Cheap rice - bad idea....

We eat a lot of rice - it's our main carbohydrate. Unfortunately C doesn't really like pasta, except for thread noodles, so we don't have pasta too often - it's rice, then potatoes and then couscous. Normally I buy the Tilda basmati rice, but it's got a lot more expensive this last year, so last time I was in Asia Market I bought some cheaper basmati rice that they had bagged themselves. Mistake...it was a while before I copped why it wasn't coming out properly any more. No matter whether I soaked it, rinsed it, cooked in the right amount of water, cooked in extra water and drained it it was ALWAYS sticky, and that's not normal for me. So in a drive to use it up in ways where residual stickiness wouldn't matter, we had stuffed rice and split-pea pancakes (dhosas, really) today. And yesterday we had this lovely summer tomato soup - based on another of Anna Thomas's recipes. I've cut it in half.
Tomato Soup - serves 4
2 lb tomatoes, skinned.
1 small onion
1 tblsp olive oil
1 clove garlic
handful of coarsely chopped basil
2 ounces COOKED rice
salt and pepper to season
1/2 pint water.
Heat the oil in a pan and gently fry the onion for a few minutes, till soft but not coloured. Add the crushed garlic and fry for another minute.
Whizz the coarsely chopped tomatoes in a food processor, but not long enough to totally liquidise them, there should still be some texture left. Add these to the pan, and the basil. Cover and simmer for at least half an hour. Add the cooked rice and water (mild stock, if you like), heat through and season to taste.
I always like this soup, and it was a good pick for yesterday because I'd got tomatoes in a pack that was 50% extra free. I am sure that works for families, but with just the two of us I often end up paying more to buy less, rather than have it go off. I know it's the same for single people living on their own, too.
Saturday is the Inspiration Challenge on Splitcoast Stampers, and I made 3 punch-art type cards which I was very happy with - not my normal style.
The inspiration site was The Pajama Squid and these were my cards: