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[Jonny5]

Can someone help me with buying rice at the grocery store?
Even the discount grocery stores now have a large variety of brands for every variety of rice, all at wildly different prices, and spread between various small and large package sizes, which also don't appear to correlate well with the actual price by weight. It is a very confusing product to sort out quality vs. quantity. The high end grocery stores seem to make this even worse, with lots of flashy packaging, but questionable content inside.
What is an actually good quality brand for varieties like Jasmine, or Basmati? What is a fair price? Or does the brand really not matter? Should I skip the grocery store all together and go to a specialty store (recommendations?) I don't eat a lot of rice, but when I do, I want a good brand that is fragrant and tasty.

 

[Northern Light]

Can someone help me with buying rice at the grocery store?

Sure.

Even the discount grocery stores now have a large variety of brands for every variety of rice, all at wildly different prices, and spread between various small and large package sizes, which also don't appear to correlate well with the actual price by weight. It is a very confusing product to sort out quality vs. quantity. The high end grocery stores seem to make this even worse, with lots of flashy packaging, but questionable content inside.
What is an actually good quality brand for varieties like Jasmine, or Basmati? What is a fair price? Or does the brand really not matter?

Brand can matter, but for the non-connoisseur it doesn't usually make a huge amount of difference w/in the same rice type.

**

What I tend to find is that brands from places like India or Thailand that sell in very large volumes (5kg bags) are more likely to benefit from being rinsed first, a bit more starch heavy. But I'm generalizing, and in any event, not a size you're likely into buying.

For value, I find the Dainty, 1.6kg size is best, particularly at the discount stores. Price ranges from a low of $7.99-$11.99 in most mainstream retailers. That's .50c to .75c per 100 grams.

That gives you a solid benchmark for prices on sizes under 2kg.

I'm not a big consumer of Jasmine Rice so I can't really speak to the branding issue, but the price benchmarks should be similar to basmati.

Should I skip the grocery store all together and go to a specialty store (recommendations?) I don't eat a lot of rice, but when I do, I want a good brand that is fragrant and tasty.

My favourite rice is a bit posh, I get it at the vendor in the St. Lawrence Market basement. Rube's Rice.

They have an Iranian Smoked Rice that is so fragrant; if you like a smokey flavour/taste. But it does run about $10 per pound/$20 per kg or about 4x the price if of typical supermarket Basmati.

I find it pairs really well w/other smokey flavours, so ancho pepper or chipotle when cooking Mexican..........

I find it also pairs nicely against citrusy flavours, particularly orange......

****

Typical Basmati has a cooktime of around 12M in most brands but can vary slightly.

Iranian Smoked Rice generally takes about 20M

 

[Jonny5]

Sure.



Brand can matter, but for the non-connoisseur it doesn't usually make a huge amount of difference w/in the same rice type.

**

What I tend to find is that brands from places like India or Thailand that sell in very large volumes (5kg bags) are more likely to benefit from being rinsed first, a bit more starch heavy. But I'm generalizing, and in any event, not a size you're likely into buying.

For value, I find the Dainty, 1.6kg size is best, particularly at the discount stores. Price ranges from a low of $7.99-$11.99 in most mainstream retailers. That's .50c to .75c per 100 grams.

That gives you a solid benchmark for prices on sizes under 2kg.

I'm not a big consumer of Jasmine Rice so I can't really speak to the branding issue, but the price benchmarks should be similar to basmati.



My favourite rice is a bit posh, I get it at the vendor in the St. Lawrence Market basement. Rube's Rice.

They have an Iranian Smoked Rice that is so fragrant; if you like a smokey flavour/taste. But it does run about $10 per pound/$20 per kg or about 4x the price if of typical supermarket Basmati.

View attachment 410850

I find it pairs really well w/other smokey flavours, so ancho pepper or chipotle when cooking Mexican..........

I find it also pairs nicely against citrusy flavours, particularly orange......

****

Typical Basmati has a cooktime of around 12M in most brands but can vary slightly.

Iranian Smoked Rice generally takes about 20M

I had never thought of checking out the SLM for rice. That association of grains at the market simply wasn't there for me. I will give them a try soon and report back.

 

[Jonny5]

Roast chicken dinner tonight, with zucchini and mushrooms roasting in the drippings.
Leftovers also sure to be lunch tomorrow too.

 

[Jonny5]

I have been gifted a large quantity of zucchini. I also already had a large quantity of zucchini. Any ideas welcome beyond making the usual of grilling or making a puree soup are welcome.

 

[PinkLucy]

I just made some very yummy muffins. Anything from this site is excellent https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/zucchini-muffins/

 

[Northern Light]

I have been gifted a large quantity of zucchini. I also already had a large quantity of zucchini. Any ideas welcome beyond making the usual of grilling or making a puree soup are welcome.

