creates a shell on them that is invisible to the human eye. It keeps the whole bouquet of flavors inside the grain and thus creates an unsurpassed consistency of the finished pilaf. There is no need to talk about its taste and aromatic qualities at all, since they are at sky-high heights, which made it insanely popular all over the world.

High-quality cereals are the key to fragrant pilaf

In addition, a very important factor is the quality of cereals. It should be free of foreign matter, debris, or skin residue (unless it is a specialty variety for which the presence of husks is normal). Attention should also be paid to the integrity of the grains. They must be whole and organic.

Cracks, abrasions and kinks indicate poor quality or long-term improper storage. Dishes from such cereals are unlikely to please us. Rather, on the contrary, they will completely spoil the pilaf and neutralize all our efforts.

Separately, we should consider such varieties as steamed and brown rice, which are full of counters in our stores. As for the first option, this is an ordinary cereal, pre-treated with steam, due to which it acquired a certain transparency and partially changed its color. At the same time, its main characteristics remained the same.

The use of such cereals only partially speeds up cooking and does not affect its quality.

Brown rice is a common type of cereal that has not undergone special processing. Its main characteristics do not depend on the presence of a peel. Therefore, such an analogue is fully consistent with the qualities that the prepared version also possesses.

Brown rice is more of a marketing ploy aimed at attracting the consumer segment that is focused on maintaining diets and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Conclusion on the topic

The variety of rice varieties and methods of its processing leads to the fact that it becomes quite difficult to choose the right cereal. Every housewife wants to create an unforgettable dish worthy of the best cuisines peace. Complete all processes and select correct combinations not so easy.

However, if all the above recommendations are followed, the final characteristics of the finished dish will be so good that all the guests gathered at the dinner table will remember it for a long time and praise the chef who prepared this culinary masterpiece.

Experienced chefs know that you can get a delicious pilaf only by choosing the right kind of rice. However, this seems to be a difficult task, given the modern choice of cereals offered in stores. How to choose the perfect grain for cooking Uzbek food?

Which rice to choose for pilaf

The groats used for cooking pilaf should have a number of properties, for example, it should perfectly absorb water, aromas, and fats of other products. In addition, the grains must keep their shape, not stick together with each other during the cooking process, otherwise the dish will not be crumbly. What rice is better to use for pilaf? It is preferable, according to experts, to prepare it from the Devzira variety, specially bred by breeders. This cereal has a beautiful beige hue, a pleasant smell and a slightly sweet taste. Consider other rice varieties as ingredients for pilaf.

Brown rice for pilaf

This variety of grains undergoes minimal processing, therefore it retains a maximum of useful components and has a slight taste of nuts. Groats contain copper, zinc, iodine and many other elements necessary human body. The average cooking time is half an hour, and the product has a shorter shelf life than other types of rice, so you can’t keep it at home for a long time. Another disadvantage of such cereals is its high cost.

Pilaf from brown rice differs not only interesting taste, but also low in calories and minimal starch content, unlike white cereals. In addition to the Uzbek dish, you can cook other side dishes from brown grains and even delicious desserts. Some modern recipes pilaf provide a combination of dark with long-grain white rice. In addition to the unusual appearance, this cooking solution is economical.

White rice for pilaf

Polished rice is white in color, can be translucent and have an oblong or round shape. Since grains lose almost all their valuable properties during processing, they are significantly inferior in use to brown cereals. However, grinding increases the shelf life of groceries. A big plus of white cereals, as the basis for pilaf, is the speed of its preparation (it only takes about 15 minutes to cook). Which rice is best for pilaf:

