Why bring a piece of tissue paper when buying rice?
Rice is a staple food in many countries, including Vietnam. Families often buy a certain amount of rice to store and consume gradually. Choosing good quality, freshly harvested rice is of utmost importance as it ensures the cooked rice is fragrant, nutritious, and beneficial to one’s health.
Typically, rice is sold in two ways in the market today. One is pre-packaged rice with fixed quantities, and the other is rice displayed in bulk, where customers can buy any amount, which is then weighed and priced accordingly. Pre-packaged rice usually provides information about the place of production, manufacturing date, and expiration date. In contrast, rice sold in bulk often lacks this detailed information.
When buying rice in bulk, to ensure you get freshly harvested, good quality rice, there is a clever trick you can use. Bring a piece of tissue paper with you. Pour a small handful of rice into the tissue, wrap it up, and hold it tightly in your hand for about 10 seconds. Then, open the tissue and observe. If there is a layer of white powder on the tissue and it feels dry, the rice is fresh. However, if there are oil or wax stains, and the grains stick to the paper and refuse to come off, it indicates that the rice is old.
Fresh rice has lower moisture content and less oil on the surface. On the other hand, older rice, due to prolonged storage, tends to have higher moisture levels and often secretes more oil. You can use this distinctive feature to differentiate between old and new rice.
Bringing a tissue paper when buying rice helps you identify fresh rice.
Other things to keep in mind when buying rice
When purchasing rice, pay attention to the color of the grains. Regular rice is usually off-white, and the shade can vary depending on the rice variety, growing conditions, and storage methods. Fresh rice often has a translucent, slightly white appearance, and the grains feel firm. Older rice will have a darker shade, sometimes even a yellowish or dull tint. While old rice is still edible, the flavor and texture may not be as desirable.
Fresh rice naturally emits a pleasant aroma. When cooked, the rice should also smell fragrant. Older rice often loses this natural fragrance and may even have an unpleasant odor. Rice with an overly strong fragrance that does not smell natural might be treated with artificial flavorings.
When buying rice, you can also test its quality by chewing a few grains. Fresh rice will taste sweet and fragrant, with a slight natural stickiness. In contrast, if the rice is too soft or too hard, has a coarse texture, and lacks the characteristic aroma, it is likely old or of inferior quality.
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