GB737446A - Improvements in or relating to quick cooking rice and method of preparation thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

In a process of preparing quick-cooking rice, hulled rice grains are steamed for a period of 30 seconds to 15 minutes and thereafter dried to a stable moisture content to alter the structure of the grains so that upon subsequent cooking the rice will absorb water rapidly so that the cooking time is reduced. The hulled grains may be soaked to increase the moisture content to 25-30 per cent and then steamed for a period of 30 seconds to 5 minutes. Steaming may be carried out in a conventional manner, e.g. by an autoclave, a rotary cooker, preferably in an apparatus providing for the rapid passage of steam through the grain, e.g. by passing the rice through a cylindrical cooker in the centre of which is a perforated steam line through which steam under e.g. 50-100 pounds pressure is ejected at such a rate that even though it is vented from the column a pressure of about 5-10 pounds is maintained within the column. Drying may be effected by spreading the rice in thin layers for a period of about two days or by blowing air across or through the layers for 12 to 24 hours or in a forced draught drier for about 30 minutes the optimum drying temperature being about 140 DEG F. and the grain being reduced to a moisture content of 10-14 per cent. In an example 100 pounds of white rice with a moisture content of about 14 per cent is placed in a 100-gallon vessel together with about 60 gallons of water and allowed to soak for 30 minutes when it is removed and drained and transferred to an 80-gallon autoclave and treated with steam at 8 pounds pressure for 5 minutes after which the grains are removed and dried in any conventional manner to a moisture content of 10 to 14 per cent, e.g. in a forced draught hot-air drier using air at 140 DEG F., the drying being effected in about 30 minutes after which the product is packaged.