When basmati rice is cooking, you won't get a floral scent like jasmine rice produce, but instead will detect a nutty aroma slightly resembling popcorn (and which will still leave your tastebuds ...

The amylose-rich basmati rice will be translucent ... you'll begin to smell a distinct scent — for jasmine rice, you'll probably get the aroma of its namesake flower (its Thai name, hom mali ...