Home > Categories > Food > Rice > Arborio Rice review
SunRice Arborio Risotto Rice is grown in Australia and originates from Arborio in Italy. It is traditionally used in cooking Italian Risotto, Spanish Paella, Greek Dolmades and other Mediterranean dishes.
During cooking the grains swell and absorb unusually large amounts of liquid and flavour. Stirring also gently knocks the rice grains together, releasing the surface starch on each grain. This adds to the creamy consistency of the dish, perfect for an authentic risotto.
Product reviews...
Rice risottos are great and actually having a designated rice that is available at the supermarket to make the perfect risotto from scratch is great, I am a huge fan of risottos and I used to buy the boxes of risotto that already had everything in them ready to go....but since discovering that the rice used was arborio (thanks the the food channel) I now know what to use and it isn't much different making a risotto from start to finish...well actually I shouldn't say there isn't a difference because there is a huge difference the taste!
By using the arborio rice and starting from scratch I can add my own flavours which are fresh and unlike the packet risottos I can ensure no added preservatives or colours etc which is always a better option. The instructions on the rice packet gives clear cooking instructions so really you can't go wrong, if you can boil water you can rice.
I was surprised however when I first used Arborio rice was how small the grains were, I knew from making risottos that the rice absorbs a lot of the water/flavour etc but still I was surprised and the little rice grains tripled if not absorbed 4 times it's size once all the liquid was absorbed.....and depending on what stock or liquid flavouring I use the rice absorbs it all and tastes amazing. I am amazed at how it changes and takes on any flavour!
Starting from scratch to make a risotto is probably easier than from a packet especially if using Arborio rice, find an easy recipe to follow and you won't regret it. Perfect as a meal by itself or use it to accompany a protein. I definitely love it and will continue to keep using it that is for sure. I love having to option to experiment with different flavours.
My son tried risotto the other day at a friends house and loved it so much that I decided I had to make it for him at home. I thought you would just use it out of normal rice as I had never heard of Arborio Rice so this is the first time I have ever used the product.
I googled risotto recipes and found this great one from the website www.campbellskitchen.co.nz so went out to get the ingredients. The risotto was so easy to cook and this rice is great. It starts off quite small grains but as it absorbs more of the liquids it swells up so when you eat it it is packed full of flavour.
I cook normal rice in a rice cooker as I have never had success in cooking rice in a a saucepan but this rice was so easy to cook using the recipe I found. I thought at first when it was done that it was real gluggy and that I had ruined it but I think that is just the way it is supposed to be as it has just absorbed so much moisture so is really quite a wet style rice.
Random listing from 'Food'...
A subtle and smouldering blend of thyme and Spanish smoked paprika. Lightly grill salmon fillets to perfection with a caramelised layer of rub. Also great on roast vegetables.
Freshly ground and batch-blended in New Zealand from the highest quality local and imported ingredients: Natural Coconut Sugar, Spanish Smoked Paprika, Organic NZ Kosher Sea Salt, Cracked Black Pepper and Rubbed Thyme.
... more...
All trademarks, images and copyrights on this site are owned by their respective companies.
KIWIreviews is an independent entity, part of the Knock Out News Group. This is a free public forum presenting user opinions on selected products, and as such the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinion of kiwireviews.nz and are protected under New Zealand law by the "Honest Opinion" clause of the Defamation Act of 1992. KIWIreviews accepts no liability for statements made on this site, on the premise that they have been submitted as the true and honest opinions of the individual posters. In most cases, prices and dates stated are approximate and should be considered as only guidelines.
"Never invoke the gods unless you really want them to appear. It annoys them very much."
G.K. Chesterton