Types of rice and their use in cooking

Saracen grain (one of the names of the product, which will be discussed in this article) refers to the oldest cultures grown by man. Some kinds of rice in many countries of the world have long been used to make delicious dishes (and first, and second, and even third) in national cuisines: pilaf, porridge, soup, drinks. Since ancient times, it has been used to make light and strong liquor. Almost all types of rice have many properties useful to the human body, which allows people to confidently take it for food. And the variety of dishes, including this product, in the kitchens of the peoples of the world - categorically testifies to this and confirms this fact.

Classification

What kinds of rice are most common? Let's turn to the exact sciences, which tell us that the varieties of this herb, deduced for all millennia of its cultivation, are counted in hundreds. And from the point of view of the science of botany, rice species are represented by 20 names, but there are more than 150 varieties and scarcely less than 8 thousand agronomic varieties. How do you classify all this rice in order to understand the variety presented?

How to distinguish

It is customary to distinguish rice by its color, by the length of the grains, by the method of processing to which it was subjected. And the same kind of rice can have in this regard different tastes, colors, flavors, nutritional properties. And in the color scheme, rice is represented not only by white shades. There is also a red, purple, black, yellow rice.

By grain length

How many species of rice are there, according to the classification of the length of the grain? By the size of the rice grain, its shape and length, the delicious cereal can be divided into three large groups. Round (it is also called round-grain, or short-grained), medium-grained and long-grain rice. The types and properties of it in this context are also different. Consider in order.

Long grain

This kind of rice is familiar to everyone, probably from childhood. Its granules are thin, oblong, sometimes reaching up to a centimeter in length. By color, we are accustomed to seeing them as transparent, brown or whitish. When cooking (as a rule, cooking), they tend to absorb a minimum amount of water, as a result of which they are not subject to sticking and digestion, that is, they are obtained at the exit as crumbly. If we talk about the types of rice and their use in cooking, this representative in the kitchen business is used very actively. Long-grain cereals are taken for salads, soups and stew, various kinds of snacks, side dishes for meat dishes. It is popular almost all over the world: in the East, in Europe, in America, in Australia. Its main distinctive feature is hardness and friability. It is considered to be the most qualitative and useful cookery of many kinds for preparing dishes.

Average grain

The seeds are rounded, up to 6 millimeters long. They are less transparent. In the medium-grained high content of starch. Therefore, grains absorb more water during cooking, and at the outlet - sticky, but not too glued. By color, as a rule, white or brown. Medium grain rice varieties are excellent for soups and cereals. Here are the varieties and types of rice and their use in cooking: for paella (grade baiya), for the preparation of Italian risotto (sort of arborio or carnaroli). Experienced European chefs recommend that they be slightly undercooked in order to get a more friable and tasty result and a beautiful shape. Grow these rice varieties in America and Asia, Europe and Australia - everywhere.

Round grain

Cereal grains have almost a round shape. In size, they are smaller than their counterparts: up to 5 mm in length. Practically opaque, whitish in color. Kruglozernye perfectly glued (here the highest content of starchy substances), so these varieties and types of rice for sushi - an ideal option. For the same reason round grain is recommended to give to children. This rice is well suited for cooking rice porridge. Even in the times of the USSR (and now in many countries of the CIS) in preschool institutions, it was constantly included in the menu. If the rice is rounded for a long time, it absorbs the maximum amount of liquid, boils and becomes like a cream. In England from such rice prepare all sorts of desserts and puddings. Like roundworm varieties in Japan. Here traditionally round varieties are used for making sake - rice intoxicating drink.

Types of rice processing

But according to the method of processing, rice can be classified as unpolished (it is also called brown), ground (white) and steamed (transparent). These types of rice and their use are different. Let's briefly describe each of them.

