BB Royal Pulav Premium Basmati Rice Review

Be it a celebratory biryani or steaming hot jeera rice, Basmati rice has an ideal texture for the perfect bite. Versatile, aromatic, and fluffy- Basmati rice is loved across countries.

A great base for vegetable pulao, to be served with dal/curry, or simply with curd, Basmati rice has the right amount of moisture and lightness to it. Basmati rice, like wine and whiskey, gets better with age. Typically aged for a year or two, the more aged the rice grains are, the more aromatic, fluffy, and lighter they become post-cooking. 

In the Indian market, brands offer 500 g, 1 kg, 5 kg bags of Basmati rice. We ordered the 1 kg bag from an online portal dedicated to groceries and household needs. In our Big Basket Royal Pulav Premium Basmati rice review, we tested the grains on a range of parameters including length, pre and post-cooking aroma and texture, taste, color, cooking time, and methods. Are these well-suited for everyday meals?

In this section, technical details (we all learned from our mums) like aroma, grain length, cooking methods, and rice to water proportion have been discussed. 

1. Cooking Instruction

The pack mentions two cooking methods, open cooking and pressure cooker. 

Open Cooking- Rinse and soak the rice for 30 minutes, and drain well. Boil enough water for one cup of soaked rice. On a medium flame, cook the rice for around 10 minutes (or until the water has dried completely) and serve!

Pressure Cooker-Following the 1:2 rice to water ratio- mix well and pressure cook for two whistles. 

Mishry Recommends soaking the rice for around 15 minutes when cooking in a pressure cooker. Do not soak them for longer as it will lead to a mushy, lumpy end result. 

How We Made The Rice

For a fair review, we did not use any fats or flavors as they enhance the taste. Only the needed quantity of salt was added. 

To remove the excess starch and ensure a non-sticky final result, we rinsed and soaked a cup of raw rice grains for almost half an hour. Soaking also helps prepare softer and evenly cooked rice. 

In a wide saucepan with boiling water, we added the soaked rice with salt. On a medium flame, we stirred the rice at regular intervals for 10 minutes until the grains looked soft yet fluffy. 

2. Flavor

Basmati rice are known to be more flavorful than most types of rice grains. The typical Basmati rice flavor is best labeled as nutty or floral and they pair well with almost all types of gravies and curries.

Related Reading- Best Rice Cookers

3. Texture & Colour

Big Basket Royal rice grains were glossy white, both before and after cooking. The texture post-cooking was tender. This pulao rice we tried looked fluffy and the grains remained separated and non-sticky.

Did you know that rice grains with less than 20% of amylose (a form of starch) and the ones that have been aged well for over two years have a ‘khila-khila’ texture once cooked. 

4. Aroma

As the name suggests, basmati rice has a distinctive floral aroma. These rice grains are aged for two or more years which further concentrates the signature aroma and flavors. 

When we opened the pack, the raw rice did not have a pronounced ‘basmati’ fragrance. Once cooked, all we noticed was an extremely delicate aroma. The lingering aroma synonymous with basmati was definitely missing. 

5. Grain Size

Unlike other types of Basmati rice which are either broken (Tukda Basmati) or shorter naturally (Dubar), these were full-sized long rice grains. 

Recommended as a pulav base, these long rice grains are naturally low in amylopectin (another form of starch) which prevents sticking of the grains once cooled and during storage. 

The pre and post-cooking volume of rice changes as it absorbs water. The pack shows this rice expands to 12 mm after cooking. 

6. Available Sizes

Big Basket Royal Pulav Premium Basmati rice is available in bags of 500 g, 1 kg, 5 kg, and 1 kg multi-packs. 

7. Price Range

Basmati rice price is primarily based on the number of years it has been aged for as aging enhances aroma and flavor. 

Big Basket Royal Pulav Premium Basmati price is INR 140 for the 1 Kg pack.

When compared to other brands of premium Basmati rice, this is priced competitively. 

8. Nutritional Information

Following is the Big Basket Royal Basmati rice nutritional information per 100 gm (raw)-

357 kcal which is divided as 79 g of carbohydrates, 8.6 g of protein, 0.9 g of fat, and 1.8 g of dietary fiber.

Additionally, it also offers 5.1 mg of calcium, 1.1 mg of iron, and 4.1 mg of sodium.

Did you know?– It is recommended to consume dal and rice together as they complement each other making a complete amino acid profile which is not available in most vegetarian food options.

Related Reading- Delectable Dishes Using Leftover Rice

During the raw and post-cooking stage, we noted down the color, aroma, texture, fluffiness, taste and other properties of Big Basket Royal rice. Here’s what we thought. 

The rice grains are appropriate, length and color-wise. Once cooked, they weren’t sticking to each other. We noticed the grains looking light and fluffy. 

The aroma, however, wasn’t on expected lines. There was no bold lingering ‘basmati’ aroma in raw and cooked form.

Features

• These rice grains are recommended for pulao, fried rice, jeera rice, ghee rice. 
• The grains are aged for 6-12 months. 
• The 1 kg bag is priced at INR 140
• Post-cooking, the grains have a 12 mm length.
• There are two suggested methods of preparing the rice.

Pros

• Once cooked, the rice grains did not stick to one another. They are separated and non-sticky.
• The grains had softened well but did not become lumpy. 
• They retained their white color post-cooking. 
• The length of the rice grains was appropriate.

Cons

• The rich aroma associated with basmati was barely there. 

Best Suited For

Big Basket Royal Basmati Rice Pulav Premium pairs well with dal and curries. Basic rice-based meals like jeera rice and ghee rice are also recommended. 

Related Reading- Kohinoor Dubar Basmati Rice

Big Basket Royal Pulav Premium Basmati rice cooked well in under 15 minutes. There were no noticeable changes in the color post-cooking. We liked how the grains remained separated individually and weren’t lumpy. The fact that no grains were broken is surely an added plus.

That said, Basmati rice has a distinct aroma which it is loved for globally. This floral, nutty aroma was too subtle to be noticed, even after cooking. 

Which is your preferred Basmati rice for everyday use? Let us know!

Here are some interesting FAQs on BB Royal Pulav Premium Basmati Rice Review.

1. Where is BB Royal basmati rice sourced from?

These grains are sourced from the states of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttarakhand.

2. Is BB Royal pulav basmati rice from India?

Yes, BigBasket premium rice is from India. 

3. Can I use this basmati rice for cooking biryani?

Yes, a homestyle biryani can be prepared using this long-grained rice. It is recommended to keep checking the water level while cooking and strain the rice when it is 80-85% cooked. This is essential as the rice also gets cooked when spices and other flavoring ingredients are added. 

This Basmati rice is recommended for pulao and everyday dishes like jeera rice or dal rice. 

4. How long have these rice grains been aged for?

 The BigBasket Royal Rice has been aged for 6-12 months. 

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