Nishiki rice 15lb $15.14

[Yarome]

Nishiki is good rice. A little on the sticky side, but good. And that is a great price.
I like Niko Niko long grain rice. While it has the Asian packaging like Nishiki, they are both grown in Calif.
Local stores charge 11 or 12 $ for a 5lb bag of Niko Niko. BiMart has it for 8$.

Yeah. Recently... rice prices have gone through the roof. The rumor mill talking about a global wheat shortage due to the conflict and folks turning more heavily toward rice to offset. The affect being ... creating an unanticipated rice supply shortage from last crop season. Even the smaller nishiki bags have nearly doubled in price, but for whatever reason... the 15lb "sold by Amazon" bags have stayed relatively reasonable. Only up about $3 a bag ($18 to $21) but when Amazon temporarily runs out of stock the other sellers are ridiculous ($30-$45).

Certainly a great time to buy heavy at $1/lb for really decent rice... if you eat it much. Pretty sure they are trying to move this stuff from last years crop in anticipation of the upcoming harvest season starting next month through October. Fine by me!!

Grocery store brands... I think niko niko is the most widely common. Homai is less so, but a marginally better quality rice, IMHO. Over the years I've eaten grocery brands in a pinch, but can't say I ever enjoyed it.

 

[DirectDrive]

Here's my understanding of rice types :

Japanese - short grain, sticky
Chinese - long grain, loose
Thai (Jasmine) - long grain, in-between on stickiness

 

[Yarome]

Here's my understanding of rice types :

Japanese - short grain, sticky
Chinese - long grain, loose
Thai (Jasmine) - long grain, in-between on stickiness

I think southeast Asia eats more indica rice (long grain/jasmine/etc), but the main parts of China typically eats Japonica strains similar to Japan. Most common in Japan for daily use is "short grain" Japonica.

However... the definitions in the U.S. and Japan are not the same. What the U.S. calls "medium grain" is actually "short grain" in Japan (same difference)... and there is no such thing as "sushi rice". "Sushi rice" is a preparation method of standard "short grain/everyday" rice. In the U.S. I think they use "medium" grain as a comparison and to differentiate it from the more standard "long grain" rice used by American's... but if you said it in Japan... no one would know what you are talking about.

(Just like "california rolls" are NOT.. "sushi")

True "short grain"... I guess you would call it... is for specific dishes. Like making mochi (pounded rice cakes) or porridge, but it's not called "short grain", either. Go figure!!!

 

[Certaindeaf]

 

[jayR]

Watch out for the various GMO rice out there. Bt rice, roundup resistant rice, golden rice (not sure if it's been approved yet), glufosinate resistant.... etc. I think Bt rice is particularly bad, well any crop that produces the toxin of the Bacillus thuringiensis bacteria is. Leaky gut anyone?
Good old USA, world's testing ground for GMO products..

 

[FourTeeFive]

I like the Indian Basmati rices sold by Costco. Not cheap but very tasty. Might have to try some of this though as a lot of Chinese dishes need a "stickier" rice.

 

[Stomper]

Amazon warehouse deal... saves 5 bucks per 15lb bag while supplies last.
We've bought this brand for years and eat it several times per week . Exceptionally good flavored rice. Hands down... much better than grocery store brands and affordable.

Good time to stock up!

Amazon.com

Look down the right hand side at more purchase options to get the $15.14 price.

Just had this rice with teriyaki chicken last night, what a difference from "grocery store rice", and "Uncle Ben's" or "Minute Rice"!

Great flavor and texture, "sticky" but not too sticky (IMHO). Thanks for the lead on it!

Here's my understanding of rice types :

Japanese - short grain, sticky
Chinese - long grain, loose
Thai (Jasmine) - long grain, in-between on stickiness

Thailand being in-between comes as no surprise, take the infamous Thai lady-boys for instance……

 

[The Heretic]

This is no doubt true, but even 'good' rice can benefit from a little extra additions.

Along with butter and GOOD salt sometimes a pinch of garlic powder, ground red pepper or onion powder can add a bit of 'spice' to rice as well.

Butter, chicken bullion, curry, paprika and saffron tea (I have saffron threads that I crush using mortar and pestle, then let seep in hot water to make the tea, then after the rice is partially cooked enough to soften it a little, I pour the tea in and mix it, then cook the rice fully).

 

[The Heretic]

Yeah. Recently... rice prices have gone through the roof. The rumor mill talking about a global wheat shortage due to the conflict and folks turning more heavily toward rice to offset. The affect being ... creating an unanticipated rice supply shortage from last crop season. Even the smaller nishiki bags have nearly doubled in price, but for whatever reason... the 15lb "sold by Amazon" bags have stayed relatively reasonable. Only up about $3 a bag ($18 to $21) but when Amazon temporarily runs out of stock the other sellers are ridiculous ($30-$45).

Also due to India blocking export of some rice types - but not Basmati - due to rice harvest.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/03/business/india-rice-export-ban/index.html

 

[Camelfilter]

Watch out for the various GMO rice out there. Bt rice, roundup resistant rice, golden rice (not sure if it's been approved yet), glufosinate resistant.... etc. I think Bt rice is particularly bad, well any crop that produces the toxin of the Bacillus thuringiensis bacteria is. Leaky gut anyone?
Good old USA, world's testing ground for GMO products..

