There are many types of rice, but the most popular varieties used in Asian cooking are: Basmati and Patna. Basmati is the ‘Prince’ of rice, grown in India and Pakistan.
It is a type of long-grain rice, but it is more slender and when cooked releases a distinct and pleasant aroma. It is often slightly more expensive than Patna or American long-grain rice, but basmati rice is often thought to be of a finer quality with an exquisite taste and is consumed widely in restaurants and homes.
Rice can be cooked in many different ways; plain boiled rice is often served at home accompanied with a daal and or a curry of some kind. ‘Pilau’ rice or ‘biriyani’ is served on special occasions and again there are a variety of recipes; ‘vegetable pilau’ and ‘lamb biriyani’ being just two examples.
Rice is the staple food for half the world’s population being a good source of nutrients and essential for good health.
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