You could try Zucchini Rosti (Fritters).

5-Ingredient Zucchini Fritters - Just a Taste

All you need is five simple ingredients and 25 minutes or less for hot and crispy Zucchini Fritters perfection.

www.justataste.com

For a bulkier application, If you have a spiralizer, you could do Zucchini noodles and make a pasta salad (or just a pasta dish); either way, great w/pesto. Also good w/Bacon and Grape Tomato, oregano, roasted garlic and a good olive oil.

Zucchini also makes a decent loaf:

Zucchini Bread - Once Upon a Chef

(TESTED & PERFECTED) Zucchini bread studded with walnuts and currants (or chocolate chips, if you prefer) is a great way to use up zucchini.

www.onceuponachef.com

 

[Jonny5]

Chilly out today. Reminds me that Fall is coming, so I put my chicken and veggies scraps on the stove to make some stock for the fall soups.
It freezes so easily it lasts for months, and is so much better than the boxed stuff--though the boxed stuff isn't terrible, it has it's place--but I always use the homemade when it's for guests.

It's made with chicken backs and wing tips which I have saved from whole chickens, plus some store bought backs (they sell these really cheap if you ask the meat counter for them), plus two carrots, some celery, one big onion, some bok choi because I had it and it was aging, and a garlic clove, plus some peppercorns. All to be simmered all day today and then strained and refrigerated overnight. If all goes as planned, in the morning it will be like chicken jello. Perfect for any soup or sauce.

 

[Northern Light]

Chilly out today. Reminds me that Fall is coming, so I put my chicken and veggies scraps on the stove to make some stock for the fall soups.
It freezes so easily it lasts for months, and is so much better than the boxed stuff--though the boxed stuff isn't terrible, it has it's place--but I always use the homemade when it's for guests.
View attachment 425090

It's made with chicken backs and wing tips which I have saved from whole chickens, plus some store bought backs (they sell these really cheap if you ask the meat counter for them), plus two carrots, some celery, one big onion, some bok choi because I had it and it was aging, and a garlic clove, plus some peppercorns. All to be simmered all day today and then strained and refrigerated overnight. If all goes as planned, in the morning it will be like chicken jello. Perfect for any soup or sauce.

Awesome! Just how it should be done!

 

[Northern Light]

Dinner tonight:

Pan-seared, then oven-roasted Pork Tenderloin, cooked to a perfect 145F, blushing just a bit...........

Served with Haricots Verts (the super thin green beans), w/garlic, caramelized onion and chicken schmaltz...........

Along side Butter-Garlic Basmati Rice

And coated with a wonderful white-wine, lemon, dijon, caper-dill, chicken stock, cream sauce..............

The White wine being an Orvieto from Italy, also served w/said meal.

Superb

 

[Northern Light]

Time to add something new to this thread; tonight's dinner:

Sage and Pepper crusted Pork Chop, broiled then fanned in front of mushroom-basmati pilaf w/buttered broccoli and a Sage-Maple-Mustard pan sauce w/mushroom stock, o'er the top. Along with a glass of Sangiovese

 

[Northern Light]

Sunday brunch while reading the NYT:

Crisp rashers of bacon; along with rosti (shredded potato pancake), sauteed in brown butter then garnished w/chives, thinly sliced heirloom tomato, salted, with freshly cracked pepper and fresh basil.

 

[yrt+viva=1system]

Was feeling Guinness Beef Stew so decided to find a recipe and try it out. After some youtube videos I settled on Chef John’s recipe for not having to use the oven. I also used Guinness Extra Stout after reading comments that it’s the better choice.

P.S. It’s a lot easier to take high quality pics of buildings than shooting in the kitchen

 

[Northern Light]

Was feeling Guinness Beef Stew so decided to find a recipe and try it out. After some youtube videos I settled on Chef John’s recipe for not having to use the oven. I also used Guinness Extra Stout after reading comments that it’s the better choice.

View attachment 467689

View attachment 467690

P.S. It’s a lot easier to take high quality pics of buildings than shooting in the kitchen

Looks delicious, only thing though, Irish Stew w/rice? Pretty sure potatoes would more on point; perhaps colcannon?

Beer Braised Irish Stew and Colcannon

This recipe features colcannon served with a hearty beef stew flavored with dark beer that slowly cooks down until tender with carrots and onions.

www.allrecipes.com

 

[yrt+viva=1system]

Looks delicious, only thing though, Irish Stew w/rice? Pretty sure potatoes would more on point; perhaps colcannon?

Beer Braised Irish Stew and Colcannon

This recipe features colcannon served with a hearty beef stew flavored with dark beer that slowly cooks down until tender with carrots and onions.

www.allrecipes.com

I had mashed potatoes on mind but realized last minute I didn't have enough potatoes on hand. Made a few Rosti though...I know not culturally similar lol.