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Column: industry Tag: microwave rice,brands Published: 2024-11-20 14:49 Source: www.mashed.com Author: STEVEN LUNANOV. 19
Steven Luna/Mashed
Somehow rice, one of the most abundant grains on the planet, is also the trickiest thing in the kitchen to cook properly. A few minutes too little and you're crunching on what feels like softened splinters; a few minutes too much and you have a scorched mess that's also a gluey clump. Rice steamers, kitchen timers, measurement tricks from the ancestors — all of it works sometimes, but does any rice cooking technique work all the time?
Enter the quick-cooking solution called microwave rice! These cleverly engineered pouches and cups provide the makings of foolproof rice, as long as you have a microwave oven and a minute or two to spare. Since every brand seems to have its own take on what microwave rice should be, I picked up a dozen of these 21st-century cooking solutions to see what they deliver. With a range of flavor possibilities for microwave rice, I stuck as close to the simple white rice as possible to keep things fair and square. You may be thinking that's a lot of rice to sample ... and you would be correct. Luckily, I'm a rice fan with a dozen different ways to make it the foundation for flavorful dining. Though there may be a hierarchy regarding taste, texture, and easy prep possibilities, not a grain has gone to waste.
12. O Organics Organic White Rice
Steven Luna/Mashed
For the organic shoppers of the world, Albertsons and Safeway present an O Organics Organic microwave rice selection in a ready-to-serve bowl. All you have to do is nuke it for 90 seconds and drop in your favorite toppings. This more mindful way of eating comes with a $3.29 price tag for the same 2-cup serving package the other rice brands offer, but it arrives in a plastic eat-in bowl that makes enjoying it on the go a simpler affair.
If only you could enjoy it at all. This was by far the most unappealing rice in the collection, a gunky, sticky mess that couldn't be saved with the addition of white wine vinegar and spices. By itself, it was similar to eating papier mâché paste, with a mouthfeel that wasn't far off (I assume, having never eaten papier mâché paste). An offering with a price that pops up higher than the rest should deliver rice worth paying for, even if it's a store label. In this instance, O Organics doesn't pass muster.
11. Kroger 90 Second Jasmine Rice
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There's no way a product line like microwave rice would be on Kroger shelves without the company getting in on the action with its own label. And with Kroger 90 Second Jasmine Rice being the most budget-friendly bag in the bunch at $1.49 at my nearby location, it was too perfect an opportunity to pass up. That doesn't necessarily mean it's a perfect microwave rice, however. But since rice has a personality that can go in a million different directions depending on your tastes, how far afield could anyone go with a quick-cook pouch, much less one of the world's largest grocery chains?
The first indication that this $1.49 2-cup pouch released a very perfumey steam when torn open, a sickly-sweet essence that smelled like overkill. Scooping the rice out of the bag was a messy endeavor; the grains are sticky to the point of being unmanageable. With a gluey mouth feel and a mushy flavor that had no appeal on its own, it was only slightly salvageable with a shake of Trappey's Red Devil sauce on top to loosen it up and disguise the weird taste. Sometimes when you pay less for an item, you end up getting a lesser item. Kroger's version of microwave jasmine rice is one of those items.
10. Mahatma Jasmine Rice
Steven Luna/Mashed
Mahatma is a biggie in the world of rice in general, so seeing the name on microwave rice pouches gave me confidence that this would be an easy-to-cook rice and a nice price to be topped with spice and a savory slice I might like to eat twice. After I ran out of words that rhyme with "rice" rhymes, I popped the bag in my microwave and cooked it for 90 seconds as the label instructed.
Though Mahatma keeps its price affordable at $1.88 on Walmart shelves, it's a purchase you might want to rethink. The rice turned out very mushy and clumped together, though the grains were nicely sized and loosened up when I shook a little balsamic vinegar over them. For the reputation this brand offers, it isn't a great microwave rice on its own, though it can be disguised by ingredients with strong flavors. My feeling is rice should be a quality ingredient all alone on the plate, a feat that microwavable Mahatma doesn't accomplish.
9. Veetee Thai Jasmine Rice
Steven Luna/Mashed
Veetee is a U.K. rice brand I'm less familiar with, but the plentiful stock and loaded-up shippers I found at Walmart told me there's someone somewhere who recognizes the potential of microwave rice. I grabbed a tray of Veetee Thai Jasmine Rice for a somewhat surprising $2.68, well above most of the other Walmart microwave rice options. And since this brand is an import that costs more than the domestic products, I fully expected a high-end experience. Even microwave rice should come with bells and whistles when its price point puts it dollars and cents above the competition.
