Rice
is one of the most versatile foods on the market. It can be used in casseroles, soups, salads,
and even desserts. But there are many
types of rice so how do you know which to use?
Here are just a few of those available and a little about them.
White rice - There are
actually 3 types of this rice. You can
find long, medium and even short grain.
The shorter the grain, the more starch it contains. Because it is the starch that causes rice to
stick together when cooked, long grain rice cooks up lighter and fluffier than
short grain rice. (That I didn't know.
There have been times that I've bought just "white rice" not
paying attention to what size it might be.
This piece of info makes me understand why my rice is sometimes too
sticky for some of the dishes I'm making.)
Arborio rice - This is a
short grain white rice that is preferred in risotto. Being a short grain, it gives the creaminess
needed for this dish. This is usually
found in larger supermarkets and specialty food stores. (I've actually never
bought this rice. I have tried making
risotto and had come out without the creaminess that I felt it should. Now I know that I either buy the Arborio or
at least use short grain.)
Instant and
quick-cooking rice
- This rice is popular because of its short cooking time. Instant and quick-cooking rices are partially
or fully cooked before they're packaged. (I
normally use the longer cooking rice but do keep a variety of the boiling bags
on hand for quick use. The flavor isn't
as strong and the texture may not be as uniform but it works when I'm in a
hurry.)
Brown rice - This is
unpolished rice grain. It has the bran
layer still intact. It's pleasantly
chewy and nutty in flavor but requires a little longer cooking time then white
rice. (I've
never been a fan of brown rice. Don't
really know why. But I have found that I
actually love the brown rice boiling bags.
I like the texture and flavor. So
if you're like me and don't care for brown rice, try the boiling bags.)
Converted rice - This is also
called parboiled rice. This white rice
is steamed and pressure-cooked before it's packaged. The process helps to retain nutrients and
keeps the grains from sticking together when cooked. (This I didn't know. I've seen packages that say converted rice
and have even bought it but never really knew the difference between it and
regular white rice.)
Aromatic rice - The aroma of
basmati, Texmati, wild pecan and jasmine rice is irresistible. Their flavors range from toasted nuts to
popped corn. Look for them in food
markets featuring Indian or Middle Eastern foods or in some of the larger
supermarkets. (My
favorite is Basmati. I love it's nutty
flavor. I use it not only in regular
dishes but I really like it in my dessert rice dishes. If you've not tried this one, you
should. I've tried the Jasmine but keep
going back to the Basmati. I've not
tried the Texmati nor the Wild Pecan. I
actually haven't seen them in my local stores.
If you've tried either of these, please comment on their taste and
texture.)
Wild rice - This is
actually not a grain at all. Wild rice
is a marsh grass. It takes about three
times longer to cook than white rice but the nutlike flavor and chewy texture
are worth the wait. You do need to wash
wild rice thoroughly before cooking. (This is another favorite for me. I had no idea it wasn't really a rice but now
that I know this and look at it closely I can see that it doesn't really look like rice. No matter what it is, I
love it and love cooking with it.)
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