Different Types of Rice

You are well aware that there are many different types of rice and muddling through which one is best for a recipe can be a difficult task. Don't be dismayed, you have just found some help.

First, you may be interested in these fun rice facts.

• There are 120,000 rice varieties in the world! But it is estimated that only about 10% are cultivated and sold.

• The largest producers of rice are China followed by India.

• Around 90% of the rice consumed worldwide is eaten in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

• Rice is the main staple for over 50% of the world's population and it provides 20% of the world's dietary energy supply.

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Different Types of Rice: Long, Medium and Short Grain

Rice is mainly classified by the size of its grain which will fall into 3 categories:

• Long

• Medium

• Short

Long Grain Rice

Long grain rice has a long and slender kernel. It is four to five times longer than its width. After cooking, the grains stay separate and fluffy.

Long grain rice is your best choice if you want to serve rice as a side dish or as "a bed" for sauces - or dishes made with sauces.

Medium Grain Rice

Medium grain rice has a shorter and wider kernel. It is two to three times longer than its width. After cooking, the grains are more moist and tender than long grain rice. They also have more of a tendency to cling together.

Medium grain rice is a good choice for paellas and risottos.

Short Grain Rice

Short grain rice has a short, plump and almost round kernel. After cooking, the grains are soft and stick together.

Short grain rice is your best choice for rice pudding and molded salads.

Different Types of Rice: More Varieties

Different Types of Rice: Long Grain Rice Varieties

• American long-grain rice - of which Carolina rice is a variety - is pretty blend when it comes to flavor.

• Patna rice: This rice is from India.

It has been used as a staple food in India for thousands of years. Patna rice is also called Parimal rice.

Patna rice is mild in flavor (it is milder in flavor than Basmati rice). It is a wonderful rice to use in curries.

Substitutes: Basmati rice or long grain rice.

• Basmati rice: This is another rice produced in India. It is pronounced bahs-MAH-tee.

Basmati rice is available as either white or brown. Brown basmati rice has more fiber and a stronger flavor than other long grain rice. The down side is that it takes twice as long to cook.

Basmati rice has a nutty taste similar to that of popcorn or roasted nuts. After it has cooked, Basmati rice swells only lengthwise, resulting in long slender grains that are dry, separate and fluffy. Basmati rice is wonderful in Indian as well as Middle Eastern dishes.

Substitutes: Jasmine rice (it is stickier than Basmati due to its shorter grain) or regular long grain rice.

Equivalents: 1 cup of dried rice = 3 cups of cooked rice.

• Jasmine rice: It is a rice made in Thailand.

Jasmine rice is also called Thai Basmati rice or Thai Jasmine rice.

Like Basmati rice, it is highly aromatic but it costs less. Jasmine rice has a subtle floral aroma. It is sold as both a brown and white rice.

Substitutes: Basmati rice, popcorn rice, patna rice or another long grain rice.

Equivalents: 1 cup of dried rice = 3 cups of cooked rice.

Different Types of Rice: Long Grain Hybrids

• Popcorn rice: It is an American hybrid made with Basmati crossed with American long grain rice. It is milder in flavor than Basmati and also cheaper.

Popcorn rice is also known as American basmati or della rice.

Common brands of Popcorn rice include Texmati, Delta Rose and Cajun Country Popcorn Rice.

Substitutes: Basmati rice or long grain rice .

• Wild pecan rice: It is also called Pecan rice.

This rice's taste is chewy and nutty. It is only partially milled and therefore it retains some of the bran.

Substitutes: popcorn rice, Basmati rice or brown rice.

Different Types of Rice: Medium Grain Rice Varieties

• Paella Rice: It is also called Spanish rice.

Paella rice is a medium-grain rice. Different varieties of Paella rice include Granza rice and Valencia rice.

Substitutes: Risotto rice or short grain rice

• Risotto rice:It is also called Piedmont rice.

Risotto rice can absorb lots of water without getting mushy this is the reason why it is so well suited for making risotto.

The best Risotto rice comes from Italy and is called Arborio rice. Other good varieties if Risotto rice are: Carnaroli, Roma, Baldo and Padano.

Brown Risotto rice has more fiber and nutrients than white Risotto and it is almost as creamy.

Cooking tip: Never rinse Risotto rice. Why you ask? The washing process will wash off the starch that gives this rice its creamy consistency.

Substitutes: Paella rice, a short grain white rice, a medium grain white rice or even something that is not a rice at all but does substitute well for risottos: pearl barley.

Different Types of Rice: Short Grain Rice Variety

• Sushi rice: It is also know under many different names; glutinous rice, sticky rice, sweet rice, Chinese sweet rice, waxy rice, botan rice, mochi rice, Japanese rice and pearl rice. Wew!

Even though it is sometimes called sweet rice, Sushi rice is not sweet. It is however very sticky. It is usually used for Sushi and desserts.

Substitutes: Risotto rice, medium grain white rice or short grain white rice.

Equivalents: 1 cup dried rice = 2 cups of cooked rice.

Different Types of Rice: Pre-boiled, Par-boiled, Wild, Etc.

• Different Types of Rice: Brown Rice

After cooking, Brown rice has a slightly chewy texture and a nutty flavor.

Brown rice is also known as whole grain rice. Brown rice is not milled as much as white therefore it retains the bran and the germ. What this means to you is that Brown rice is richer in fiber and more nutrient dense. So nutrition-wise it is a better choice than white rice. It is also very rich in B-complex vitamins. The down side is that Brown rice does not perform as well as white rice in many recipes.

The main reason for this is that if the brown rice is a long grain rice, its grains are not as fluffy and tender as white rice. If it is a short grain Brown rice, the grains are not as sticky as short grain white rice.

Brown rice also takes about twice as long as white rice to cook - or about 40 minutes - and also spoils faster than white rice.

Substitutes: Converted rice, Wild Pecan rice or white rice.

• Different Types of Rice: Converted rice

It is also called parboiled rice.

Converted rice is steamed before it is husked. This process causes the grains to absorb many of the nutrients from the husk. For this reason , converted rice is a good compromise between brown rice (and its superior nutrition) and white rice (which is faster cooking and more tender than brown rice).

Substitutes: Brown rice or white rice.

• Different Types of Rice: Instant rice

It is also called precooked rice.

Instant rice is white rice which had been precooked and then dehydrated so that it cooks much faster. It only takes about 5 minutes. The down side is that you sacrifice:

• Price: it is expensive

• Texture: it is though

• Flavor: it is rather bland

Substitute: long grain rice.

• Wild rice

It is also called Indian rice. The truth of the matter is that Wild Rice is NOT a rice but rather a grass seed.

In comparison to rice, Wild Rice is richer in protein and other nutrients, and it has a more distinctive and nutty flavor. Wild Rice is also more than regular rice and takes much longer to cook - about 50 minutes!

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