TYPES OF RICE

There are two main factors that determine the type of rice available to the caterer.

1. A) The size and shape of the grain:
2. a) Short grain rice (Carolina rice): This is short, plump grain which sticks on cooking.
3. b) Medium grain: Slightly longer than short grain and narrow. Similar to short-grain on cooking.
4. c) Long grain ( Patna rice): The grain is 4 to 5 times as wide as the thickness of the grain. On cooking the grains tend to remain dry and separate and fluffy.
5. B) The type of processing of the grain:
6. a) Regular milled: This is the rice that has been cleaned but has not been subjected to any cooking process. This can be divided as brown, milled unpolished and polished rice.
7. b) Converted or parboiled rice; Here the whole grain is steeped in water, steamed and dried before milling. This partial pre-cooking makes milling easier and the rice more nutritive and rich in thiamin which prevents beriberi.

There are many sub-varieties of rice depending upon the above-mentioned processes; the important ones are

1. i) Brown Italian rice
2. ii) Basmati rice: The most famous and aromatic rice, grown in the foothills of the Himalayas, it is narrow, long-grained rice

iii) Glutinous rice: This is completely gluten-free and widely used in Chinese cooking. In this a black and a while variety are available.

1. iv) Italian rice: A fat short-grained rice, very good for risotto.
2. v) Pudding rice: A short-grain strain of polished rice which turns mushy when cooked.

WILD RICE

This distant cousin of rice is a native of the great lakes region of North America, where it grows in shallow lakes and marshes. Originally gathered by hand from the wild it is no more truly wild as nowadays it is being cultivated in fields. In spite of this, the rice is still very expensive.

This rice is processed more elaborately than normal rice. It is first fermented for a week or two to develop flavor and ease hulling and then heated gently to partly gelatinize the starch and cause some browning. Wild rice contains more proteins than ordinary rice and is a favorite of the gourmet chef.

RICE -THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT

Rice has been an integral part of Indian culture, tradition and culinary heritage since the dawn of time. It is a must in many prayer ceremonies and festivals and without it Indian food will be incomplete in any part of the country. As India has tropical and a sub tropical climate it is ideally suited for the cultivation of rice and in most of the rice growing areas we can find three crops being taken in a year.

Rice is grow almost all over the country right from Jammu and Kashmir down to Tamil Nadu. It was staple food of the people in the states of J and K, Kerala, Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and the 7 eastern states and this was where the bulk of the rice was grown till the Green Revolution took place and, Punjab and Haryana came into the picture in a big way.

There are two types of rice being grown in India:

1. A) The long grain rice.
2. B) Medium grain rice.
3. C) The short grain rice.

Long grain rice: This is grown mainly in the northern and the south eastern part of the country and is used for the many renowned rice recipes of the country. This is available in the aromatic and the non aromatic types. The aromatic rice is grown extensively in the foothills of the Himalayas and in the state of Andhra where it is used for the famous Biryanis. The best of the aromatic rice comes from Dehradoon and this is famous the world over.

Short grain rice: This is cultivated mainly in the 7 eastern states and the southern part of India. These parts of the country have thin gravy as a part of their food and this sticky variety of rice goes well with it. The most famous of this is the Nellore rice which is used for a variety of South Indian Breakfast and Fast food items like Aapam, Dosas etc. There is another peculiar variety of this rice grown in Assam which is red in colour. This rice is used for preparing auspicious meals.

CULINARY USES OF RICE

Rice has been a very important food grain along with wheat, in helping man to change over from the nomadic stage to the agriculturist. It has a very varied use as a food commodity. Rice is consumed all over the middle east, the orient and in parts of Europe. It is used both in hot and cold foods.

Hot Preparations: All over the world in whichever country we go to we can find rice being prepared as an accompaniment or a meal in itself. The most famous preparations of rice over the world are the Rissotto from Italy, the Paella form Spain, the pulaos and the biryanis from India and the various fried rice dishes from China.

India: In India, as we have already discussed rice plays a major role in food. In the northern part, the people prefer the long grain rice which stays separate and fluffy on cooking and use it to accompany the thicker gravies and prepare the Biryanis of which the Sofyani Biryani is a fine example while kheer is renowned dessert.

