There’s hardly any culture that doesn’t recognize rice as a staple food. This magic grain originates from the Yangtze River in China and is believed to have been around since ca. 5000 BC. It was originally domesticated by the Chinese civilization, whose cultivation techniques consequentially spread across Asia.
Over the course of centuries, rice has made it to all corners of the world. Nowadays, there are numerous varieties of rice, and so many creative dishes with it that books have been written on the topic.
Common Rice Varieties
Rice varieties are many and each of them has a slightly different flavor and taste. Due to that, there are many rice dishes out there, some of which are trademarks of certain cultures.
Common rice varieties widespread in the 21st century include:
- Long-grain rice
- Basmati: Commonly used in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines
- Jasmine: Commonly used in Chinese and Japanese cuisines
- Medium-grain rice
- Arborio: Variety with high starch content
- Calrose: Typically used in Asian dishes
- Carnaroli: often used in Italian risotto
- Short-grain rice
- Sumo, Koshihikari: Sticky and glutinous varieties, typically used in Japanese cuisine, including sushi
- Bomba rice: used in paella
- Brown rice
- Long-grain brown: Whole-grain rice with a nutty flavor
- Short-grain brown: Whole-grain rice with high starch content
- Black rice – A variety used rich in antioxidants, used in both sweet and savory dishes
- Red rice – A variety rich in anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin.
- Japonica rice – Varieties that include both short- and medium-grain rice used in Japanese cuisine
- Glutinous rice (sticky rice) – A variety high in starch and gluten, commonly used in Asian desserts
- Wehani rice: A red-brown rice variety, typically used in salads and pilafs
These are just a few examples. The choice of rice depends on the dish you’re preparing and personal preferences. Flavor and texture are the two main deciding factors, so experiment a bit. Even though some rice varieties are typical for certain dishes, other ones may be more suitable for personal tastes.
With the exception of sticky rice which cannot be replaced with any other rice variety due to its unique stickiness, many other varieties can be combined.
Ways to Cook Rice
With rice cookers being widespread, many people don’t bother with experimenting. They’re missing out!
Rice can be prepared in so many different ways that it would be a waste not to check them out!
Here are some ideas to try out:
- Cook with broth instead of using plain water
- Toast the rice before cooking
- Add aromatics (onions, garlic, shallots, mushrooms, paprika … the list goes on!)
- Add fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley, dill…)
- Season with spices (cumin, turmeric, cinnamon…)
- Stir in nuts (almonds, cashews, pine nuts…)
- Cook with coconut milk (adds a hint of sweetness)
- Mix in dried fruits (raisins, currants, dried apricots…)
- Top with cheese (feta, mild cheese, Parmesan…)
Sauces for Rice
Finally, sauces for rice are as many as rice varieties. Different cultures have different recipes for rice. Since the dish is widespread, you can experiment to your heart’s content.
Here are our favorites.
Chinese Hoisin Sauce
Sweetish, Hoisin sauce can be bought in Chinese food stores but the home-made version tastes way better. It’s easy to make, too, so give it a try.
Ingredients you’ll need are light soy sauce, miso paste (can be substituted with spicy fermented bean paste), honey, peanut butter, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and black pepper.
All you need to do is combine the ingredients (no cooking, simmering, or frying!). Easy-peasy!
Japanese Teriyaki Sauce
For a taste of umami, go for Teriyaki sauce. You can buy it in Japanese stores, but we recommend you make it yourself. The recipe is not difficult per se as long as you can get hold of the unique Japanese ingredients (notably, mirin).
All you need to do is combine the soy sauce, mirin, ginger, garlic, honey, sesame oil, brown sugar, and water (to taste!) with cornstarch and simmer for a couple of minutes until the mixture thickens.
Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
Thai sweet chili sauce combines well with both white and brown rice. To make it, you’ll need to steam, halve, and deseed chilies, and add garlic and white vinegar (use a food processor). Once finely chopped, place the mixture in a large saucepan over low heat and add caster sugar.
Stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and simmer for ca. 40 minutes until the mixture thickens.
Tomato Basil Sauce
We’ll leave you with a classic combination: tomato basil sauce. If you’d rather not experiment with Asian cuisine, this one is a perfect choice.
The ingredients are easy to come by, too, and include (in addition to tomatoes and basil) olive oil, an onion, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
Keep in mind, however, that it takes some 2 hours for the sauce to be ready, so preparing larger quantities is recommended.
This sauce mixes well with other dishes, so it’s a perfect choice anytime.
Hoping that you like our recommendations, we invite you to enjoy the wonder that rice dishes are! Satisfaction guaranteed!
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