I think with white rice, it's more a texture thing between these two.

Maybe even more of a difference!

yup, there's a difference

Of course it does. When I go buy rice bags, I do look at the month & year of harvest. Fresh rice also uses less water and cook faster than old rice and instant rice.

As with any food, fresh always tastes better, have better texture and is much healthier too.

Instant mashed potatoes?!? Blech... I've tasted once and it's more like butter in flour mixture. It didn't taste like potato at all.

There is a world of difference in taste and texture of regular rice and instant. I can't think of a reason to use instant.

Grace

I always use instant when we have white rice. I can't tell the difference between instant and regular,honestly.

But dont give me instant mashed potatoes!!

Shaun I have no idea what rice you are comparing the instant to....but I will promise you that there is a big difference in say basamati rice or Jasmine cooked for about 12 minutes and instant cooked for about 1 minute or so.
I will also say that with the proper additions of a bit of garlic and butter, a bit of sour cream and a topping of parm cheese, you couldn't tell the difference between real potatoes and instant.
But compare your instant and some Basmati with just a bit of butter and a little salt...
Linda C

Oooh boy! This topic is like a red flag to a bull...

At this moment, I have.....ummm (I'm counting in my head)....11 varieties of rice in my pantry, and they all have different flavors, textures and uses.

None of them are instant.

Now, before all of y'all that use instant rice get your feathers ruffled, I am not sticking a snooty nose in the air about the subject. I eat Nissin's Cup O' Noodles, and love them, so I have no room to throw stones in my glass house.

But I could no more buy a box of instant rice than I could choose to eat a bowl of boiled cardboard.

Hmmm. When I was growing up, rice was not a staple in our house. We had southern fried foods-meat, potatoes, cornbread. No rice, & I don't think I ate rice til I was an adult. I have used instant rice as I have learned to cook, maybe that is why I don't care for it. I always wondered at people who say they like rice, seems so tasteless to me unless it is REALLY "doctored up". I'll get some regular rice next time I go to the store, maybe I'm missing out.

"I always wondered at people who say they like rice, seems so tasteless to me unless it is REALLY 'doctored up'."

Are you sure you're not talking about pasta? LOL! When either choice is appropiate for the meal, I'll take rice in a heartbeat.

I've never tried instant rice, and can't say that this thread has put it high up on my to-do list. I'm perfectly happy with boxed mashed potatoes though; I admit I'd be hard pressed to tell the difference, even from those made by a good friend who is notorious in our circle for her great mashed potatoes. Best part about the box of flakes: they don't sprout in my cabinet!

Growing up in Louisiana where rice is grown, I had some form of white rice several times a week as a kid. Now use mostly brown basmati. LOVE rice..... can't imagine eating instant. Every once in a while we'll go to a restaurant that uses instant/Uncle Ben's in the bottom of the gumbo serving and it can make the best gumbo tast not as good! Joe grew up in New York and his mom only made instant, he never understood liking rice either until he had the real thing.

Grace

foodonastump, that's how I feel about pasta. (grin) I thought I was the only one that thinks white pasta is like eating paste. I have flashbacks to first grade, LOL.

Like Rachelellen, I have different kinds of rice. I have sushi rice and brown rice, basmati and arborio, wild rice (which isn't really rice) and plain old long grained white.

I'm one of those weird people who like their rice kind of "sticky", so I just boil it and let it stick together. Yeah, I know....

I don't eat instant rice though, or instant potatoes. I can definitely taste a difference.

Of course, I like leftover white rice with sugar and milk, like hot cereal. :-)

Annie

I don't get what is instant about instant rice. It takes me 20 minutes to cook regular rice and I don't have to watch it. Boil water, add rice, turn heat off and cover.... 20 minutes later I have perfect rice. Just finished the last of a 5lb bag of Jasmine and now on to a couple pounds of Basamati. Sometimes I take it as lunch for weeks on end... handful of frozen veggies and some soy sauce/lemon juice for a cheap low calorie all I can eat meal that fits in one microwave container. Almost fixes itself while I get dressed for work.

: )
lyra

Instant rice is like instant oatmeal....the "regular" stuff cooks so quickly, what's the point?

Doesnt regular rice take about 20 mins to cook?

I always go with 15..but I now use Jasmine or Basmati only..usually Jasmine..Basmati can sometimes be a bit "burlapy" in essence...
And I've made rice and cooked it only about 10 minutes, drained off any remaining liquid and used it in casseroles when "instant" is called for.

I was told by a little Korean guy, who owned a quick take place..that the secret to their "sticky" rice was regular long grain..but washed many times until the water was no longer cloudy..then cooked as usual in the rice cooker/steamer... they didn't buy any special rice...I LOVED their rice, it was perfect everytime!

