Pilafs and other rice-based dishes are a very good way of entertaining plenty of people without too much fuss and expenditure.

At traditional meals, it is considered an equivalent to rice and is not simultaneously taken with other rice-based dishes.

A typical Darshini menu comprises rice-based dishes like idly, vada, sambar and dosa.

The first rice-based dish I sampled there was straightforward and soothing.

Munching on french fries and plov, a rice-based dish from Central Asia that is prepared in huge vats, shoppers seemed to find this an ideal place for a family outing.

Big Bend offers full Southwestern meals while TexaSahara is limited to pasta- and rice-based dishes and goulash and tuna cooked in a pot.

Another rice-based dish is arroz a la valenciana, a Spanish paella named after the Spanish region Valencia that has been incorporated into the local cuisine.

The most intriguing main courses, though, are the rice-based dishes, norange palaw and quabilli palaw.

Technically, many types of rice-based dishes resembling rice pudding can be found in various countries in Southeast Asia, many of which have Chinese influences.

They are also used in a rice-based dish called pulão.