Known as sticky rice, sweet rice, or glutinous rice, these are short-grain rice kernels that are very high in amylopectin, the starch that makes rice sticky. In Chinese cooking, it's used in savory dishes as well as desserts.
Pick a medium-grain white rice, which is the standard in Chinese cuisine. A fresh batch of this variety turns out sticky in your rice cooker, which makes it easy to eat with chopsticks, yet it also has the ability to separate into individual grains.
Jasmine rice is originally from Thailand and is commonly used in Southeast Asian cooking. This is a long grain variety of rice that has a subtle floral aroma and a soft, sticky texture when cooked.
Jasmine Rice From Thailand
Arguably the most common rice variety across Asia, the medium-grain rice stands out for its distinctive floral fragrance, which alludes to its sweet-smelling jasmine flower.
While most rice eaten in Asia today is polished into white rice, colored rices (including brown, red, and black) have a long tradition throughout the Asian continent.
It also contains more fibre, potassium and zinc. However, brown rice has six times as much manganese, a mineral needed for bone formation and metabolic function. Both options are gluten-free and rich in antioxidants and both make nutritious and delicious alternatives to white rice.
Brown rice also is richer in nutrients like magnesium and B vitamins compared with white rice, Nies said. When comparing calories per cup of cooked rice, brown is slightly higher at 248 calories versus 205 for white.
The most popular medium grain japonica rice is Calrose grown in California, which has about 18% amylose content. Calrose rice tends to be soft and slightly sticky, making it an all-purpose rice with desirable cooking properties and used by many Chinese restaurants as plain table rice or to flavor as sushi rice.
Basmati rice is a healthier option than jasmine rice for three reasons — more nutrients, less arsenic, and lower glycemic index.
Chinese fried rice is made with white long grain rice. But it can be made with any type of cooked, chilled rice – long grain, short grain, jasmine, basmati, even brown rice. Every Asian country has their version of fried rice, and use different rices.
There are a few different seasonings that make fried rice taste just right. The most important sauces to add are soy sauce, oyster sauce, and fish sauce in fried rice. All three add unique flavors to rice, but it can be easy to go overboard. Make sure you add small amounts of each and regularly taste the rice.
Basmati Rice
One of the most popular types of long-grain Asian indica rice, basmati was traditionally grown in the foothills of the Himalayas and remains the predominant rice used in Indian and Pakistani cuisine like biryani and kheer. Long and slim, basmati rice may triple in length when cooked.
The everyday rice that Japanese people eat — is a type of rice called Japonica rice. Japonica rice is known for its stickiness that is perfect for eating with chopsticks and holds together well. Compared to what you might consider “white rice” outside of Japan, it is less dry and with shorter grains.
Chinese rice ingredients
Basmati rice – Basmati is the best but other white long grain rice will do. You can use brown rice, but if you do, you will need to extend the cooking time to forty minutes.
Long grain white rice is the best to use as it holds its shape and stays separate when stir-fried. Plus, it's less sticky compared to short-grain rice. Jasmine is my top choice because it has a light floral aroma, is not too sticky when cooked, and is slightly dry in texture.
1. Jasmine Rice. Although Jasmine rice comes from neighboring Thailand, it has now become one of the most popular rice varieties served in Chinese restaurants. In fact, many Chinese food fanatics rate the quality of a Chinese eatery on whether they serve Jasmine rice or not!
Which rice is healthier? White jasmine rice and other types of white rice have an almost identical nutritional profile. Jasmine rice contains slightly more calories and fat than some other white rices, but not enough to significantly affect a person's nutritional goals, or how full they feel after eating.
It's rich in selenium and manganese, which help fight cancer cells and promote overall health. Jasmine rice also has naturally occurring oils, which help to lower cholesterol and diabetes. And its antioxidant properties score equally with foods such as blueberries and other fruits.
The yellow color comes from food coloring that is added which is optional. Yellow Fried Rice is specifically from the U.S. and is not authentic Chinese fried rice. The yellow color comes from food coloring that is added which is optional.
Yes, cook it like regular rice with 2 cups of water to 1 cup rice. It's very starchy so you might want to rinse it before you cook it to minimize the starch.
Sticky rice has negligible amounts of nutrients and is not a good source of fiber, vitamins or minerals. It's even unhealthier when paired with rich sauces or fried foods.
Brown rice, especially, is an excellent source of many nutrients, including fiber, manganese, selenium, magnesium, and B vitamins. Dietary Guidelines suggest that at least half of your grains be from whole grains, and brown rice is considered a whole grain. But even white rice has nutrients.
Brown rice has a higher nutritional value and more health benefits than common white rice and there are several reasons why it deserves a place on our superfood list. Beautiful brown rice is considered a whole grain as it preserves all of its original goodness.