How to Buy Rice

Characteristics of rice

Rice is part of a grain that consists of several parts: the shell or husk, the bran layer and the embryo. The husk encloses the rice, the bran is the nutritious part and the embryo is the starchy part, basically speaking.

Different varieties of rice have different starch mixtures, which alters the texture of the grain once it is cooked. Different kinds of rice are treated different ways when they are harvested, with brown rice keeping the bran layer and white rice having that layer washed off.

Rice also comes in a range of sizes, usually referred to as long-grain, medium-grain and short or round-grain. These types might also be referred to based on the region where they were originally grown: Indica (long-grain, which came from India), Javanica (medium, grown only in Indonesia), and Japonica (short grain, from Japan).

Long-grain

Long-grain rice is the most common rice both grown and eaten in the United States. When cooked, the grains stay separate from each other, making for a fluffy texture. It’s a good basic rice to use in all sorts of dishes, from gumbo to stir-fry.

Common white rice is long-grain. You might also see white rice called fully-milled or polished rice because all of the outer layers are removed, leaving a sort of shiny white surface behind.

Brown rice is the same as white rice, except the bran layer is retained, giving the rice its brown color, nutty flavor and improved nutritional profile. Brown rice is higher in fiber and B vitamins than white rice.

Jasmine rice, which is particularly popular in Thailand, is another kind of long-grain rice. This delicious rice has a great nutty flavor and is also known as “fragrant rice” in Thailand. It’s wonderful with curries.

Medium-grain

Medium-grained rice, as the name suggests, is not quite as long as long-grain or as short as short-grain. Likewise, it has an intermediate texture, not as fluffy as long-grained rice but not quite as sticky as short-grained rice.

Medium-grained rice is good to use in paella, where you want some fluffiness and some stickiness.

Black rice and red rice are two exotic varieties of medium-grained rice. It is often difficult to find medium-grained rice outside of Asia. If you want to try these amazing rices, check out the selection at Indian Harvest.

Short-grain

Short-grain rice is also known as sticky or glutinous rice because the little grains cook up and stick together very easily. This is the rice to use for sushi, and is the main type of rice eaten daily in traditional Japanese and Korean households.

Most people who do not cook in these cuisines have not used short-grain rice, but it’s a really nice, basic grain to have in your repertoire. It’s good with steamed vegetables and a splash of vinegar.

Other types of rice

There are several other specialty varieties of rice out there, including basmati, Della and Texmati, which are similar to jasmine rice.

And then of course there’s Arborio rice, used to make super-creamy risotto. There are all sorts of interesting rice varieties and blends (including those mixed with wild rice, which is really a grass, not a rice) out there if you’re willing to experiment.

How’s that cooked?

To make things more confusing, you can buy plain uncooked rice, parboiled rice and precooked rice at most grocery stores.

Uncooked rice is just the plain, processed kernels of whatever type of rice you bought. Parboiled rice has been steamed under pressure before being packaged. This gelatinizes the starch and will allow the grains to stay even more distinct and firm than they would have if you cooked regular uncooked rice.

Parboiled rice still has to be cooked for as long, or nearly as long, as regular uncooked rice, but it will come out fluffier than standard rice. Precooked rice is completely cooked and dehydrated at the factory, so it will take much less time to cook in your home kitchen. The microwavable and quick-cook rices available on the market these days are made from precooked rice.

And if I cook it myself?

The basic ratio commonly used for cooking long-grain white rice is twice as much water as rice (so if you’re starting with one cup of dry, uncooked rice, you’ll need two cups of water).

Put the water in a pot with a tight-fitting lid and allow to come to a boil. Salt the water and add the rice. Stir once to make sure there are no grains stuck to the bottom of the pot. Turn the heat down as low as your stove will let you, put the lid on and allow the rice to sit for 15 minutes.

No peaking during this time, because the steam cooks the rice. After 15 minutes you can lift the lid and stir. If the rice is done but there’s still liquid in the pot, turn the heat up a little and stir the rice until the water is absorbed or boils out. If the rice needs more time but is out of water, add just a little more (a quarter of a cup) and put the lid back on. Give it five more minutes and check again.

Odds are your rice will be perfect. If you’re making brown rice, the ratio is the same, but it takes about 45 minutes to cook. For other types of rice, check the package instructions.

Selecting and storing rice

Whatever kind of rice you are buying, you will want to make sure that the bag is well sealed before you buy and that the rice smells good, not rancid, if you can smell it or when you get home.

White rice keeps almost indefinitely in a well-sealed container. Because of the bran, brown rice can turn rancid more quickly. You can leave it in your pantry for about six months, or refrigerate or freeze uncooked rice to keep it longer. Don’t be afraid to buy a lot and experiment.

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