How to cook each type of rice so that it is perfect for you

As with other foods such as potatoes, we believe that all rice is the same. Well, it is not like that, there are more than 400,000 varieties that are cultivated throughout the world and that are distinguished from each other by their flavor, color, aroma and composition. Some rices are sticky, others are very dry, others thicken the broths…

The differences between rice They make us have to pay attention to what types of rice we choose and how we cook them so that they always turn out well.

One of the biggest differences between rice, which greatly affects cooking, is the amount of two types of starches that compose them: amylose and amylopectin. All rices contain both, although in different amounts.

Rice rich in amylose they do not absorb much water and are very loose and fluffy (for example basmati rice).Those rich in amylopectin they trap much more water and have a more rubbery and elastic texture (eg sushi rice).Those who have a more or less equal balance they tend to be soft and sweet (arroz bomba).

Rices that contain more amylose than amylopectin can be cooked in many different ways, but those rich in amylopectin are preferable to cook so that water absorption is more controlled.

I will explain a few varieties and how to cook them.

1. Basmati rice

It’s kind of long rice From the Himalayas and Pakistan that has a very subtle fruity and spicy aroma. It is a rice rich in amylose, very easy to prepare so that it is loose, and is usually used in pilafs, curries, biryanis, salads, etc.

How to cook basmati rice

The aromatic compounds that give it its characteristic flavor are soluble in water, so the best way to cook it is preventing the flavor from staying in the water and we are left with a rather bland long rice. For this it is best cook it with the right water.

Ingredients

1 cup of basmati rice 1.25 cups of water

Preparation

Put the rice in a saucepan or small heavy-bottomed pot along with the water, cover it and put it on high heat. When it comes to a strong boil, turn it to a minimum. Let it cook until you see no water. Take it off the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes. Uncover it and remove it. You will have a perfect basmati rice, al dente and with all its aroma and flavor.

Lately you can also find brown basmati rice. It is the same rice but with all its husk, which is rich in fiber and vitamins. To cook whole-wheat basmati, do exactly the same thing, but let the rice rest for at least 1 hour beforehand in plenty of water to shorten the cooking time.

Once the basmati rice is made it can be used for any dish, preferably those that require a very loose and fragrant rice. It can be frozen (once cold).

2. National round rice (bomba, senia, bay, calasparra…)

These are the ones we’ve been eating all our lives, although in the packages do not specify the variety. They are short or medium grain rice, rounded, which are soft and tender and which we use for any traditional dish such as paella.

The good thing about these rice dishes is that it is easy to get very juicy and absorb the flavors of the other ingredients. The bad thing is they pass quickly and they are made into a paste if we do not watch the cooking time and the amount of water well.

These rices are more balanced in the proportions of amylose and amylopectin. Part of its starch passes into the water, especially if we remove it, and is what makes dishes so sweet. If we do not stir them or stir them a little, they release less starch and the dish tends to be looser.

How to cook round rice

In the case of paella what we do is a controlled evaporative cooking, similar to the method I explained before for basmati, but without covering. This requires more liquid (about 2.5 times more than rice) and watch until there is no water left to avoid burning.

One of the first blunders that we usually have in our first forays into the kitchen It is usually cooking rice and making a paste. This happens for two reasons: insufficient water and too much cooking time. Round rice, except for paellas, we usually cook it in a good amount of water and drain it when it is ready.

If there is not enough water in which to dissolve the starches that it releases, they will thicken the water (as when making a custard) until they become saturated and form a gel, while the rice will cook longer than necessary and end up opening up. and releasing even more starch. To avoid this use at least 1 liter of water for every 100 grams of rice.

Ingredients

1 cup of round rice 2 liters of water

Preparation

Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan or pot over high heat. When it is boiling add the rice and stir gently. Turn the heat down to medium-low, just enough to keep it simmering gently. Check the package instructions, it usually says how many minutes it needs to cook. 1 minute early scoop out some rice with a wooden spoon and taste it. If the center is very hard, leave it for another 1-2 minutes. Once tender, drain it well and serve it or skip it or add it to the dish you are making.

Round rice can also be made with the same method as basmati rice, it is very good. You just have to watch that it does not burn (remove it from the heat when the water has run out).

Of these rices there are also full version. Before cooking brown rice, soak it in plenty of water for at least half an hour. Then drain it and cook it with the method you want.

Brown rice can take up to 45 minutes to cook, but if we leave it to soak we shorten that time to the same time we cook white rice.

The round rice already cooked lasts well for a few days in the fridge and can be frozen.

3. Risotto rice (baldo, roma, carnaroli…)

These rice dishes have become very popular because they make great risottos. Part of its starch goes into the water or broth while the grain remains whole for longer.

The best use that can be given to them is precisely to make risottos and sticky and brothy rice dishes, since otherwise the flavor is the same as that of round rice.

Risotto with mushrooms

Ingredients

1 cup of risotto rice (carnaroli, Roma, baldo or other variety) 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ onion ¼ medium leek A pinch of nutmeg A pinch of salt 8-10 mushrooms 4-6 medium mushrooms Approximately 1 liter of hot vegetable stock

Preparation

Wash the mushrooms and mushrooms and cut them into medium pieces. Finely chop the onion and leek. Heat the olive oil in a medium nonstick saucepan or in a high skillet over medium heat. Put the onion and the leek and fry it. Add the mushrooms and mushrooms along with salt and nutmeg. When they start to reduce and release broth add the rice. Stir it and let it brown all together for a couple of minutes. Start adding broth, always scoop by scoop (approx. 200 ml each time), stirring. When you see that there is little liquid left, add more and stir. So until you finish the broth. The rice will be al dente (and if you can’t add a little more water) and with a sweet and juicy broth. Serve it as is.

Risottos keep well in the fridge in tightly closed containers. A cold risotto can be used for a salad, for example, adding fresh vegetables and young leaves.

4. Rice for sushi

Chinese and Japanese rices are, in texture, quite the opposite of basmati. Rice grains absorb a lot of water and tend to stick together, which makes it easy to eat with chopsticks. However, when you stir-fry them, they are super loose and with a fuller texture, like the ones they serve in Chinese restaurants.

One of the advantages of these rice dishes is that retain their shape and flavor for longer. The downside is that if you’ve never cooked with them you may end up with inedible pasta. They are much richer rice in amylopectin, the starch that makes them gummy.

If you do them with a lot of water they will release a lot of starch and it will immediately gel, forming a hard paste. To avoid this and to make it look like in Chinese and Japanese restaurants, ready to make sushi or fried rice, it is best to prepare it with the right water.

Ingredients

1 cup of rice for sushi 1.25 cups of water (approximately 310ml)

Preparation

Put the rice in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and wash the rice by filling it with water and stirring by hand. Dump that water and do it again. After 3 washes, the water will come out almost transparent. Drain it well. Add the water, cover and put on high heat. When it starts to boil, put it on low heat until there is no water left. Turn off the heat, turn it off, and stir in the rice. Cover it again and let it sit for 10 more minutes. You already have your rice ready to mix with rice vinegar to make sushi or to sauté in the pan with your favorite ingredients. It will last 3-4 days in the fridge. Although a block is made, all you have to do is “cut” it with a wide wooden spoon while it heats up in the pan with a little oil. The rice will loosen up.

Frozen is pretty much the same. First let it thaw slowly in the fridge and then put it in the pan by “cutting” and stirring the rice to break up the lumps.