Understanding different kinds of rice are not that hard once you know each type. There are mainly three kinds of shapes or rice that are available when you buy rice online. The key is to understand what each type of rice is used for and what are its characteristics.
Let’s have a look at the different types of rice available to buy online.
Short Grain
Short grain rice generally has short or round grains that can be found in mostly white or brown colours. This kind of rice sticks typically together when cooked and contains high amounts of starch. One of the most common uses of this kind of rice is in sushi rice since it makes it easier to pick with the help of chopsticks.
Compared to other types of rice in the list, short-grain requires more water, since it soaks up more liquid compared to others. It is essential to wash this type of rice a few times before you start cooking it. The primary purpose of doing this is to remove the excess starch from the rice.
Medium Grain
Compared to the short-grain rice, this type of rice mainly comes with a low amount of starch present in them, making it ideal for day to day cooking as it does not stick too much with each other. Most of the time, you can recognize the medium-grain rice by the texture and size of the rice.
It will be longer than the short grains but not too long to be considered an entirely different type. They also have a more ‘creamier’ and firm texture compared to short-grain rice, which tends to be on the stickier side.
This is also the most used rice type for popular dishes such as risotto, salads, and fried rice. It is generally cooked on the stove with lower amounts of water compared to short grains.
Long Grain
Long grain rice comes with the lowest amount of starch content, compared to all other types of rice. Unlike the first two types of rice, this rice does not stick to each other due to the low content of starch. This gives them a dry look, and you can see each grain of rice even after it is cooked.
Compared to other types, the grains of this rice are longer and are mostly used and grown in the southern part of Asia. In countries like India, this type of rice is commonly referred to as basmati rice, which is mostly used for Biryanis, Indian and Thai cuisines.
The rice is mostly firm and dry in characteristics and comes in mainly two colours, brown and white.
Brown vs White
The age-old question, which one is better: Brown rice or White rice? What is the main difference between them? Well, the answer is simple, brown, and white rice are the same kind of rice. White rice is obtained by milling the bran and other germ infused layers from the brown rice.
But most of the time, these layers are also the ones that contain a fair amount of nutrients in them. This is the main reason people who advocate healthy living prefer brown rice over white rice.
Brown rice is also known to contain higher amounts of fibre and vitamin content in them. Though this does not mean, white rice is entirely unhealthy. It is completely based on what you will prefer more for consumption.
Choosing the right type of rice-based on your preference is the key to having a good experience. Make sure you consider these tips and buy rice from the best rice brand.
