Instant rice
Encyclopedia
Instant rice, also known as minute rice, is rice
that has been precooked and dehydrated so that it cooks more rapidly. Regular rice requires 20-60 minutes to cook while instant rice needs anywhere between five and 10 minutes. Because it has already been cooked, all that is necessary to prepare instant rice is to simply re-hydrate it with hot water.
s for dehydration until the moisture content reaches approximately twelve percent or less.
The basic principle involves increasing moisture of the milled white rice by using steam or water to form cracks or holes in the kernels. The fast cooking properties come from the fact that, when recooked, water can penetrate into the cracked grain much more quickly.
Currently, several companies, Asian as well as American, have developed brands which only require 90 seconds to cook, much like a cup of instant noodles. But here, not only is the nutritional value compromised, but also the flavor and texture. Because of the short cooking time, this type of rice is usually mushy.
than regular rice. Due to its processing, it also loses some of the flavour, but companies compensate by adding herbs and exotic spices and aromas to make it more appetizing. They also try to make up for the loss of nutrients by adding their own nutrients such as the B-vitamins, as well as iron
.
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
that has been precooked and dehydrated so that it cooks more rapidly. Regular rice requires 20-60 minutes to cook while instant rice needs anywhere between five and 10 minutes. Because it has already been cooked, all that is necessary to prepare instant rice is to simply re-hydrate it with hot water.
Preparation process
Instant rice is made by using several methods. The most common method is similar to the home cooking process. The rice is blanched in hot water, steamed, and rinsed. It is then placed in large ovenOven
An oven is a thermally insulated chamber used for the heating, baking or drying of a substance. It is most commonly used for cooking. Kilns, and furnaces are special-purpose ovens...
s for dehydration until the moisture content reaches approximately twelve percent or less.
The basic principle involves increasing moisture of the milled white rice by using steam or water to form cracks or holes in the kernels. The fast cooking properties come from the fact that, when recooked, water can penetrate into the cracked grain much more quickly.
Advantages
The major advantage of instant rice is the rapid cooking time - some brands can be ready in as little as three minutes.Currently, several companies, Asian as well as American, have developed brands which only require 90 seconds to cook, much like a cup of instant noodles. But here, not only is the nutritional value compromised, but also the flavor and texture. Because of the short cooking time, this type of rice is usually mushy.
Disadvantages
With convenience comes a price: instant rice is more expensive than regular rice. Rice naturally has minerals like phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium. Instant rice has fewer of the calories, carbohydrates, and proteinProtein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
than regular rice. Due to its processing, it also loses some of the flavour, but companies compensate by adding herbs and exotic spices and aromas to make it more appetizing. They also try to make up for the loss of nutrients by adding their own nutrients such as the B-vitamins, as well as iron
Human iron metabolism
Human iron metabolism is the set of chemical reactions maintaining human homeostasis of iron. Iron is an essential element for most life on Earth, including human beings. The control of this necessary but potentially toxic substance is an important part of many aspects of human health and disease...
.