Forum Thermomix
Welcoming Center, Management and General Chat => Chit Chat => Topic started by: tarosuma on April 09, 2011, 09:43:22 am
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I normally use an Italian brand of aborio and it is always delicious but I was wondering what everybody else uses? Does anybody find it just as successful using the sunrice brand of aborio? It is way cheaper so I would love to be able to use it instead....
thanks!
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whatever the aldi one is!
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I just use whatever is on special. I've never had any problems with any of the brands I have used.
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I use Italian ;)
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Me too - because I don't make risotto very often so the cost doesn't worry me.
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I use Italian but I also really like using spelt for a change. Not sure how that compares in price though.
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For many years I used only Italian arborio but since carnaroli (http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-carnaroli-rice.htm) became widely available, I have used it exclusively for risotto and like it much better. Especially now when making risotto is not such a chore, because of my TMX.
Pudding made with carnaroli is much creamier but still retains a bit of texture but there are never any chewy nuggets as I often got with arborio.
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I've just looked up carnaroli rice from Waitrose and it's twice as expensive as arborio..... :o I'll certainly try it out as it sounds good from the link you gave, but I can't see it replacing arborio on a regular basis :D
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I also use the Aldi brand of arborio.
The first time I bought it I compared it to the Italian one I had and the rice kermels were more intact in the aldi one whereas in the Italian one they were mostly broken. You'll get a less gluggy risotto if the kernels are intact.
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Like andiesenji I prefer carnaroli rice. It's not widely available where I live, but I have found a place where I can buy it for the same price as arborio ($5/kg).
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I use the sunrice one.
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This (http://www.rivianafoods.com.au/brands_riviana.php) is the one I use and it always works out. I love rice pudding made with this rice too. ;)
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I love the Riviana one as well. I also use it for Nori Rolls.
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I use Riviana too ;)
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Following a tip from a UK celebrity chef (can't remember which one) I actually use Pudding Rice, as the result is practically the same as arborio but it's a fraction of the price. What's more, it's the supermarket's own brand pudding rice :P :-[ ;D
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My rice of choice is carnaroli, too. Second is arborio. I don't like the supermarket brands because they come out gluggy. Pricewise, when it's on special at Harris Farm, arborio is cheaper than the supermarket.
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For those of you using carnaroli, do you change the cooking times and amount of liquid compared with aborio?
It won't save me any money like I was trying to achieve but now I am eager to try it just to taste the difference! :)
thanks!
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Following a tip from a UK celebrity chef (can't remember which one) I actually use Pudding Rice, as the result is practically the same as arborio but it's a fraction of the price. What's more, it's the supermarket's own brand pudding rice :P :-[ ;D
Thanks Caroline for the tip,I will remember this when I need to buy risotto rice. :)
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For those of you using carnaroli, do you change the cooking times and amount of liquid compared with aborio?
It won't save me any money like I was trying to achieve but now I am eager to try it just to taste the difference! :)
thanks!
I prepare it essentially the same as arborio except that you can, depending on the type of water you use, shorten the cooking time by 3 to 4 minutes.
I was given this tip by an Italian chef who only uses filtered water when cooking the carnaroli - he told me that a lot of calcium in the water (which is significant in my well water) will lengthen the cooking time of this or any other rice. When I tried the experiment of cooking one batch in tap (well) water and a second batch in filtered water, there was a difference in the time and a subtle difference in the texture - at least to me, probably because I was looking for it.
The first time I had risotto made with carnaroli was a very high-end Italian restaurant on Melrose in L.A. I commented to our server that I had never been able to achieve such a degree of creaminess in risotto and was told that it would be "impossible" because the rice was not the "common" arborio but a very special import called "carnaroli" which was available only to chefs.
Well, being me, I had to have some of this magical stuff so I began a systematic search (before the days of internet ease) and found a shop in San Francisco's Italian enclave that was willing to ship me a kilo, for some ridiculous price.
I was able to produce the lovely texture and flavor that I had enjoyed at the restaurant. I used it sparingly because it was so costly but this type of rice seems to improve with age and is actually aged before being sold in Italy.
Not too long after I had exhausted my stock, I found a vendor at the L.A. Farmers market that carried it and I was able to purchase it there.
Now it's available from many online vendors but still is not available at any of the stores in my locality - I have to drive almost an hour one way to get to a store, so I purchase it online.
I know quite a few chefs, from my days in the business, and those with Italian roots all insist that it is a better rice, especially those who were schooled in Italy.
Of course the difference may all be in my imagination but I don't think so. ;D