I can be so naïve about food pricing sometimes. Veetee came out of the microwave clumpy, with a weird flavor that made me reconsider my thoughts about its potential. I tried it plain and wished I hadn't, then shook a little salt over it and tried it again. There was no improvement. Maybe the ratio of liquids-to-rice gives every package its own post-cooking personality. Veetee Thai Jasmine Rice is a wallflower that shouldn't get a second look.
8. Minute White Rice
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It would be a shame and a sham if Minute Rice, the time-saving food producer that innovated quick and easy rice creation, missed out on the microwave rice revolution. And they haven't, of course, thanks to single-serving cups of plain and flavored rice that can be cooked in only a minute, just like the name promises. With the handy eat-in bowl, you can even cart it to work or school if you have access to a countertop reactor and bring a bag of your best veggies or proteins to drop-and-top the fluffy grains.
If only the quality lived up to its potential. Strangely, the grains crackled and popped in the microwave as they cooked. I thought maybe I'd overheated it, but the 1-minute cook time is hard to misjudge. The grains were also discolored and had a strange, almost chemical smell I didn't notice in the other brands. The entire ingredient list only includes parboiled rice, water, and sunflower seed oil — similar to the other options, but with less favorable results. Maybe as a full-fledged rice pudding with sweet, milky additions covering for the taste, this rice could be a boon in the kitchen. But with two 1-cup servings for $1.96, there are lower-priced possibilities that do a much better job.
7. Great Value White Rice
Steven Luna/Mashed
Going for a bargain when microwave rice shopping shouldn't be any different than shopping for a top-of-the-line product; it's rice we're talking about here, one of the most common foods on Earth. Even a wallet-friendly option like Great Value should set you up for supper success. That's what I was hoping would happen when trying this white rice as a base for corn, fire-roasted tomatoes, and green olives, one of my go-to rice-topping combos.
I was concerned after cooking this $1.42 package that the results would be woeful; watching the rice come out of the pouch in a strange gummy gel didn't exactly instill confidence. It fluffed up nicely, the grains becoming distinct and well-separated once they were given a stir. The flavor of the bare rice was very subdued, maybe even too understated. Piling on savory elements as I made it a great silent partner that contributed texture, and nothing else. If you're a purist with your rice enjoyment, you can certainly add a little salt or some butter and be satisfied with it that way as well. But this one is best used as a base where rice flavor isn't a huge expectation.
6. Veetee Sticky Rice
Steven Luna/Mashed
When the rice comes out of the microwave already sticky, you have a ready starter for your favorite Asian creations that use this type of rice. Veetee Sticky Rice puts you out ahead of the game with a $2.68 price, a bit more from the bank account than the other brands. But for a rice that cooks up sticky without requiring any further effort, maybe it's worth paying a little extra, especially for at-home sushi beginners who could use some help. If the product does the gourmet magic for you, why not?
Well, there's good and bad news regarding how that assumption plays out. For starters, this version of Veetee was less sticky than the jasmine version I tried. It's actually a very nice short-grain rice that fluffed up decently and tasted clean and neutral. I dropped in a few peanuts and shook some soy sauce on it to make a mini Asian side dish that I would happily repeat, even as just a quick snack, but definitely for a full dinner. So, the confusing truth about Veetee Sticky Rice is that it microwaves marvelously, just not with the sticky feature the name so proudly announces.
5. Royal Long-Grain Basmati Rice
Steven Luna/Mashed
One of the more modestly priced packages on the shelf, Royal Long-Grain Basmati Rice appears to be a no-nonsense take on microwave rice. It's only $1.88 at Walmart, which doesn't tell you much, other than you won't be spending too much on 2 cups of rice that can be ready to eat in less than two minutes. After trying so many, many microwavable rice brands, I started to wonder how much price actually impacts the quality of the finished product. It was looking more and more like a total hit-or-miss prospect.
Royal turned out to be one of the hits. The pouch held longer needle-like grains that were sturdier than the other brands and separated without requiring much assistance. The steam was slightly aromatic but the flavor was unadorned enough to let the flavors of the dish shine through. It's a find among the lower-priced rice brands and a nice alternative to the shorter grains if you're creating something like stuffing or a rice and mushroom combination.
