A**N
Pricy, but worth it
While Tamaki is one of the pricier brands of short grain japponica rice, my experiences with it have been very positive. This 'haiga' rice, in particular, combines much of the nutritive content of whole-grain rice (you don't get the fiber, but you get most everything else), with a texture that is pretty close to that of white rice. Note that the texture isn't quite perfect; the endosperm doesn't get quite as soft as the rice grain when cooked (after rinsing and soaking, of course), so if you're paying careful attention, you may notice a slightly different mouthfeel than an equivalent white rice; there's a tiny bit of "graininess," but it's not nearly as bothersome as that word seems to imply (I just can't think of a better word for it). It also has a slightly different flavor from plain white rice; I would describe it as being slightly nutty, I guess, but again the flavor difference is much more subtle than with brown rice. If you aren't eating the rice plain, you probably won't notice the difference as much, but a good rice should be tasty when just eaten plain (the same as good bread), and I have no problem just eating a bowl of this stuff (though a pinch of salt or gomashio is nice). Of course, as with good bread, it's always nicer to have a good accompaniment, and this rice should be usable in pretty much any place you would use standard white-grain japponica. I have even made sushi with it, and found it to be an acceptable substitute; its overall texture, chewiness, and stickiness is very close to that of shortgrain white (unlike shortgrain brown rice, which has a very different texture, and doesn't hold together).This has instantly become my go-to rice for most purposes; all the taste and mouth-feel goodness of short-grain japponica (which I use for basically everything except Risotto (for which Viallone Nano is my favorite rice style) or Thai food (which really does need jasmine rice)), but much more nutrient dense. What's not to like?Note that there are a couple of "storefronts" on Amazon that sell this rice, and some of them charge shipping. Which one is cheapest for you may depend on how much you're buying, since some of them only charge shipping once for combined orders. It's nitrogen flushed, so it should last pretty well unopened, but having the endosperm means it will spoil a bit faster than white rice, so it should ideally be refrigerated after opening.
J**I
Superior alternative to white rice
Tamaki short grain rice is available in different varieties. This particular variety is brown. ANY rice not white is brown,even black and red. The distinction is not truly one of color, it references bran. White rice is white because the bran (the best,most healthful part of the rice grain) is removed completely. What makes the Tamaki Haiga type of rice so desirable is that thegrain itself is just as light as a white rice would be AND it still has the bran germ intact. This difference makes for an incredibledifference in taste. Where white rice (with perhaps the exception of Basmati) is largely bland and flavorless and requires spices, herbsand or fats to make it worth your while, Tamaki Haiga has the bran AND the flavor. Oh and although it is a short grain variety, (which beingthicker also takes longer to cook than white) it does cook in much shorter time than the average brown rice.If you are eating this rice and not noticing a real difference in flavor (it should have a noticeable nutty flavor)then perhaps you are not preparingit properly. Contrary to the average white rice it does require soaking. I have found that after proper rinsing soaking my haiga for 30 minutesor so before turning my rice cooker on leads to a perfectly moist and flavorful dish.Remember also, this is a sushi type rice and is meant to be moist and sticky as opposed to the firm and easily separated texture of the average white rice.This truly is a superior rice product and JVS has proven to be a reliable distributor. They deliver fresh product, well packaged and on time. I agree thatthe price for this rice is a bit high but this vendor makes it available at a much cheaper price than some others. And don't forget that the shipping that they arecharging is seriously discounted. All in all a very good deal for rice that is actually good for you AND really good tasting as well. I am Costa Rican andI eat rice every day. This is not the rice I grew up but it is an integral part of get healthy diet now.
K**R
Superb
Tried this rice by accident (sold at an Asian food store), then couldn't find it--when I went back for more, the staff at the store had no idea what I was talking about, and eventually sold me a different brown rice. I finally checked on Amazon--woohoo!! My husband lived in Japan for several years, and is SUPER-fussy about rice; he simply doesn't like brown rice. I don't care for white rice, as it has no flavor. This rice fits the bill: nutritious, with texture and flavor, while retaining the fluffy character of good white rice. It has basically replaced all other rice in our household; even works well for risotto!
M**B
Kinda pricey
My first time with this rice and I don't think it's worth the price. It's good but so is tamanashiki. And I wonder if it's really much more healthful
S**W
Great rice, why has haiga doubled in price?
This is a nice compromise between white and brown rice. Some people call it brown and it isn't. It is white with a little bran left, actually the germ.I think it might be a little better than consuming totally white rice and the taste is fine so I like using it. However, the price doubled from the last time I got it (not just here, it is hard to find on net and I don't have a lot of asian stores here to look into)It is grown in California and if Calrose, etc, hasn't experienced some price doubling disaster I don't know why this has.But the rice itself is perfectly fine and perhaps a little better than straight white.
T**L
Worth It
This is my second bag of Tamaki-Haiga rice. A dear friend gave me the first bag as a gift, and I truly loved it. It is more than I would normally pay for rice, but it's worth every penny.
S**E
Cooks up easily and has a nice texture and flavor
I'm a novice with rice and purchased this based on other reviews. It cooked up well and had a nice texture for me. I'm considering a rice cooker in the future but for now this cooked very easily on the stove.
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