Are You Fussy About Your Rice Now That You've Been In Thailand Awhile?

[sbk]

My sister, gasp! sometimes makes that awful minute rice stuff. Couldn't believe it and most certainly wouldn't touch it.

Now, I am picky about rice and prefer the Mali hom type.

What about you? Is it mali hom or nothing or don't you notice a difference?

[realthaideal]

Make that hom mali Or khaow niaw, never instant ! Once you get used to eating real food you can't accept anything less. เเน่นอน

[PeaceBlondie]

Even when I eat rice (maybe 5 times per week) I don't pay attention to the rice.

[ovenman]

What about you? Is it mali hom or nothing or don't you notice a difference?

I've become very picky about rice. Most places I eat at in Thailand use a good grade of rice, even if it's not 100% hom mali. Contrast that with Malaysia. Most of the nasi kandar style restaurants have whatever as their white rice and the difference is quite noticeable.

[ratchabuild]

My palate is not finely attuned to the subtleties of rice to be able to notice much difference. To me a packet of thai rice is a packet of thai rice. Thais are only the same as the average french factory worker who could talk for hours about different vineyards.

[Naam]

besides Basmati no edible rice is grown on this planet

[donna]

'minute rice'? what the heck is THAT? never heard of it.

whenever i do go back to australia, and, indeed, before i came to thailand, i used to only ever buy jasmine rice. im lucky as i have always been able to cook it properly (even my chef boyfriend at the time was jealous because i always got it right).

i think he// would freeze over before i resorted to 'minute rice'.

[toptuan]

Yes, and thanks for helping me to just realize it! Back in my home country, rice was rice. Never gave "the differences" a thought.

Here, I find myself choosing my local eateries based on how much I like their rice (in addition to other small details like price, quantity and other dishes, of course) There IS a difference in rice! (took me 5 years).

[Gary A]

My wife is the rice expert. I bought a bag of brown rice one time and I think the ducks and turkeys ended up eating it. Other than sticky rice once in a while, the fragrant rice is all she will cook.

[lannarebirth]

I grow the mali hom and a few paddies of sticky rice. The sticky rice is eaten by our staff (you wouldn't believe how much) and we eat the fragrant rice. Not only wouldn't I eat any other kind, I wouldn't eat any that I didn't grow myself (unless I'm eating out). By extreme luck, the rice we grow tastes more delicious and has waaay better aroma than any other I've eaten here. I'm not sure why. BTW, the very best rice I've ever tasted here was a jasmine rice grown near the ocean. The owner of the fields who gave me a sack, said it was the slight bit of brackishness in the irrigation water that made it so delicious.

[IMA_FARANG]

My sister, gasp! sometimes makes that awful minute rice stuff. Couldn't believe it and most certainly wouldn't touch it.

Now, I am picky about rice and prefer the Mali hom type.

What about you? Is it mali hom or nothing or don't you notice a difference?

You wouldn't believe the arguements that you can start throughout Asia on what "real" rice is and how it is cooked properly. The Thais don't like rice cooked like the Japanese cook it, my Thai wife says Koreans don't now how to cook rice properly. Vietnamese friends I have told me Thai rice was no good. And so on.

It really all comes down to what you are used too, and that is your opinion of "good" rice. In cultures where chopsticks are used, rice that doesn't stick together (clump together) is hard to eat with chopsticks, and is considered "bad' rice.

As for that minute rice....well I've heard Americans say they love it because of how well it "boils".

But then most Americans don't really use rice except as a substitute for potato.

[farangsay]

Sorry but this thread revived a memory of an "Only Fools and Horses" episode where the waiter in the Indian eatery asks Rodney what kind of rice he would like and he replies "You got any Uncle Ben's ?".

PS Has that slipped into Thailand yet on the heels of Macdo and KFC ? Just a matter of time ?

[suegha]

I have always had an appreciation of good rice. I generally use the best basmati. However, regarding the appreciation of different types of rice - Where I'm from (Ireland) we have the same views/arguements about potato. Many 'foreigners' don't appreciate the many different types and methods of cooking.

Like someone said, it depends on what you're used to.

ps I'm the same with rice, potato, pasta, bread, etc.

[DP25]

Am not picky about my rice, I can eat anything. I'm not a big fan of the white rice in East Asia though. I much prefer yellow Muslim rice or Mexican/Spanish rice to white rice. If I'm eating Thai food I generally get take away so I can eat it with khao pad or yellow rice from a khao mok gai stand if possible.

[sbk]

Yellow rice is cooked with turmeric and a few other spices to color the rice.

Minute rice is a nasty instant rice that is pre-cooked and then freeze dried (I believe) so that you can cook it in a minute.

I've had some cheap rice at stalls and boy, does it show. I like basmati but it is a bit difficult to cook.

Agree with the idea that jasmine rice would be impossible to eat with chopsticks and that the rice the chinese use is more suitable to eat with chopsticks. I find it a bit sticky for my tastes tho.

[Ulysses G.]

Interesting.

I've lived in Thailand about 20 years and ate a lot of rice in San Francisco before that and am very particular about food quality, but I don't notice much difference between different types of rice.

I have to wonder if it's like the people who drink expensive bottled water that really comes from the tap for free!

[technocracy]

Incredibly fussy! The wife buys it and refuses to buy anything other than Mali Hom - interesting to note there is quite a bit of difference between Lao and Thai rice.

My wife tried some the other week which is now used for feeding the chickens!

Some of the rice at street vendors in Bangkok is terrible!

[suegha]

I like basmati but it is a bit difficult to cook.

