donn@hp-dcd.UUCP (donn) (11/22/84)
A big part of the difference in rice is the kind of rice. Having
grown up on "orental" rice (the only kind you can normally get in
Hawaii) I have a clear distaste for "Uncle B*ns converted..."
(a.k.a. "fluffy") rice.
First and foremost it isn't worth a %&('%&' with chopsticks.
The procedures given in a previous response are basically correct
but work much better with a short grained (pearl) rice such as
Hinode or Tsuru Mai (the list is very long). Most of these come
in a package that looks like it came straight out of Japan, but
upon careful reading you'll find it's grown in California.
(How's that for reverse "deceptive" packaging!) The minimum size
is about 5 pounds. (That isn't really very much by Hawaii standards.)
The largest (for home use) are in the 25-50 pound range!
Some of the rices are packed with talc, others are not; there is some
dispute about washing the talc off, but it's usually done. It isn't
supposed to hurt you and I've occasonally forgotten and not noticed, but
then I'm more of a consumer than a cook.
Donn Terry
Hewlett-Packard
Ft. Collins, Co. (and a long way from my rice!)