Getting to know: Rice — Nikki Dinki Cooking

1. Almost all rice is categorized as "long", "short", or "med"; which simply refers to their length. Long grain rice is about 4 to 5 times long as they are wide, while short grain rice is almost round. Let’s imagine rice as people. Let’s say long grain rice would be played by someone like Cindy Crawford; while Mr.Short Grain would be played by Danny Devito. How’s that for a visual?!

2. The shorter the grain the starchier the rice.

3. When making dishes like Risotto, high starch content is essential. The starch released from the rice is what gives risotto its signature creaminess.

4. In general, short grain rice can be used in place of any other short grain rice in recipes, and the same goes for long grains. So feel free to sub Jasmine for Basmatti and Arborio for Calasparra, everyone will get along just fine.

5. I have to do it; it’s time to call out wild rice and orzo. Sorry guys, but the truth is you are not rice! Someone had to say it. Wild rice is actually a seed, while orzo is a pasta that is simply shaped like rice.

6. White vs. Brown Rice! There is a natural layer of bran on the outside of rice, with brown rice the bran stays intact on the grain of rice, where with white rice, it has been removed.

7. Removing the bran makes white rice fluffier than brown, but brown rice is more nutritious. You can also buy the bran on its own to make bran muffins, granola bars and more.

8. Basmati, Jasmine and Texmati rice have a natural ingredient that provides a fragrant aroma and unique tastes when cooked.

9. Did you know that more than 90 percent of the worlds rice is grown and consumed in Asia? People living there typically have rice two to three times a day. That’s a lot of rice!

10. In several Asian languages the words for 'food' and 'rice' are identical