What sort of basmati have you tried to cook. I find basmati the easiest to cook. The brand I use is 'VeeTee', don't know if you can get it in Thailand. No washing or rincing, steam for 20 mins for perfect basmati every time.

[sbk]

Some Malaysians gave me a bag and it required soaking before cooking, otherwise it came out too chewy to eat.

[JetsetBkk]

My sister, gasp! sometimes makes that awful minute rice stuff. Couldn't believe it and most certainly wouldn't touch it.

Now, I am picky about rice and prefer the Mali hom type.

What about you? Is it mali hom or nothing or don't you notice a difference?

I always get the Royal Umbrella kaow hom Mali type. But only because the g/f says it's the best.

And when I order an Indian take-away, the guy is often surprised when I don't order any rice (at 80 baht a serving). Now I just say "we have rice, thanks."

[crowbait]

My sister, gasp! sometimes makes that awful minute rice stuff. Couldn't believe it and most certainly wouldn't touch it.

Now, I am picky about rice and prefer the Mali hom type.

What about you? Is it mali hom or nothing or don't you notice a difference?

I always get the Royal Umbrella kaow hom Mali type. But only because the g/f says it's the best.

And when I order an Indian take-away, the guy is often surprised when I don't order any rice (at 80 baht a serving). Now I just say "we have rice, thanks."

Hom Mali is certainly my favourite rice of all but it's wasted in an indian curry where basmati triumphs. The neither of those is any good with a risotto where you need a shorter grain to give you that creamy texture, I find Arborio rice works best here.

Valencian long grain for Paella, round pudding rice for wonderful Queen of Rice Puddings but never, never, never instant or boil-in-the-bag rice for anything except perhaps animal feed and glue!!

[frikkiedeboer]

My sister, gasp! sometimes makes that awful minute rice stuff. Couldn't believe it and most certainly wouldn't touch it.

Now, I am picky about rice and prefer the Mali hom type.

What about you? Is it mali hom or nothing or don't you notice a difference?

four years in thailand totally turned me off rice of any description, and i vow i will never eat rice again, as long as i live. i really can't understand how anybody can stomach the stuff, and pity the thais who have to eat it three times a day

[pampal]

Basmati is excellent

[suegha]

Some Malaysians gave me a bag and it required soaking before cooking, otherwise it came out too chewy to eat.

Hmmn, just sounds like you need to cook it for longer! I have used a brown basmati which recommended soaking first, but it was still excellent. Still needed 25 mins steaming though and rincing before eating.

[meadish_sweetball]

My favourite is the reddish 'khaao man bpuu' that is served at some vegetarian restaurants.

[TheWalkingMan]

Rice related, not Thai related but it made my eyes pop out.

I was window shopping at one of the electronic stores in Tokyo and came across the granddaddy of all rice cookers. Now hold on to your hats... the price was approx 27,000 Baht :D I kid you not. This was a family size machine and not one of those industrial sized models used at larger resturants. I think the bowl was made of copper. Maybe copper is better for conducting heat?

I know our Nippon brothers and sisters take their rice seriously, but 27k Baht for a rice cooker??!!! Wow. I hope the machine is able to make each mouthful taste like mana from heaven.

FYI - 5kg of Japanese rice in Japan can be had for about 600 Baht or more depending on type.

Cheers,

TheWalkingMan

[cathyy]

When I lived in the Philippines (with two almost-teenage kids and live-in help) we went through so much rice I took to buying it at the market in 50 kilo bags. I repackaged it in 10 kilo Tupperware containers, of course, to keep it fresh and free of bug infestations. The rice here is far superior to the rice in the Philippines! I buy only the fragrant rice now. I can not only smell the difference just opening the container to cook it, I can taste the difference. If it doesn't say Hom Mali on it, I won't buy it.

[Macx]

Huge difference in taste, aroma, and texture.

I order cooked Thai food from my favorite restaurants and take home to eat with my own home cooked organic rice. Absolutely worth the trouble of washing the dishes.

I once asked some Thai friends why they left so much rice on their plates in the restaurant but ate all the food. They said the rice was low grade and not tasty.

Even the poor Thais buy and eat better rice at home that what is served in most average restaurants.

[tutsiwarrior]

just down the market to buy sum ribs with my lovely niece Pah when I remembered that the wife said we needed some rice...serious business, always bought in 50kg lots...as with all the nieces tutsi is a puss and I indicated to her newly bought mobile and said "call yer aunt to ask what kinda rice she wants...' she put on bedroom eyes to say 'let me handle this, uncle tuts...'...800bt for 50kg of thailand's finest...par fer the course, I reckon...(where's my back rub?)

the wife: 'look out or you'll snap his spine rolling half naked on his back like that...'

Pah: 'doan worry...he'll die happy...'

[sabaijai]

What about you? Is it mali hom or nothing or don't you notice a difference?

I've become very picky about rice. Most places I eat at in Thailand use a good grade of rice, even if it's not 100% hom mali. Contrast that with Malaysia. Most of the nasi kandar style restaurants have whatever as their white rice and the difference is quite noticeable.

It's strange how inferior the rice in Malaysia seems compared to rice here in Thailand. I lived in KL in the mid 80s after having lived in Thailand a few years and just assumed that Malaysians preferred there harder, less flavourful rice. I later found out that jasmine rice/hawm mali is the number-one smuggled commodity in Malaysia. I was just in KL for five days last week, and a couple of different Malaysians, after I told them I lived in Thailand, commented on how they preferred Thai rice to Malaysian rice.