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Arborio Rice vs. Converted Rice
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Question:
I am going to cook Risotto. How is Arborio
rice different from Converted rice? Thank
you, - Ruby (2/27/02)
converted rice - It is also
called parboiled rice. The term "converted" is a
trademark of Uncle Ben's. Long-grain rice is
soaked in water or subjected to steam while it
is still in the shell in order to gelatinize the
grains to make it harder, as well as drive some
of the vitamins into the center of the grain.
risotto (rih-SAW-toh) - Risotto is actually an Italian cooking technique used for a native Italian rice, Arborio. This old world method involves stirring hot liquid little by little into the rice for about 20 minutes, which will create a dish unlike any other rice recipe you have tried. Risotto is prepared this way and served immediately to preserve the unique, gourmet texture of a very creamy sauce around al dente, pasta-like rice kernels. The center of rice cooking is in the Po Valley in the Northeastern corner of Italy. It is where the Arborio rice is grown. It is considered the classic rice dish of Piedmont, Lombardy, and Veneto regions of Northern Italy.
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