Rice

 

 

There are varieties of rice grown in different areas within the United States, but we’re specifically look at just two different kinds from two states in the United States.

LOUISIANA PECAN RICE

Louisiana Pecan or Wild Pecan Rice is a long-grain rice grown only in the bayou country of southern Louisiana. It has a flavor suggesting pecans with a nutty, rich aroma and flavor. Many times it is known as Wild Pecan Rice and perhaps popcorn rice. Its calories rate is about the same as for other rice, and it is a higher carbohydrate.

This particular rice is an excellent source of folate, a good source of iron, niacin, and thiamin. It is delicious as a side dish with Indian and Middle Eastern meals since the grains remain separate and firm.

CAROLINA RICE

It shouldn’t be surprising that Carolina Rice is a long-grain white rice from South Carolina, United States. This type of rice actually started in Indonesia but was transported to Madagascar and then to the Carolina plantations. It was in the Carolinas where it was the first rice variety commercially grown.

This rice was then exported throughout the world and provided great fortune to the many rice plantations of the South, but Carolina rice disappeared when the rice industry in the Carolinas collapsed after the Civil War. It is now making a modest comeback as a gourmet rice.

Carolina rice is an all-purpose rice that is good in pilafs and side dishes with vegetables. Keep your eyes open for this gourmet rice in your grocery stores.

Remember —

is good for you!

 

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Interested in adding some color to your rice dishes? There are several types of rice that are “colorful” and can be added to regular ‘white’ rice as well.

RED RICE

A number of different rices can be referred to as “red rice”, but in most cases, it refers to an unhulled or partially hulled rice which has a red husk rather than the more common brown husk. Red rice has a nutty flavor, and because the germ of the rice is left intact, it is high in nutritional value.

Some specialty stores carry red rice, and it is often be labeled as “Bhutanese red rice” or “cargo rice”. Like brown rice, red rice is a good source of fiber that is helpful in reducing heart disease by lowering cholesterol, blood pressure, and inflammation. Red rice also helps provide iron in your diet. Per one cup serving it’s a carb with 216 calories yet only 2 grams of fat.

BLACK RICE

Black rice is a sticky rice with a nutty flavor grown in Indonesia and the Philippines. There is also a Black Chinese Rice. Black rice has an excellent soft texture, color, and a nutty flavor. It is best used steamed and served with a stir fry dish or in pilaf. Black rice is considered an heirloom type rice and it is high in nutritional value including iron and fiber. It contains many helpful antioxidants and anthocyanins, an ingredient that is capable of lowering the risk of heart attack. Black rice calories per cup serving is 160, less than ‘red’ rice, and also 2 grams of fat.

Black rice works well in puddings. The deep black color of this turns deep purple when cooked. 

 

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Basmati Rice is a variety of long grain rice that has a fragrant, delicate and nutty flavor. It is primarily grown in India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. The grains are longer than most other types of rice and are characteristically free-flowing rather than sticky. Basmati rice is available in two varieties: white and brown. Interestingly, basmati rice has a “medium” rating for the glycemic index, thus making it more suitable for diabetics as compared to other grains and products made from white flour. This type of rice is best used in pilafs, biryani, and side dishes, but is not very good for puddings or adding to burgers.

A relative of regular Basmati rice is Baby Basmati or tiny kalijira. These rice grains are many times mistaken as couscous but it is not. It is a miniature basmati from Bangladesh. This small, non-glutinous rice can be enjoyed with nuts, dried fruits, vegetables and beans or meats.

Another unique rice grown in Thailand is Jasmine Rice, and interestingly enough, after cooking this type of rice has a slight ‘jasmine’ aroma. It cooks  as a firm rice and can be interchanged with white Basmati for variety. Jasmine rice is an excellent choice when cooking Thai or Vietnamese dishes and curries because it’s nutty flavor and rich aroma are pleasing to the palate.

 

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The nine rice’s described below represent a range of distinctive flavors as well as textures (per WHFoods). From this you can see the wide variety of rices.

