Pride Of India - Extra Long Indian Basmati Rice, Naturally Aged Aromatic Grain, 3 lbs Jar

The taste and texture are amazing.

My product had been opened

Everything it says it is. I was pleasantly surprized with everything about it... extra long grain like I like, cooks up just right (no unpleasant surprises), aroma is very nice (dinner guests love it). I have been using nothing but this rice for a couple of years, and frequently make it just to fill the kitchen with it's wonderful aroma; of course, I eat it too. Before experiencing this rice, I hardly ever ate rice; just wasn't my thing. Now, I prefer it to French fries or mashed potatoes. There is another product sold on Amazon by the same name and has the same packaging that has very poor reviews, and sells for less; weird. I have no idea what that's all about, but I can vouch for this particular one as being of high quality and value. RECIPE: Rice, Basmati... the better rice ★★★★★ Prep 30 mins ∙ Cook 15 mins ∙ Makes 3 cups cooked rice INGREDIENTS: 1 cup Basmati Rice 2 cups water ½ tsp salt (or to taste) splash of oil or bit of butter ⅛ tsp turmeric (optional) DIRECTIONS: Using a strainer, gently rinse rice thoroughly with water to remove excess starch. Carful... the rice is britle and breaks easily. We are trying to get rid of small particles, not make more... easy does it. Soak rice in cold water for 30 minutes for softer, less brittle rice. Drain well, and transfer rice to pot with a good fitting lid. Add salt and butter to the rice and toss gently; gently. The butter not only adds flavor, but helps prevent the water from boiling over. Boil water in a seperate kettle or pot, and pour over the rice. Set pot over medium-high heat. When water starts boiling and steaming again, cover pot with tight fitting lid, reduce heat to just above it's lowest setting, and let rice cook for 15 minutes undisturbed. After 15 minutes, remove pot from heat, with lid still on (no peeking!); let rice steam another 5 minutes. Uncover rice, fluff it up with a fork. Fun with Tumeric: To add a bit of color, mix ⅛ teaspoon turmeric with a tablespoon of water, then add a handful of some still hot rice to the mixture. Then mix this rice back into the white rice. RICE Comparison: → Jasmine Rice (sticky) Jasmine rice is originally from Thailand and commonly used in Southeast Asian cooking. This is a long grain variety of rice that has a subtle floral aroma and a soft, sticky texture when cooked. The grains are also shorter and thicker than basmati rice. Before cooking it's important to wash all types of rice to remove dust and excess starch. Jasmine rice is traditionally cooked by steaming or using the absorption method, which simply means it's cooked in a measured amount of water which is completely absorbed by the rice. → Basmati Rice (non-sticky) Basmati rice hails from the foothills of the Himalayas in northern India and Pakistan. There are some varieties grown in the U.S., but they aren't quite as good as the imported varieties. This is a long grain variety of rice commonly used in Indian, Middle Eastern and Persian cooking. Basmati rice is commonly available at most grocery stores and is available in both white and brown varieties. Basmati rice needs to be soaked for at least 30 minutes before cooking. This allows the grains to absorb water and cook evenly without breaking. Basmati rice is traditionally cooked by boiling it in water. → Texmati rice is grown in Texas, and is a cross between Basmati and Texas long grain rice. We prefer Basmati over Texmati. To my taste, Texmati is missing length, fluffiness, aroma, and flavor compared to... okay... Texmati sucks compared to India Basmati. Although Jasmine is similar to Basmati and pretty good in it's own right, Basmati is a hard act to follow. → So... rinse and repeat to give either rice a thorough washing (carful not to break the grains... easy does it), then soak for at least 30 minutes to prepare it for cooking. Skipping either step will result in an end product that will surely disappoint. These fancier rices are a far cry from Minute Rice, and the other common, everyday rices most American's are used to. They require a lil' extra effort and care to prepare, but the end result is oh so worth it. I hope this helps.

Best rice ever. Wish this could come down in price.

Very nice product. Prompt shipping and nicely packaged. Will definitely buy it again.