THE WORLD OF RICE

The size of rice determines what types of dishes it is suitable for, and the way it is cooked. Each country favours particular varieties for its own cuisine.

ARBORIO

An Italian medium-grain white rice, this has a very high starch content, which makes it the ideal rice to use for risotto, as the starch gives the dish its classic creaminess. Calrose rice can be used if arborio rice is unavailable.

BASMATI

This fragrant long-grain rice is best served with Indian dishes. It’s available in white and brown.

JASMINE

A fragrant long-grain rice, it’s best served with Thai and Chinese dishes.

SUSHI

A short-grain rice, it cooks to tender softness with just enough cling to be eaten with chopsticks. Perfect for sushi and Asian-style rice desserts.

BROWN

Because only the outermost hull is removed, brown rice still retains most of its nutritional value. It’s the healthiest option when it comes to rice and can be served with pretty much any dish that you serve regular white rice with. Brown rice takes longer to cook than white rice.

BLACK

This dark-coloured grain goes purple when cooked. It’s mostly used in porridges and desserts, as it’s a medium-grained glutinous rice.

MICROWAVE

Available in a variety of types of rice, it’s already cooked and only needs to be reheated. It’s ideal to use as a back-up when you’re running short on time.