1. Some Asian producers package a version called quick-cooking brown rice, from which part of the bran has been milled off, cutting cooking time considerably; quick-cooking brands are sold online and at many Asian markets.
2. Long-grain brown rice is widely available in supermarkets. It usually requires more water and more time to cook but yields grains with a springy character that is suited for casseroles or other baked dishes.
3. Medium-grain brown rice tends to be stickier and when cooked more tender than long-grain rice; it’s the most common type grown in Spain and is ideal for paellas. (Side note here on paellas: a Spanish dish usually containing rice, meat and a vegetable, but other key ingredients include saffron and olive oil).
4. Brown basmati rice, grown in South Asia, gets longer, not fatter, when cooked. It develops a firm and dry consistency, which makes it perfect for pilafs.
5. Aromatic jasmine rice has the elegant look of long-grain varieties but cooks up moist and tender, more similar to a medium-grain rice. You can find it in most Asian markets.
6. Nicknamed baby basmati, tiny kalijira rice grains could almost be mistaken for couscous.
7. Nutty-sweet red rice, derives its color from a pigment in its bran layers; some types are sweet enough to use in puddings.
8. Ideal for croquettes and risottos, short-grain brown rice can have an almost creamy texture when cooked.
9. Expensive and hard to find in the States, Japan’s haiga-mai is a partially milled rice where the bran has been removed but not the nutrient-packed germ, or embryo.

 

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BROWN RICE

We’re continuing to look at brown rice. In comparing brown rice to white rice, we find that the texture is firmer in brown rice where as white rice is softer. Brown rice also has an appetizing flavor, what some even refer to as a nutty flavor.

Brown rice is great added to soups, meatloaf, casseroles that call for rice, or just added to a balanced dinner with chicken and a vegetable or salad. There are many recipes you can find in various cookbooks or that are available through Google that you might just want to try. Don’t be afraid to substitute brown rice instead of white rice. You may find that just might like it better.

COOKING REGULAR BROWN RICE

If you are cooking regular brown rice (not the instant rice), make sure you allow the rice to soak in water for approximately 30 minutes before turning on the heat. Because the grains are a bit tougher and stiff, they need time to soak in water first because the soaking helps soften the grains. If you use too much water when cooking the rice, the grains of rice will stick together feel like a paste. Of course, on the other hand, too little water to cook brown rice will make the grains too stiff. Follow the directions on the package for the best results.

USES FOR TYPES OF BROWN RICE

Short-grain brown rice can be used in pudding (see picture at right), sticky sweet snacks, desserts, and risotto; and can also be added to burgers, meatloaf, and croquettes. Medium-grain brown rice is great in soups, side dishes calling for rice, and in salads. Long-grain brown rice is great in pilaf, paella, stir-fry, salads as well as side dishes.

RICE’S VERSATILITY

We’ll look at a variety of other rice’s in our next segment, but I hope you can see from our study so far that rice is a versatile addition to any meal. With the healthy benefits of brown rice, I hope you’ll incorporate this rice into your meals. Here’s to healthy eating and your enjoyment of brown rice!

 

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It’s interesting to know that any variety of rice—whether it’s the longer-grain or the short and medium-grain kinds—can be milled to the brown rice stage.

Brown rice is brown in color and also called ‘unpolished rice’. All rice before going through the entire polishing process would look like brown rice. Every rice grain has an outer layer, a stiff cover called the “hull” or “husk”. The husk is always removed from the seed for brown rice as well as white rice.

Under the hull there is a thin brownish layer called the ‘bran’ layer. For brown rice, this brownish bran layer clings to the seed if left intact or undisturbed. It is only the stiff cover, the hull, that is removed through the polishing process.

Brown rice is more nutritious compared to white rice because of many good nutrients within the bran layer itself. The complete milling and polishing  converting brown rice into white rice actually destroys 67% of the vitamin B3, 80% of the vitamin B1, 90% of the vitamin B6, half of the manganese, half of the phosphorus, 60% of the iron, and all the dietary fiber and essential fatty acids. Do you hear brown rice calling us to attention?

Brown rice, however, is rich in fiber, helping to reduce the possibility of heart diseases, avoid abrupt spikes in sugar levels, and as an aid in digestion and reducing constipation. Brown rice also contains other vitamins and nutrients besides B vitamins: manganese, selenium, and iron.

Just one cup of brown rice provides 80% of the daily value for manganese which is a critical component of an antioxidant enzyme providing protection against damage from the free radicals as well as reducing the severity of asthma, lowering high blood pressure, and even in reducing frequency of migraine headaches. The selenium in brown rice helps with thyroid hormone metabolism, antioxidant defense systems, and immune function. Research has also found that the oil in whole brown rice lowers cholesterol. I think we all have to agree that brown rice is healthy for you and your body. 

 

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