Basmati. Long grains are grown in Pakistan and India. They have a very pleasant taste, when cooked they swell and become twice as large. At proper preparation the cereal will turn out crumbly, whole and soft. For swimming, this is very a good option.
Arborio. This is medium grain or round grain rice. When cooking, it very actively absorbs the smells and tastes of other ingredients, so it is great for cooking pilaf, risotto, and other multi-component dishes.
Krasnodar rice. May be round or slightly elongated. It is prepared from delicious porridge, it is suitable for cooking soups, pilaf and other dishes, but it is better to soak the grains before cooking.
Jasmine. This variety has a beautiful snow-white color and is grown in Thailand. When cooking, the groats perfectly retain their shape, without being boiled and not sticking together. Prepare delicious rice stands in a cauldron or deep frying pan under a closed lid.
Indica. An ideal option for pilaf, because it does not boil soft and turns out friable, it absorbs broth, smells, and tastes well.

Steamed rice for pilaf

Thanks to the steaming technology, most of the valuable components in the composition of cereals are preserved. After this treatment, rice grains have a slight golden hue, which disappears during the cooking process. The steamed product does not stick together and can compete with the brown product in terms of the amount of vitamins / trace elements. The disadvantages of parboiled rice are its relatively high price compared to other types of polished grains and the increased cooking time, which is about 30 minutes.

Pilaf from steamed rice turns out to be very tasty, and there is no need to pre-soak the product. One has only to rinse the grains under running water. If you leave them in the liquid for a long time, its structure will collapse and the rice will become too brittle. There are many types of steamed cereals, each of which is designed to prepare certain dishes. What rice to take for pilaf:

Jasmine or Super Basmati (they are perfectly saturated with fats, aromas of spices, so they are ideal for cooking oriental dishes);
Amber (this variety is specially grown for steaming, has a beautiful golden hue and large oblong grain).

Red rice for pilaf

This type cereals are especially rich in iron, and if the degree of grain processing was low, then they retained B vitamins and other valuable components. Rice for Uzbek pilaf Ruby varieties are very useful, so nutritionists recommend eating it more often. Due to the preserved shell, such grains contain great amount fiber. Gourmets appreciate red groats for their unusual color (you can appreciate it in the photo) and a subtle nutty smell. However, to make the dishes tasty, you need to know how to cook the grains, otherwise they will be difficult to chew.

What kind of rice is needed for pilaf in a cauldron? Devzira, a culture that grows in the central regions of Uzbekistan, is ideal for this. This is the only variety that is adapted to local conditions (other rice crops do not grow here). In the right season, Devzira is not very difficult to find in the Russian markets. The variety has ideal properties for preparing an oriental dish - it perfectly absorbs broth, vegetable juice and the aroma of seasonings, therefore it is the best suited for pilaf.

Long grain rice for pilaf

Such cereals increase in size during cooking, do not stick together, retain their integrity. Long-grain varieties can be purchased at any store, but for pilaf it is better to look for real Uzbek Devziru rice. If there is no time for this, you can add other types of long-grain cereals to the dish, for example, Laser or Basmati varieties. Their main advantages are:

the ability to retain shape during cooking;
good absorption of liquid, aromas;
availability;
cooking speed.

How to choose rice for pilaf

You can just take the product packaging in the store, which says "For pilaf", but in the absence of such, you will have to choose the variety yourself. Which rice is suitable for pilaf:

To get a crumbly structure, it is better to choose steamed beans such as Basmati or Jasmine. In addition, a mixture of steamed with wild rice.
During the purchase, do not hesitate to try the grain: if it cracks easily, then it is better to refrain from buying (the porridge will turn out sticky and may boil).
When choosing a packaged product, grains must be visible through the package, which must be whole and not contain excess litter.
Ideally, the surface of the rice grains should be slightly rough and ribbed.
Round grains are not suitable for Uzbek dishes, so long-grain rice should be preferred.
The product must not have an unpleasant odor.

How to rinse rice for pilaf

If you do not prepare the cereal for cooking, you can spoil the whole dish. How to prepare rice for pilaf? The first thing to do is to remove the maximum amount of starch, for this purpose rice is poured hot water(without soaking) and immediately drain it. This procedure is repeated up to 5 times until the liquid becomes transparent. At the same time, turmeric can be added to the last water, which will color it in a beautiful tone and soak the grains with a light pleasant taste.

