Rice is a staple food item in most parts of the world. If you are someone who likes chapati with Rajma, Daal fry, or Kadhi, then it is absolutely unfair to those wonderful dishes. Rajma or Kadhi are meant to be devoured with rice because of the unparalleled aromatic flavors that it brings. It is not just filling to our bellies but utterly satisfying to our foodie senses. Do you know that there is a lot of variety in rice you can find all over the world? Let’s check them out.
These are the 20 types of rice around the world:
1. Basmati Rice
If you, too, are a biryani person, then you must agree that basmati rice is very personal to us. The fuller, long-grain rice with an aromatic smell is what we foodies want to satisfy our taste buds. These are readily available in pan India, and India is the topmost consumer of Basmati rice.
2. White Rice
White rice is the most common and versatile rice variety all over the world. It is the most common pick because it is easy on the gut and easily digestible. It carries some great nutritional content like carbohydrates, fiber, and essential minerals.
3. Bamboo Rice
This distinctive variety of rice is made from the growing flower of bamboo and is produced at the end of the lifespan of the bamboo. It has the highest amount of nutritional content than any other variant of rice. It is not easy to be found in local shops around us, but if it does, then it can be one of the best food choices for you.
4. Jasmine Rice
Jasmine rice is mainly cultivated in Thailand, and all the dishes are made with this aromatic and exotic flavored rice. It has long-grained rice that cooks with a fluffy texture with some nutty flavor that tastes like popcorn. It pairs well with all curry dishes and adds to the flavors of all the dishes.
5. Brown Rice
White Rice is a processed form of brown rice, while in brown rice, the outer layer of germ and bran stays, providing the essential roughage and nutrients to the body. It is often consumed by diabetic patients as it has low glycemic value and keeps the sugar level in check too. It is the perfect option for weight loss too.
6. Wild Rice
Cultivated and harvested in the freshwater lakes and rivers of the USA and Canada, wild rice is loaded with ample amounts of nutritional fiber and protein and is an excellent source of alpha lipoic acid. The grains of wild rice are long and tender with a chewy and flavorsome taste.
7. Sushi Rice
As the name suggests, it is cultivated in Japan and is also known as Japonica or shari. It has a small size of grains with a sticky and mushy texture. It is the perfect rice variety for cooking the authentic dish, Japanese sushi. It has a mix of both sweet and savory tastes that goes perfectly for making delectable sushis.
8. Bomba Rice or Valencia Rice
Bomba rice is cultivated in Spain and is defined as the ‘King of Rice’ by the most renowned chefs. It has a wondrous taste that is tender and mushy that glides down the throat in no time. It absorbs a lot of water and takes time to cook well. It is used to make certain Spanish dishes like paella etc., which adds zest to the flavors of the dish.
9. Arborio Rice
It is named after the place it was originally cultivated in Arborio, near Po Valley in Italy. Arborio Rice is short-grained rice that has a high content of amylopectin, a form of starch that makes it firm, chewy and creamy in texture and taste. It is preferred to cook risottos and rice puddings.
10. Red Rice
According to Indian Ayurveda, red rice is believed to contain a pandora of nutrients and antioxidants that are crucial for the human body. It is believed to pacify the Tridoshas, i.e., Vatta, Pitta, and Kapha. It has a red-pigmented color which is due to the presence of anthocyanin, and regular consumption of this red rice lowers blood pressure, increases bone density, and maintains heart health.
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11. Sona Masoori Rice
Popularly regarded as the ‘Pearls of South India,’ Sona Masoori rice is medium-grained rice mainly cultivated in southern states of India, especially in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka. Sona Masoori rice has a very lightweight and delicate taste which is just perfect for all the south Indian dishes, be it dosa, idli, coconut rice, etc.
12. Rosematta Rice
Rosematta, Palakkadan Matta rice, or par-boiled red rice, is Kerala’s main ingredient in cooking appams, murukkus, idlis, and kondattam. The aromatic taste is produced by par-boiling the rice, which retains the nutritional content and adds to the rich nutritious diet.
13. Purple Thai Rice or Black Rice
This purple-looking rice is the most used ingredient in all the Thai dishes you will find in the markets of Thailand. It is also said that in ancient times, Chinese emperors loved it so much that only the royals were allowed to consume it. It has a deep black-purplish color with mesmerizing nutty flavors.
14. Indrayani Rice
The most popular Indian rice with spectacular taste, Indrayani rice, is cultivated in Maharashtra. It contains essential vitamins and antioxidants, which make the diet nutrient-dense and fuller to the bellies. Special dishes made from this rice, like daal khichdi, curd rice, and kheer, make it much more enticing and satisfying.
15. Samba Rice
Mapillai samba, or ‘Bridegroom rice,’ is predominantly grown in Tamil Nadu. According to Tamil folklore, samba rice is served to newlywed bridegrooms for good energy and strength. It features high fiber, and vitamins, especially vitamin B1. It has a low glycemic value which makes it a diabetic-friendly choice for diabetic patients and for the weight-checkers aiming for weight loss.
16. Red Cargo Rice
Red Cargo Rice is the unpolished version of rice that comes with the outer layer of bran that acts as the perfect roughage for better digestion and gut health. It is mainly cultivated in Thailand and used in the famous Thai curry dishes. It has a brown-red pigment that takes longer than usual time to cook, and once it is cooked, you’ll be in awe of the chewy, fluffy taste of the rice along with the flavors.
17. Sticky Rice
Sticky rice, also known as glutinous rice, has a round grain size and a sticky-gluey texture and is used and consumed in Asian countries immensely. This rice is perfect for cooking dumplings, rice cakes, or desserts.
18. Calrose Rice
Calrose is the main cultivation of California and has mild and soft flavors. It has medium-grain rice, which is a perfect ingredient for cooking dishes like sushi etc.
19. Carnaroli Rice
This rice variety is known for its high starch content due to the presence of amylose content in rice. It is mostly preferred in Italian cuisines to cook risottos and other various dishes.
20. Rice Blends
This contains a blend of a variety of rice such as brown, black, white, and red rice, which makes it a colorful blend of rice that is also highly nurturing and equally nutritious to the human body.
This list of rice varieties must have surprised you with the plethora of rice options available all over the world, and it is never too late to try out new things. So, don’t wait and get started!
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