What kind of rice should I use to make Persian/Indian/Middle Eastern rice-based desserts?
I am trying to learn how to make Persian shole zard and Indian firni (phirni). Some recipes mention jasmine rice as a main ingredient, while others just say "white rice". To my knowledge jasmine rice is popularly consumed in South East Asia, so I wonder if using it in Persian/Middle Eastern/Indian desserts will lead to authenticity.
What kind of rice should be used for authentic rice pudding sweets in those countries? Basmati for firni?
Best Answer
(Disclaimer, since I don't read/speak Farsi, I only looked at English references)
Authenticity is in the eye of the Beholder.
Iranian and Indians cooks probably use whatever rice is available in their local store; and some will use the same rice variety that their mother and grandmother used without knowing the reason.
You can look at this which talks a little bit about rice in Iran, so does the wikipedia page about Iranian cuisine.
For example, the Domsiah is related to Basmati rice.
That being said,
Most recipes for shole zard, as you say, just say white rice, or either Jasmine or Basmati rice; I've also seen recipes with short grain rice; so pretty much use what you have on hand.
For firni, most recipes call for Basmati rice which looks to be most common in India.
Pictures about "What kind of rice should I use to make Persian/Indian/Middle Eastern rice-based desserts?"
Is Persian rice the same as basmati?
In Persian cuisine, plain basmati rice is made in 2 different ways: polow (regular rice) and kateh (simple rice). Polow basically means cooked rice and is considered the traditional "Persian way" of cooking rice where the rice is soaked and pre-boiled. It creates rice that is longer and leaner in shape.What is the best Persian rice?
Best Persian rice brands- Dunar Elonga Basmati Rice.
- Zaika Parboiled Zella Basmati Rice.
- Atry Smoked Basmati.
- Royal Brown Basmati Rice.
- PARS Automatic Rice Cooker for Persian Rice.
- PARS KHAZAR Automatic Persian Rice Cooker.
Which rice is used in Iran?
There are different types of rice in Iran such as Gerde, Domsiah (literally meaning black-tail, because it's black at one end), Champa, Doodi (smoked rice), Lenjan and Tarom. Cooking methods also differ depending on the food type or the occasion in which the food is going to serve.Can you make tahdig with Jasmine rice?
It's usually pronounced "tah-deeg," and made with Basmati rice, but sometimes Jasmine rice can be used; there will just be a difference in texture. Basmati rice produces a fluffy tahdig, while Jasmine rice usually produces a stickier rice.Bukhari Rice (Arabic Rice) by YES I CAN COOK #ArabianFood #ArabicRecipes #BukhariRice #SaudiRice
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