How to cook cereal? To make it swell, leave the grains (except for steamed ones) in water for 30-60 minutes. If you chose Devzira or Samarkand, it is better to soak the rice longer. Experienced chefs they believe that almost any variety is suitable for preparing an Uzbek dish, the main thing is to properly prepare the grains, so this aspect should not be ignored.

The ratio of rice and water for pilaf

Proportions should be selected taking into account the method of preparation of the dish. For example, by Uzbek recipe there should be less liquid than other ingredients: for 400 g of meat and the same amount of rice, up to 700 ml of water is taken (including zirvak - broth). How to cook Azerbaijani dish? The proportions of rice and water for pilaf are calculated differently, since all the ingredients are cooked separately and only at the end are mixed in one container. IN this case liquids should be taken three times more than cereals. When cooking in a slow cooker, water is poured so that it covers the cereal by 2 cm.

The best rice for pilaf

Even knowing suitable varieties rice for pilaf, you can get confused in the store - the range of products from different manufacturers is very large. Below is a rating with photos of brands offering a quality product. What kind of rice is better to cook pilaf from:

Long-grained. The best choice for pilaf / risotto is Basmati and Jasmine. Good products are offered by the brands Mistral and National. Jasmine groats are also available from Scotti.
Brown. Brown grains are considered the most useful, in Russia they are offered only by some brands specializing in rice. Good products can be bought from Agro-Alliance.
Red. good choice For oriental dishes and side dishes is Fair Platinum Long Grain Red Rice.
Devzira. This cereal is best purchased not in a store, but from market traders.
Arborio. Good products from Gallo and Mistral. Arborio is ideal for cooking pilaf, as it is well saturated with sauce and flavors of other ingredients.

The price of rice for pilaf

The cost of the product depends not only on the variety of groceries, but also on the manufacturer's brand. It is possible to buy rice for pilaf in an online store, any supermarket or in the market where Uzbeks sell it in glasses. In the latter case, you can carefully examine the quality of the grains and try them before purchasing. When buying through an online service catalog, goods can be ordered directly to your home, and it is more convenient to choose in a supermarket (you can immediately read the information about the product on the package). Examples of prices and photos of popular products:

Agro-Alliance for pilaf - 95 rubles;
Mistral Arborio - 280 rubles;
Jasmine National - 150 rubles;
Ameria Amber steamed - 120 rubles.

Video: how to cook rice for pilaf

The main ingredient of pilaf is rice. Taste qualities the finished dish and its flavor largely depend on which one you choose. In order for pilaf to be appetizing and crumbly, you need to choose rice of a certain variety and prepare it correctly.

What you need to consider about rice before cooking pilaf, let's find out.

At the same time, it is important not only to choose the right rice for cooking pilaf, but also to strictly observe recipe for this dish to make it tasty and fragrant.

If you don’t have the opportunity to choose rice grains for a long time, then in the store you can always find Vietnamese or Italian rice, which is used to make paella. Both options are cooked for a long time, but when the pilaf is ready, it remains crumbly.

In the case when you cook Tajik pilaf, then give preference to real Tajik rice "kendzha".

When this is not possible, then choose oblong-shaped grains and moderately transparent. It will be able to absorb water well, but steamed rice is not suitable for pilaf.

When choosing, you need to pay attention not only to the appearance of the cereal, but also to its name. What types of rice mainly found on sale:

What is needed for friable pilaf?

Not every person can cook delicious pilaf. An inexperienced cook is likely to get rice porridge with meat, not complete crumbly pilaf what it should be. Naturally, first of all, you need to choose the right rice in order for the dish to turn out.

Remember that if the product packaging says “Crushed” or “ Rice porrige”, then you don’t need to take it for pilaf. Groats during cooking will turn out mushy, but not crumbly. For pilaf, you need to choose whole rice: long-grain or round.

