Basmati, the unique type of Rice

Walking into the Basmati rice section of a grocery store can leave a person in utter confusion. Years ago people had limited options of rice to choose from. It was either white rice or brown rice. However, nowadays it is a difficult choice to make when buying rice due to the wide variety available. Basmati being the top quality rice is widely known.

Nowadays, along with white rice and brown rice, we have arborio, Calasparra, long grain, medium grain as well as short grain, and many more others. This article will go into detail about all you need to know about the different rice available.

Basmati Rice is Gluten Free

Basmati Rice is a variety of long, slender-grained aromatic rice. Basmati is gluten free and low in fat. In addition to containing all eight essential amino acids and folic acid, it’s very low in sodium and cholesterol-free. Basmati has a low to medium glycemic index, meaning that energy is released at a slower, steadier rate, which leads to more balanced energy levels.

White rice

White rice is milled rice, which means that its husk, bran, and germ are removed. When these are removed, it affects its flavor while also making it easier to digest along with giving it a different texture.
Cooking white rice takes up much less time and goes along well with gravies or mild stews for a light lunch or dinner.

Brown rice

As compared to white rice, brown rice is considered to be less processed which results in it being considered much healthier. It is packed with nutrients due to its bran and germ not getting removed. Brown rice has a nutty flavor and is relatively less soft than brown rice.
Despite the nutty flavor as well as being less soft brown rice is full of vitamins, minerals as well as fiber. Brown rice works really well in salads or heavy meals.

Long grain

Long grain rice is popular and loved by many in a range of dishes. They are thin while having pointy ends. Their quality is often assessed by measuring how thin the rice is. The thinner it is the better. The most popular and best long grain rice is basmati rice is gluten free.
As long grain rice is fluffy and separate while giving a whole grain feel, it makes them perfect to use in salads, stuffings, and casseroles.

Medium or short grain

As opposed to long grain, this type of rice has plump and short grains. This results in the rice being sticky as well as creamy. If you want firmer and chewier rice than regular rice, Arborio rice is a good option. While cooking this type of rice, it will release its natural starch thus resulting in it getting much creamier. It contains proteins thus proving to be a good source of energy. This rice, similar to others is also gluten-free.

Another, creamy and moist rice is Calasparra rice. This type of rice is usually used to cook Spanish paella. Although they are not stirred in this dish they are plump but still creamy and easy to chewy.
In areas of Thailand and south Asia, Jasmine and Fragrant rice is used.

These are very fluffy as well as sticky rice. Due to their creamy texture as well as how well they stick together they are a popular choice.
Glutinous rice is another type of short-grain rice. Due to their creamy and moist texture as well as their tendency to stick well together, they work out really well for making sushi in Japan.

The varieties of rice are uncountable in this day and age. Every region has its own kind of rice.
Black in Asia rice is also popular rice when it comes to deserts or in puddings. The uncooked rice has a black color that turns into a beautiful purple when cooked.

Red rice or Camargue rice originated in France. It is popular due to it being unmilled while also having a beautiful red color. They are a popular choice for salads due to their being chewy and sticking well together as well as the gusty flavor.

Lastly, wild rice is also believed to be a type of rice due to its cooking and consumption in the same way as regular rice while not actually being rice. This type of rice is often mixed with other rice or is loved in salads. The black rice has a smokey yet nutty flavor and its gluten free.

Final Words

Having such a variety of rice can be very confusing to select and choose from. You can cook a choosing different varieties each time depending on what taste you prefer, their nutritive values as well as the dish you are planning to make. Sweeteners and Proteins can be extracted too from Rice. You can learn more about it here.