BT is the most commonly used biological pesticide globally.

From wiki (yeah, it's wiki):"… As a toxic mechanism, cry proteins bind to specific receptors on the membranes of mid-gut (epithelial) cells of the targeted pests, resulting in their rupture. Other organisms (including humans, other animals and non-targeted insects) that lack the appropriate receptors in their gut cannot be affected by the cryprotein, and therefore are not affected by Bt. …"

-again, even being wiki, that above makes sense as to why leaky gut would not be an issue attributable to GMO strains of BT rice. Something else in the strain(s)? Perhaps.

 

[LowerRiver]

Bought a bag because I love sticky rice. Had some this morning with a bit of soy sauce and three eggs with runny yolks all mixed in. Tasty!!!! Thanks for the tip.

 

[jayR]

BT is the most commonly used biological pesticide globally.

From wiki (yeah, it's wiki):"… As a toxic mechanism, cry proteins bind to specific receptors on the membranes of mid-gut (epithelial) cells of the targeted pests, resulting in their rupture. Other organisms (including humans, other animals and non-targeted insects) that lack the appropriate receptors in their gut cannot be affected by the cryprotein, and therefore are not affected by Bt. …"

-again, even being wiki, that above makes sense as to why leaky gut would not be an issue attributable to GMO strains of BT rice. Something else in the strain(s)? Perhaps.

Don't want to derail this thread further.. So this my last post on this topic..except to say science is never settled.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10657055/

 

[Camelfilter]

Don't want to derail this thread further.. So this my last post on this topic..except to say science is never settled.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10657055/

Humans are not mice & you had to look for a paper 23 years old...from Cuba.

 

[Yarome]

I dunno about common U.S. rices, but this particular strain I do. Nishiki's is a Koda farms strain dating back about 100 years. It is considered a "new variety" though... even at 100yrs old... because it is a cross breed from Yamadaho and Tankan Wataribune rice. It's an all natural strain. (non-GMO or "modified")

 

[JohnnyMac]

That rice, a little of of this:


...and two weeks, makes a good rice beer too.....

 

[Xaevian]

I think southeast Asia eats more indica rice (long grain/jasmine/etc), but the main parts of China typically eats Japonica strains similar to Japan. Most common in Japan for daily use is "short grain" Japonica.

However... the definitions in the U.S. and Japan are not the same. What the U.S. calls "medium grain" is actually "short grain" in Japan (same difference)... and there is no such thing as "sushi rice". "Sushi rice" is a preparation method of standard "short grain/everyday" rice. In the U.S. I think they use "medium" grain as a comparison and to differentiate it from the more standard "long grain" rice used by American's... but if you said it in Japan... no one would know what you are talking about.

(Just like "california rolls" are NOT.. "sushi")

True "short grain"... I guess you would call it... is for specific dishes. Like making mochi (pounded rice cakes) or porridge, but it's not called "short grain", either. Go figure!!!

Long grain, short grain, and glutinous. Glutinous is usually for deserts, like mochi as Yarome indicated. It is what I normally understand as sticky rice, because it is really sticky, like glue. All rice is sticky to a degree, but actual sticky rice, let's just say you will know what I mean if you ever have any, lol.

 

[AshWilliams]

Now you all have to go full Japanese and get a respectable rice cooker. I recommend this one:
Zojirushi NS-TSC10 5-1/2-Cup (Uncooked) Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer, 1.0-Liter, Stainless Brown https://a.co/d/8Xtvs0A

 

[Xaevian]

Now you all have to go full Japanese and get a respectable rice cooker. I recommend this one:
Zojirushi NS-TSC10 5-1/2-Cup (Uncooked) Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer, 1.0-Liter, Stainless Brown https://a.co/d/8Xtvs0A

Pretty much Tiger or nothing

 

[Yarome]

Now you all have to go full Japanese and get a respectable rice cooker. I recommend this one:
Zojirushi NS-TSC10 5-1/2-Cup (Uncooked) Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer, 1.0-Liter, Stainless Brown https://a.co/d/8Xtvs0A

I guess I might recommend that one too. (Standard wedding gift for the kids.)

Zojirushi is the gold standard for auto rice cookers in Japan. Used nearly daily... you can get a good 10-15yrs out of one. They come in various sizes and any of the micom series is a best buy. When the kids first leave home they get a 3 cupper... and a family size (5 cup) nicer model when they marry.

To be aware though that they never cook the max rated cups well. IE., A 3-cup machine does up to 2 cups well. A 5-cup... 4's as much as you want to do on any regular basis.

 

[Yarome]

Pretty much Tiger or nothing

Tiger is the bottom budget brand. In order... Zojirushi, Panasonic... then Tiger. They all work, but mainly longevity (the machine itself as well as the quality and durability of the inner cook pot) and ability to keep rice warm over extended periods without drying are where there can be a big difference.

IE., In Japanese households it's common to make your daily rice in the morning... then your cooker keeps it hot, fresh and ready to serve for use throughout the day. Lower quality cookers are more prone to crusty dry rice after just 3-4 hours and inedible by nightfall. For those you usually turn it off after it's done cooking then add a little water and use the reheat feature 30-40min before eating later in the day. That has a tendency to slightly overcook your rice though.

Most just opt to plan ahead and "cook as needed" rather than a daily one off.

Who says NWFA isn't culturally educational, right??