4. Golden Star Organic Jasmine Rice
Steven Luna/Mashed
Golden Star is a stand-alone brand I found among the lesser-priced microwave rices on my journey of discovery. At only $1.88 for two 1-cup servings, this pouch gives rice lovers organic jasmine rice that hails from Thailand, a strain called Thai Hom Mali that has become a noted rice selection in my personal culinary planner. I wouldn't have been convinced that any rice in a microwave pouch could turn out so close to stove-cooked rice, but Golden Star changed my mind.
This pouch poured out a wealth of very fluffy grains with a light, buttery flavor, the perfect taste and consistency for homemade Asian dishes or including in a hearty winter soup. The fragrance was pleasant but not too present, lending the flavor an extra layer that knew how to mind its manners on the fork. There's a bit of sweetness in the tasting notes, too, something that could compete with your ingredients depending on what you use it for. This is not a bad thing, just something to be aware of if you give Golden Star a try — and it's definitely worth trying.
3. Seeds of Change Organic Jasmine Rice
Steven Luna/Mashed
A more deluxe package than most of the others on the list, Seeds of Change is a top-shelf pick that drew my eye with its dedicated-to-nature logo and earthy color scheme. This is not the preferred method for microwave rice shopping. But with brands you've never encountered before, you have to start somewhere, and the label was created this way for a reason. Since at $3.29 it's also one of the higher-priced microwave rice selections in the roundup, I had high expectations for premium quality on every front.
There was no disappointment when I opened the pouch after cooking and found this jasmine rice to be less perfumed than the others I tried. The essence was soothing, more like tea than anything floral. With smaller grains that stuck together readily without feeling like they were dissolving into one another, it turned out to be a clean, flavorful rice taste. It struck me as a great inclusion in a chicken and rice soup or a savory pilaf, though if you used it as a white rice on its own, you'd be highly satisfied with it as well.
2. Ben's Original Jasmine Rice
Steven Luna/Mashed
Of course you're going to find Ben's Original in the microwavable rice section. This standard in the rice world is an overall champ at turning simple grain into full-blown dining enjoyment and has been for decades. The orange label is more like a green light for home cooks who aren't looking to reinvent the gourmet wheel when dinner time rolls around.
Ben's quick-cooking rice is as promised: nicely fluffy with a classic rice flavor, and no strange under taste from the oils included in the bag. I sampled a few grains on their own, then added mashed banana, peanut butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon and made an impromptu rice pudding that was phenomenal. With a rice as light yet sturdy as Ben's, it was easy to elevate the simple grain to a breakfast-dessert dish that I plan on repeating. With the 2-cup packet priced at $2.39, you can turn this microwave rice into some phenomenal recipes of your own.
1. Tasty Bite Jasmine Rice
If you're going to name your food company Tasty Bite, you'd better know how to come through with the goods. And since Tasty Bite Jasmine Rice is at the top of the pricing tree among the microwave rice competitors, there's a double obligation for the brand to deliver big-time. At $4.49, it's a high-price leader among the shelves, a dollar amount that might make you wonder why you'd ever pay so much, even for an easy-to-prepare staple. That's precisely what I thought when I added it to my shopping list.
I'm pleased to say, Tasty Bite Jasmine Rice availed itself admirably, turning out a supreme microwave rice that gets all the aspects just right. Fragrant, soft grains that don't stick together, moderate length, which is perfect for incorporating into other dishes or eating as a side, and enough jasmine flavor to know it's there without it overwhelming your other ingredients. To enjoy it to its fullest, I added store-bought salsa and scooped it up with chips for an on-the-fly two-ingredient Mexican dip. If it's possible for a microwave rice to be a breath of fresh air, Tasty Bite is the one to make it happen.
Methodology
Steven Luna/Mashed
There's a wealth of microwave rice options on the market to get your meal off and running, more than I even realized. Some include flavors like lime and cilantro, which can be used in a variety of cuisines; others offer simple meals with chicken and vegetables for an entire heat-and-eat meal. Since the comparisons could be endless among all of the variants, I opted to stick with basic white, basmati, or jasmine rice to keep the scales balanced. Prices were all over the board for these options, despite the lack of additional flavorings or ingredients. Higher prices didn't always dictate better quality.
With all the food safety concerns around plastic and microwave cooking, I was also mindful of packaging materials. The pouches I chose were all designated BPA-free, which I hope is a standard upheld by all brands by now. I didn't take the time to check the other brands on the shelf, but shoppers should definitely keep an eye on the packs they choose. I cooked them all one at a time to their instructions, all of which require between one and two minutes in the microwave. I tasted every brand plain and with a few add-ins to get a full spectrum of taste and performance, then gauged the quality against the price to finalize my ranking.
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