Currently, quite a few varieties of rice are found on store shelves. They vary in grain shape, color, smell and, of course, price. The buyer is faced with a choice - what to buy for a particular dish.
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The global economy produces more than a hundred varieties of rice. This cereal grows in various parts of the planet. Here are some of the most common types of this product:
"Basmati" - white rice, characterized by the longest and most refined grains, which have an unusually pleasant smell. It grows at the foot of the Himalayan mountains and is considered one of the best varieties. It is used in almost all dishes of oriental cuisine.
"Jasmine" - grows in Thailand, is considered a variety for gourmets due to its delicate floral smell and delicate fragile structure. When cooking, it often sticks together. It requires careful storage conditions that do not allow frequent pouring and sealed, preferably glass, dishes.
"Arborio" - most often used in Italian cuisine. It has a wide grain in which the core is visible. Very soft, boils to a creamy state, perfectly absorbs the aromas and tastes of products added to the dish.
"Wild rice" - was once the main food of the Indians. In appearance, they are shiny, dark brown or even black grains, rather tough. It is not recommended to cook without soaking. Wild rice is considered the champion in nutrients, vitamins and fiber.
"Indica" - Asia, America and Australia supply this variety to the market. The crumbly texture during cooking and the elongated shape of the grain attracts the attention of culinary experts in all parts of the world.
Mid-grain - the most popular in countries such as Spain and Italy. The high content of starch determines its adhesion during cooking.
Kruglozerny - the most common type of opaque rice, growing in China, Japan and in the southern regions of our country. It has a wonderful property to boil, which makes it indispensable in the preparation of cereals, cabbage rolls, hedgehogs, sushi and pies.
The same rice varieties, processed in different ways, give the product a different color, taste and nutritional characteristics. Processing affects the duration of cooking.
Brown rice - grains are cleaned only of hard external protective scales, leaving the bran shell intact, bearing mineral, vitamin and other usefulness. Fiber content is also several times superior to other varieties. This type of rice is most ideal for consumption. But the presence of essential oils significantly reduces its shelf life. On the advice of producers, the storage location for brown rice should be a refrigerator.
Polished white rice - the type of processing it speaks for itself. Giving the grains a beautiful and even look, the producers remove all practically useful substances, except fiber, and even that in brown is more. The only plus is the increased shelf life of the product.
Steamed rice - processing begins at the stage of grain-covered grain. In the process of thermal exposure, bran gives a significant part of its useful content to the grains, which additionally gives the rice a beautiful golden color, which turns into a normal snow-white color during cooking. A remarkable quality of steamed rice is the ability to not stick together even when reheated. Pilaf from it is perfect. Although there is an opinion that he loses somewhat in taste to ordinary round rice.
Now you know almost everything about rice, and your choice will depend only on your personal preference.