Not for nothing that rice, along with wheat and corn, is called the "bread of mankind." This grain is highly nutritious. In addition, rice is ideally combined with a wide variety of food products - milk, meat, fish, vegetables, mushrooms, poultry. Any gravy and sauces are suitable for it. The peoples of Asia - from the Middle East to the Pacific - have long cultivated rice. Therefore, many varieties of it were bred. After all, rice dishes require different types of grain. We want stickiness for making sushi and friability for pilaf. And there are also soft rice varieties from which it is so good to cook baby casseroles and milk porridges. In a word, the variety of this product is such that it is just right to get confused. Moreover, venerable rice producers produce dozens of products. And consider it their duty to label it so that the consumer knows what dishes to buy it for. In this article we will consider rice "National". What types are on the shelves of supermarkets? And what do the reviews say about them?
A little bit about the company
When buying a product, it would not hurt to pay attention to the manufacturer. Even if it is only a distributor of exotic foods such as tea, coffee or ... rice. Yes, despite the fact that this cereal is also grown in Russia (in the Rostov Region and the Kuban), the best grain comes from the countries of Southeast Asia. But the agricultural holding company producing rice "National" combines the qualities of both a producer and a distributor. In 2006, the company AF-Group was founded. It owned sown areas in southern Russia and was engaged in the cultivation of cereals. And in 2013, this country's largest rice producer merged with Angstrem, a well-known supplier of grain from abroad. The new enterprise became known as the AFG National holding. It produces not only rice, but also other cereals, as well as some foods and pastries. Customer reviews note the optimal ratio of quality and price from this manufacturer. If we talk about the rice series, here customers like strong and bright polypropylene packaging, as well as convenient packaging of 800 grams and 1.5 kilograms.
"Gold of Thailand"
National AFG purchases this rice only in the Kingdom of Smiles. Moreover, each grain undergoes a severe casting. All of them should be no shorter than six millimeters. In the pack you will not find a single crushed grain. In its raw form, the cereal has an amber-golden color. But the boiled porridge becomes snow-white. Thai rice dishes are moderately friable. And this quality of cereal is preserved even when reheating porridge. After all, before being packaged in packs with blue Thai peacocks, the cereal was processed with hot steam. Long grains have become even more useful. All packs of National products are equipped with convenient adhesive tape, which allows you to tightly close the bag. Reviews advise: if you want to buy a "universal" rice that is suitable for all dishes - from crumbly pilaf to a classic side dish, get the "Thai Gold". National AFG will help you join the southeast cuisine. On the packaging you will find a Thai recipe for “Rice with Chicken, Cashew and Vegetables.”
"Japanese"
White, soft, round-grain rice "National" is characterized by increased stickiness. If you like sushi and know how to roll your own rolls, choose this brand. The package itself with small roses on a black background eloquently suggests that the sticky grain was grown specifically for Japanese dishes. In addition to sushi, tyahan and gohan can be made from such rice. Reviews note that such cereals are cooked very quickly. It is difficult to overdo it with water when cooking porridge. And to form rolls from such grain is a pleasure. Such cereal is also suitable for those dishes of Russian cuisine where stickiness is important. You can make rice pudding or casserole from it. Reviews note that the packaging contains clear instructions for cooking cereals.
Rice "For pilaf" ("National")
The name speaks for itself. Pilaf lovers often feel the lack of just such rice. It preserves the integrity of the grains even after cooking. Translucent grains of medium length look as if they have already been washed in seven waters. Pilaf comes out friable, aromatic, full of oriental flavor. For all lovers of this Central Asian dish, it is recommended that such a National rice. Reviews say that not only in a traditional cauldron, but also in a conventional pan, the food will be delicious. This rice variety is similar in taste to the notorious "Basmati", but is not so expensive. And the affordable price allows you to implement the Uzbek proverb, which is given on the packaging of the product from AFG "National": "The poor person eats pilaf, and the rich - only pilaf."
Rice "Health"
"National" has prepared for those who follow the figure, a series of so-called dietary cereals. It is known that unpolished rice cooks longer, but it is more healthy. This variety has a brown color. The grain shell is rich in vitamins A, group B and PP, trace elements, iron, and fiber. Porridge does not boil, the grains remain a little hard. Such rice is good for diabetics. Fans of healthy foods leave benevolent reviews about another type of product from National. This is the Devzira. The color of the grains is red-brown, but the length is medium. Ready porridge takes on a beautiful light pink color. Reviews warn that during cooking, such grains greatly increase in size, and you need to cook them with plenty of water. Another “diet” type of rice is Phoenix. The shell of the grains is red and brown. Such rice is a powerful antioxidant.
Other varieties
As you can see, for all occasions and all kinds of dishes, the manufacturer produces his rice. Giant National is suitable for Italian risotto and Spanish paella. This variety has very large grains, which is what caused its name. There are also national rice brands in the National collection: Kuban and Krasnodar. They are suitable for making classic Russian cereals. Adriatic is good not only for risotto, but also for salads.