At the same time, it is quite difficult to cook round rice so that it is crumbly. In addition, it must be difficult to process before this. They can't even deal with it experienced housewives. And here long grain rice will not turn into mush. It is recommended to purchase it for pilaf. It has a huge number of varieties, you will have a decent choice in this regard.

Special varieties for pilaf

To make your pilaf tasty and unforgettable, it is better to choose special plov rice varieties. They exist a large number of, this is basmati and jasmine, and mixtures of varieties, and much more.

However, chefs and not only recommend using Devzira for this dish - this is a variety that was bred specifically for cooking pilaf. He grown in the Ferghana Valley in special climatic conditions. It is kept for one to three years under special conditions, where the crop is moistened with airing and drying.

Also, this variety is processed in a special way. The grains peel off, in the process, a creamy-brown powder appears. At the same time, rice itself receives a special and unique aroma and taste. It is sweetish and has a well-pronounced hint of malt. Such rice does not stick together, does not boil soft, is able to increase several times and has the velvety that is expected from a real pilaf. And Devzira absorbs a maximum of spices, fat and water, which makes the dish rich and very tasty.

The grain of Devzira is thick and elongated. Most often, a scar of red or brown color passes through it, and after washing, the grain has a pinkish tint, after it gets rid of the threshing powder. From other varieties of Devzira differs in density and heaviness.

Devzira is considered an elite rice variety, of course, quite often you can find its fake on the market. How to distinguish the real Devzira rice from the fake one, let's find out:

when buying, take one grain and try to bite it. If it is dense enough and does not crumble when biting, then you can take it. If not, this grain will not work for pilaf;
heavy and ribbed Devzira rice, when rubbed in the palm of your hand, has a characteristic crunch. This indicates its dryness and high water absorption. The heavier the grain, the better;
take a few grains in your hands and wipe off the creamy brown powder from it. Take a close look at them. There should be a longitudinal red-brown stripe on the grains, which is not wiped off by hand and does not disappear after cooking and even when the pilaf is already cooked.

There are people who believe that special skills or knowledge are needed to cook pilaf based on a special kind of rice. But this is not at all the case, moreover, Devzira is specially intended for pilaf, which is much easier to cook on its basis than on another variety of rice.

Rules for choosing flat rice

There are some criteria for choosing cereal for cooking pilaf. There are also reverse criteria by which you can unmistakably understand that this rice is not suitable for pilaf.

For pilaf, you need to choose not just white or fresh rice in terms of indicating the expiration date on the package. Purchase requirements are:

Now let's list which rice can not be used for cooking pilaf, so as not to spoil the dish. What does not suit us:

groats with bad smell;
grain different shapes, texture and shade;
damaged grains containing debris and other impurities;
with GMO content (study product packaging).

Rules for processing rice when cooking pilaf

So if you chose desired grade rice for future pilaf, consider that half of the work has already been completed. But a dish, even with a good ingredient, can be spoiled if it is not properly processed. To get started you need remove unwanted starch. This is done by soaking rice in hot water. If you come across a too starchy variety, then the soaking procedure must be repeated up to five times until the water becomes clear.

You can add to boiling water saffron or turmeric, these ingredients perfectly soak the grains to the insides and help the rice to keep desired shape. And in order for them to swell, you should leave them in water for a while, it all depends on the variety. For example, Devzira is soaked in water for about half an hour or forty minutes.

Also always pay attention to the expiration date. rice groats for pilaf. As a rule, it is 5-10 years, but it is advisable not to buy those products whose shelf life is about to come to an end. It is best to purchase the cereal that has been on the counter for a maximum of a year. She still retained the maximum amount of useful substances, and such rice will also be tastier.

Surprise family and guests delicious pilaf very easy if execute simple rules: choose right rice and prepare it properly. Your guests will be very pleased.