GB737450A - Improvements in or relating to quick-cooking rice - Google Patents

Abstract

A process for preparing quick cooking rice comprises subjecting brittle gelatinized rice grains having a moisture content of above 15 per cent and up to and including 20 per cent, which may be obtained by gelatinizing soaked grain having a moisture content from 25-30 per cent, to heat and moisture to increase the total moisture content by 1-2 per cent with the added moisture substantially confined to the surface layers of the grains to produce pliable rubbery sheaths surrounding relatively brittle cores and then subjecting the treated grains to mechanical compression, e.g. by passing through rollers and preferably compressing their thickness from 30-80 per cent of their pre-compression thickness so that the internal structure of the grains is modified without reducing the grains to a flaked condition. The rice may be gelatinized by soaking to raise the moisture content to about 35 per cent or above followed by treatment with substantially dry steam, soaked to a lower moisture content and treated with moist steam or it may be simply cooked in substantially the same manner as employed in the kitchen after which it is then dried to a moisture content of 10-20 per cent, preferably 10-14 per cent, and thereafter remoistened, e.g. with wet steam to an extent sufficient to raise the overall moisture content of the grains by 1-2 per cent and the bulk of the moisture thus added being concentrated in the outer portion of the grain. After compression the rice grains are dried to a stable moisture content, e.g. 10-14 per cent, for packaging, storage and distribution.