Ingredient Information

Rice

The classifications for rice are short, medium and long grain. Long grain rice are of the subspecies Indica, while the shorter are Japonica.

Long grain rice is about four to five times as long as it is wide and has lighter, fluffier, and separate grains when cooked. Because the starch content is lower, the rice doesn’t stick together as easily as medium or short grain rice. Basmati and jasmine rice are examples of high quality long grain rice. Both have light aromatic flavors.

Short grain rice is slightly rounded and plump. Its higher starch content makes for a creamy rice and, when cooked, the grains tend to stick together. Rice for sushi is made from short grain rice. Arborio rice is a short grain rice with a very high starch content that is the basis for Italian risotto as well as Spanish Paella (see Arborio rice).

1/4 cup uncooked rice = 176 calories, <1g fat, 0g sat fat, 0g mono fat, 3g protein, 39g carbohydrates, 0mg sodium, 0mg cholesterol