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It's easy to get answers about health and nutrition! Just send your question by email to [email protected] and Dr. Harlan will respond to selected questions of general interest. Answers will be posted in the Ask Dr. Gourmet newsletter (sign up now!) and archived in the Ask Dr. Gourmet section of the website.

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Ask Dr. Gourmet

Why did you recommend Uncle Ben's Brown Rice in this recipe?

In your review of instant rice, it said Uncle Ben's was the least favorite. [In the Quickie Arroz con Pollo recipe] it is the best. What's up?

Dr. Gourmet Says...

Arroz con Pollo in a square Pyrex casserole dish

Wow! It's always great when folks are paying attention.

You're correct. In our review of instant brown rices we put Uncle Ben's at the bottom of the list of the four that were tested.

The interesting thing is that the features that made it our least favorite as a side dish make it best for this sort of casserole. As the review says, "the grains were distinct and not gummy at all."

In a casserole that bakes for an hour, like this one, the rice will cook for much longer than the recommended 5 or 10 minutes. The other instant rice products we tested became too gummy in this recipe application, but the Uncle Ben's held up well.

Thanks for following Dr. Gourmet so closely. We love hearing from you.

Thanks for writing.

Timothy S. Harlan, MD, FACP, CCMS
Dr. Gourmet