Instant rice is nasty. Texture. Taste. The whole shebang. Blechh.

Shaun, I don't like instant rice, but I defend your right to eat it. You like it that is all that matters. Just like those that cook with canned cream of whatever soup, Velveeta cheese, ketchup etc..

But if you ever want to try cooking regular rice, regardless of the variety, the easiest way to cook rice, perfect every time is too cook it the same way you cook pasta. Bring a big pot of water to boil, add some salt, the rice, and cook for approximately 7 to 8 minutes for Basmati, to 9 to 11 minutes for long grain rice. Brown rice will take a little longer and wild rice will take even longer. Taste test the a grain or two of rice as it cook and when it is almost tender, but still has a "bite" strain and put back in the pot. Cover with papertowels or a tea towel and the lid and let the rice rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork, add some butter if you like and serve. Perfect rice every time. I've been making it this way for over 25 years.

Ann

I dated a Japanese man for several years, and his mother teased me horribly about using a rice cooker. So I asked her to teach me how to cook it "properly."

Put the rice in a sieve and rinse it (stirring with your hand under running water) until the water runs clear. Then put equal amounts of rice and water in a saucepan, and add an extra "splash" of water...I've figured out that for 2 cups of rice, it works out to be about 2 1/4 cups of water.

Cover it and bring it to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Then turn off the heat, quickly fluff the rice around in the pan, cover again and leave to sit for another 10 minutes.

If you like "sticky" rice, use Japanese rice, which is short-grained. If you like "fluffy" rice, use Chinese or Indian rice, which is long grained.

Funny, everybody has their methods, and they probably all work! :D

Thanks Ann.

Sheesh some people make me feel like I'm doing something wrong because I happen to like instant rice. It's not a crime people. We're all different here. Just like some of you like instant mashed potatoes and I don't.

I just wanted to know if you all could taste a difference because I can't.

So now I know the answer, .... yes you all can taste the difference. Thank you.

shaun, I hope I didn't make you feel that I was criticizing your choice in instant rice.

I'll admit, I'm picky. I don't like pizza, or red tomato based sauces, or blue cheese, or olives or white pasta or a zillion things that other people just love. I don't like beer or wine either and people look at me like I've grown an extra head when I say the best wine I ever tasted only got rated a "that doesn't completely suck".

However, I will eat peanut butter and Miracle Whip sandwiches, so I'm sure not going to criticize anyone else for anything they like!

Like others, though, I don't think instant rice saves much time, by the time I boil the water, stir in the rice, let it set for 5 minutes or whatever. It takes about 10 or 15 minutes to make instant rice and about 20 to make regular rice, so I can't say I'll make instant rice if I'm in a hurry, it only takes about 5 minutes more to make regular rice.

Whatever I make, I usually make extra so I can have some for breakfast or use leftovers for rice pudding or fried rice.

And I did find that I shouldn't just use arborio rice in chicken rice soup when I'm out of regular long grain. (grin) I did that last week and ended up with a big ole' pot of chicken flavored rice, no soup to it at all. The rice sucked up every bit of broth I had in the pot!

Annie

No Annie you didn't - not at all.

When you like something and people start saying things like how nasty it is, blechh!, or how it's like eating a bowl of boiled cardboard, it makes you feel like..... gosh!

By the way this instant rice we use takes 5 minutes total. Put it in the bowl, add water and microwave 5 minutes, fluff and eat. It's easy, quick and my family likes it.

Shaun, if you like it and your family likes it, that's all that's necessary. This would be a boring place and a boring world if everyone liked the same stuff, and just because I like something a certain way sure doesn't mean everyone else does.

I also don't think that everyone else is "wrong" if they don't like things my way although a lot of people think I am because of the things I don't like. (grin) I prefer to think of myself as "noncomformist" instead of actually wrong.

Annie

I'm afraid that was me talking about boiled cardboard. Sorry Shaun, I certainly didn't mean to insult your tastes...after all, I did admit to liking Cup o Noodles, which other people might find appalling!

We all have things we like that others don't.

Hanging my head in shame!!! I'm sorry Shaun, you're right different tastes are what makes the world go round. And I do use Barbara's instant mashed potatoes when I can find them and I think they're great!

Grace

Friends, it's totally ok if we dont like the same things. I'm probably just being too sensitive due to a nasty gram I got from my SIL yesterday.

It's all good, dont hang heads in shame, dont apologize! Im really ok. Hugs to everyone; even those who dont like instant rice hahahha! Peace Love and Happiness!! ::: throwing instant rice into the air :::