While in the southern part the short-grain rice which is the stickier variety, is preferred as the food accompaniment and to prepare various rice-based dishes due to the high content of waxy starch molecules which give a better binding for the product required.

Cold preparations: Rice is also used to prepare a wide variety of cold food of which the desserts are a major part.

A variety of cold rice-based sweets can be offered on menus. They are typically substantial because of their starch content which is often enriched with cream and egg yolk. However interesting combinations using fruits and glazes result in interesting combinations.

Essentially the ability of short-grain rice to absorb liquid, to act as a cohesive agent and to undergo the process of starch gelatinization on cooking provides the setting quality associated with cold rice-based desserts, additional things like egg, cream, sugar and essences act to enrich and flavor and in case of sugar also to soften the texture of the starch gel.

BYPRODUCTS OF RICE:

1) Rice flour: This is clean milled rice, usually broken rice that has been ground and sifted into flour. It is used as a thickening agent and for making special cakes. It is also used for a variety of south Indian fast food snacks.

2) Rice Cones: This is coarse flour and is used in the bakery trade for dusting yeast products to prevent them from sticking. Another use is for making the famous Indian dessert called Firnee.

3) Rice Paper: An edible paper-like base for macaroons and sweets.

4) Puffed Rice: A byproduct of rice similar to popcorn which is used for making fast food products in India.

5) Pressed rice – rice is pressed through the roller and then milled.

Storage of rice:

Should be stored in a dry place away from moisture at cool temperature. Longer storage neem leaves and boric powder can be used.

The cooking of rice: Drainage method Absorption method

VARIOUS GRAINS/ CEREALS:

Corn: Corn is the only grain that is eaten fresh as vegetables.

Cornmeal: it is made by drying and grinding a special type of corn known as dent, which is yellow, white or blue. Cornmeal is often used in bread, as a coating for fried foods.

Hominy: it is dried corn that has been soaked in hydrated lime. Massa harina is finely ground flour made from hominy, used for making breads and tortilla.

Grits: these are traditionally made by grinding dried hominy. These tiny white granules are used in breakfast dishes.

Rice: it is the starchy seeds of semi-aquatic grass. Rice is divided into three types- long-grain rice, medium-grain rice, and short-grain rice.

Wheat: wheat is most often milled into wide ranges of flour.

• Cracked wheat – it is whole wheat kernel broken into varying coarseness.
• Bulgur- these are a wheat berry that has the bran removed.
• Couscous- it is made by removing the bran and germ from durum wheat berries. it is traditionally served in south African stews.

Barley: it is one of the old culinary grains. It is used in making beers. It is used in making soups, stews, and stuffing.

Buckwheat: it is not wheat, not a grain. But it is included here because it is cooked in the same manner as other grains are cooked. Raw buckwheat is ground into flour, used in making pasta, bread, pancakes, etc.

Oats: after rice, oat is mostly accepted the whole-grain product in the American diets. Used in breakfast preparations, breads, and muffins.

Pulses, when combined with cereals, form important protein sources of vegetarians and in low and medium-cost balanced meals. If they are combined with wheat in a proportion of 1 part pulses with 4 parts wheat, biologically first-class protein is obtained.

Most of the legumes contain nitrogen-fixing bacteria on the roots. These bacteria’s are able to utilize free atmospheric nitrogen and convert it into nitrates, thus supply nitrogenous materials which are available in these plants, not only the seeds but also all other parts of the plant. Hence they are excellent fertilizer and increase the nitrogenous content of the soil.

The distinct characteristics of pulses are that the seeds are contained in pods.

Cooking of legumes: cooking breaks the starch and alters the texture and improves the flavor thus making legume palatable. Dried beans because of their low moisture content cook faster if they are given initial cooking.

Different varieties commonly used are:

• Bengal gram- chana
• Black gram- urad dal
• Red gram- arhar dal, tur dal
• Green gram- moong dal
• Lentil- masoor dal
• Kidney beans – rajma
• Soybeans
• Kabuli chana

Uses of pulses :

• Whole/split gram can be used widely for different Indian dal preparation. Eg- red gram, rajma, etc.
• Tender seeds when green can be eaten raw
• The husk powder can be used as stuffing. Ex- kachuri
• Different pulses can be used in making soups ex- lentil soups