Codification of Rice - Based Dishes - Ente Nazionale Risi

The Rice in kitchen / Codification of Rice - Based Dishes - Ente Nazionale Risi

CODIFICATION OF RICE - BASED DISHES

 

Polished, or “white”, rice has always been traditionally used in Italy but parboiled rice has been gaining ground in recent years, especially in restaurants involved in large servings, banquets, canteens and self-service.
A distinction needs to be made between white and parboiled rice and above all in terms of cooking time and liquid used.
Where as parboiled rice is more homogenous white rice comes in many varieties, each one different to the other in size. resistance to cooking, starch content and facility to lose that into the cooking liquid.


Every variety will be adapted to a specific dish: rice types with a longer grain, a less pronounced pearl, lose less starch and are suitable for soups and garnishings, those that are smaller and more roundish go better in “risotto” and desserts.
Nevertheless, the choice of one type or the other will depend very much on various factors: the regional tradition and the personal taste of the cook the ease of provisioning in the place where the cook works, and from the final result that is required. This being the most rational choice, overall indications will be given to allow the choice of rice to obtain the best results, without, however, making too many distinctions.
One chef who works in a restaurant of a certain level prefers to use white rice for “risotto” dishes, minestrones and desserts, reserving parboiled rice for “pilaf”, salads and some types of desserts.


Parboiled rice is recommended when long serving time are envisaged and the diners are not at the table waiting but it is the kitchen that, already ready must wait for the end of a convention or the arrival of the newly-weds before placing the food on the table.
This is when parboiled rice proves to be precious because it never overcooks and the dish always presents itself well; even if it has been left on the stove a little longer than necessary the grains will resist overcooking and will remain separate.
Parboiled rice is a rice that has undergone a process of “precooking” to the husk being removed, and this has the scope of modifying the crystalline structure of the starch and also to transfer salts and proteins from the outside of th grain to the centre. Also some vitamins follow the same path, making parboiled rice much richer than white. But there is another aspect to parboiled rice of interest to the chef: it has a. greater resistance to cooking, that is the fact that it does not over cook or stick-together». even if left on the stove longer than necessary.


Whether white or parboiled rice. every cook will have to make some trials to reach his “optimum” according to the type of rice and kitcln equipment used.
Some chefs, appreciating the value of both types, mix them together in equal parts; the parboiled giving resistance to cooking while the white“binds” the dish.
There are some people that {ind parboiled has a different smell to white rice; not all have this characteristic which will, in any case, disappear into the cooking water when boiled or will be covered by other flavours in the case of “risotto” or other dishes.

 

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