Unshiftered

This is rice whole-grain. It is processed at a minimum. At the same time, the shell of bran is retained, which is ground in other cases. It has a color scheme of brown shades and a slight nutty taste (due to the left shell), a pronounced aroma and a rich taste. As a result of minimal processing, many nutrients are retained : vitamins, microelements, fiber, contained in the shell of grains. Therefore, traditionally brown rice is considered most useful for consumption. Of the medicinal properties: the ability to strengthen the immune system, to have a beneficial effect on brain activity, to improve digestion. In cooking it takes much longer: usually brews up to forty minutes, but it does not get boiled, but keeps friability. Its only drawback is the short shelf life. Therefore, cooked brown rice is recommended immediately eaten. And they cook from it usually the same dishes as from white.

Grinded

Or all the usual white rice. This is the most common croup in the world. It is obtained as a result of grinding the grains, in which their shell - bran is removed. The grains become smooth, smooth, snow-white, slightly transparent. By the way, they can have any shape: round, long (see the previous classification) and be of different agronomical varieties. Therefore, the appearance of white rice (as, indeed, brown) is a method of processing. By analogy with sprats, for example, which are not a type of fish, but only by its method of preparation. Grains of white rice are cooked only ten or fifteen minutes maximum. They contain a lot of starchy substances (up to 70 percent), but, correspondingly, not enough useful vitamins and trace elements with minerals, which are removed with bran during deeper processing of the grain. No, of course, there is a lot of usefulness, but, in its essence, white rice is a refined product (akin, for example, sugar refined sugar). Although this is the most used product in our kitchens. It has a rather long shelf life and attracts a "folk" price, therefore, probably, and won the population such popularity. It is from white rice and prepare a great variety of dishes, familiar in the domestic cuisine: from pilaf to sweet cereals with dried fruits.

Steamed

This is the name of rice, which has undergone appropriate treatment and has acquired a golden color and a translucent shade. At the beginning, the grains are washed, then sealed in hot water, then subjected to steam treatment. And only then dried, polished and bleached. Steam processing seems to transfer useful substances into the grains. It turns out that the steamed rice becomes as useful as the brown rice, untreated. Unprocessed rice, as a rule, has a shade of amber. But after cooking, this effect disappears, and the rice gets the usual white look. It is cooked longer than white rice - about 20-25 minutes. Grains do not stick together, tasty and crumbly. For today, cooks of this kind are gaining increasing popularity, since it retains, in contrast to white, many useful substances.

Wild rice

Types of wild rice (or rather, its subspecies) are known in the number of four. And, three of them - came from North America, and the fourth - comes from China. Long since it was eaten by Indians, in Ancient China it was also widespread, but was later replaced by ordinary rice. Today, wild rice (4 species) is cultivated only in the north of America and in China, and therefore it is not cheap. It has a nutty light aroma, a slightly sweet taste. Very useful: rich in minerals, protein, vitamins. Grains - brown or black shades, shiny and smooth. Brewed quite a long time: up to forty minutes. Usually it is consumed by mixing with other types of rice. In terms of the ratio (given rice) species / caloricity, has the lowest index among all the others. It is considered a naturally balanced product, therefore it is recommended for use by dieticians and advocates of proper nutrition.

Popular varieties

As already mentioned, varieties of this cereal - a huge amount. But traditionally to the elite are listed: basmati, camolino, jasmine, arborio, wild.

Basmati or "Thai" - long grain rice, recognized by the world king of rice varieties. He has the longest grain in the world. They can reach up to 2 centimeters when cooking. Cultivated in India and Pakistan, recently - in the US.

Jasmine - white long-grain rice. Friable mi soft, with a delicate milky flavor. Cultivated in the countries of Southeast Asia. Great for cooking oriental cuisine.

In Italy they grow arborio, from which they traditionally prepare Italian and Spanish dishes. And in Japan - a special glutinous rice for sushi.

For pilaf

The types of rice for pilaf that can be used in preparing this most popular dish in the post-Soviet space may be different. Experienced cooks are advised to take the one that will least stick together during processing. After all, for a good pilaf, a trait such as friability is needed. Therefore it is suitable and long-grain, and brown, and steamed. But round-grained and medium-grained polished take is not recommended: you risk rice mush and meat instead of tasty food.