Physical Description
Long-grain white rice has grains that are long and slender. They stay fluffy after cooking and do not tend to stick together. It takes about 15 minutes to cook.
Colors: white or off-white
Tasting Notes
Flavors: bland
Mouthfeel: Soft, Light, Uniform
Food complements: Beef, Chicken, Pork, Vegetables, Sauces
Wine complements: Match to main course served with rice
Substitutes: Aborio rice, Basmati rice, Wild rice, Red rice, Brown rice, Pearl rice, Quinoa
Selecting and Buying
Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december
Choosing: Look for clean, unbroken grains.
Buying: Some do not wish to rinse rice before cooking, so if buying in bulk, look for more sanitary forms of delivery.
Can be purchased at grocery stores and supermarkets, Asian grocery stores.
Preparation and Use
Add cold water to rice in the ratio of 2 parts water to 1 part rice. Bring to a boil in pan, cover, reduce heat to simmer and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. For best results, leave covered at this time and allow to sit and steam for 10-15 minutes. Fluff with fork and serve.
Rice can also be cooked in the microwave or in an electric rice cooker.
Cleaning: If desired, rice may be rinsed before cooking. Use a strainer to prevent loss of some of the rice.
Conserving and Storing
Dry rice can be stored in an air-tight container.
Cooked rice can be stored in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for about 5-6 days. Frozen rice can be stored in the freezer for 6 months, but some do not like the texture.
Social/Political
Rice is very important in many Eastern cultures, from Africa to Indonesia. In the Hindu religion, the day a baby eats his first rice is celebrated.
History: Records of rice being grown and eaten go back as far as 3000 BC in India.