Regardless of region, culture or background, rice is an indispensable ingredient in all pantries around the world. It’s an affordable grain, adaptable into any dish and highly beneficial for your family. All types of rice in their natural state are gluten free, meaning people dealing with celiac disease can eat it without issues. Also, rice is a source of energy due to its levels of carbohydrates, leaving you satisfied and fueled for a long time. Keep reading to learn all the reasons why rice is considered a staple in millions of households.
Rice is simple to prepare
Can you imagine cooking rice in a microwave? Well, it’s actually possible! Of course, I would suggest going for the traditional pot-on-stove method to guarantee the best quality result, besides, it will take no more than 20 minutes. This is just to show how easy it is to cook rice, granted, some recipes may require more time and steps to follow, nonetheless the basics are as simple as simple can get!
There is a type of Rice for every taste
Believe it or not, there are over one hundred thousand types of rice. Plain or seasoned, white or brown, long-grain or short-grain, there is so much more to this ingredient than what you may know.
The region will definitely play a major part on the type of rice marketed and consumed, but the options are out there and have a great nutritional value to let pass just to stick with plain old white rice. Don’t get me wrong, the traditional white rice is universally famous for all the right motives, specifically the enriched type shown here https://carolinarice.com/products/white-rice/, but we want to dig into the unfamiliar and getting to know more rice types will elevate your cooking to another level.
Different recipes may call for specific types of rice, moreover, rice is categorized mainly by length (long, medium or short grain) and sub-categorized according to characteristics like color, aroma and taste.
- Long grain: Basmati and Jasmine. Wonderful due to its fluffy and tender composition once cooked. Basmati is originally from India and Jasmine from Thailand and they are so simple to cook once you get that water-to-rice ratio. In the end, you will be surprised by the no-clumps results! Basmati rice can be found on curry dishes. As for Jasmine, it is typically used for coconut rice or as a side for chicken and fish.
- Medium grain: Not as long to be considered long-grain but neither short enough to be short-grain, if that makes sense. It’s mainly used for risotto or rice pudding because of how moist it is after cooking and its tendency to clump and solidify once cool down.
- Short grain: Also known as glutinous rice due to its glue-like texture (nothing related to gluten whatsoever).This round, chubby grain is mostly eaten with chopsticks or even with your own hands, thanks to its distinctive sticky nature, which is great for desserts like the Thai Mango Sticky Rice or dishes like Sushi!
Rice is actually very good for you
As mentioned before, rice is naturally gluten free, helpful to the celiac folks, which provides a nutritious option in restricted diets. Nonetheless, this isn’t the only healthy trait of rice. In perspective, this grain can perfectly be part of a well-balanced diet, allow me to explain.
Firstly, we must set apart white rice and its high-fiber counterpart brown rice. Although the latter may be full of more nutrients, white rice should not be frowned upon due to its energy fueling benefits.
A cup of cooked brown rice contains a relatively higher calorie level, additional to protein, fiber, fat and vitamins in good amounts. Overall, brown rice is a whole grain, therefore, is obviously a better option than white rice considering the previously explained. But that does not mean white rice is bad for you. Contrary to some misconceptions, white rice includes a good amount of carbohydrates to give you good energy and it is easily digestible, helping to avoid uncomfortable bloating. Besides, you are never really eating white rice on its own, instead, it is commonly paired with a source of protein or veggies.
Rice is everywhere
Rice is accessible in many parts of the world. It’s basically an integral part of traditional cuisine and is used as a side to absorb flavors in loaded dishes or it can be the star of the meal. We just need to show more love to this comfort food that, when eaten moderately, can do wonders for us.
