Rice is the staple of the Asian diet, meaning that to get good at cooking Asian food you must learn your rice varieties. Long grain, Medium grain, Jasmine, Arborio, Sushi, Basmati and Brown rice! there are so many choices you can make! This is a guide for choosing which varieties of rice are best suited for cooking Japanese and will explain a little bit about why to make sense why there are so many varieties.
About rice
Varieties in your western supermarket
There are actually many more varieties of rice in a western supermarket than in Japan. Why is this? I suppose because of the melting pot of different cultures in the community desiring different rice. In the Japanese supermarket rice is generally packaged on area taken from and this determines the texture of the grains. However the length is something that does not change and this is the key to cooking delicious Japanese food overseas, choosing the right rice.
Recommended varieties
Medium Grain Rice -
As the name suggests this grain of rice is fat and medium in size. If you are attempting to cook Japanese food you cant go wrong with this variety.
Arborio Rice -
A medium to small grain rice used in European dishes (mainly for risottos). As it is short and fat in shape and holds allot of water, it is quite an acceptable alternative to medium grain rice. It is important to note that if you are using this variety of rice in your rice cooker to add a little less water than the recommended amount to keep the granules firm.
Sushi Rice -
A sticky or glutenous variety of rice. Try and stick to the name with this one, as no one likes gluey rice with their meal.
As the name suggests this grain of rice is fat and medium in size. If you are attempting to cook Japanese food you cant go wrong with this variety.
Arborio Rice -
A medium to small grain rice used in European dishes (mainly for risottos). As it is short and fat in shape and holds allot of water, it is quite an acceptable alternative to medium grain rice. It is important to note that if you are using this variety of rice in your rice cooker to add a little less water than the recommended amount to keep the granules firm.
Sushi Rice -
A sticky or glutenous variety of rice. Try and stick to the name with this one, as no one likes gluey rice with their meal.
Non recommended varieties
Basmati Rice -
Super long, thin grained variety of rice with non sticky texture, popular with Indian dishes.
Long Grain Rice -
Similar to the above, however, shorter and fatter in shape (as the name suggests). Probably the most prolifically used rice in the West and South East Asia.
Jasmine Rice -
The Jasmine flower is commonly used to flavor Asian Tea's and (in some countries) Rice; most commonly added to long grain varieties of rice. If you are cooking Japanese food, the words Jasmine rice and Japanese should not come into the same sentence. Stay away! this is the LEAST LIKELY type of rice to match ANY Japanese dish.
Brown rice -
Looking for a healthy alternative? Unfortunately most varieties of brown rice in the west are long grain and not suitable for Japanese food. However, if you find a medium grain brown rice, go for it!
Note: The shorter the grain of rice the more water it retains and therefore the softer/ more "fluffy" it is.
Super long, thin grained variety of rice with non sticky texture, popular with Indian dishes.
Long Grain Rice -
Similar to the above, however, shorter and fatter in shape (as the name suggests). Probably the most prolifically used rice in the West and South East Asia.
Jasmine Rice -
The Jasmine flower is commonly used to flavor Asian Tea's and (in some countries) Rice; most commonly added to long grain varieties of rice. If you are cooking Japanese food, the words Jasmine rice and Japanese should not come into the same sentence. Stay away! this is the LEAST LIKELY type of rice to match ANY Japanese dish.
Brown rice -
Looking for a healthy alternative? Unfortunately most varieties of brown rice in the west are long grain and not suitable for Japanese food. However, if you find a medium grain brown rice, go for it!
Note: The shorter the grain of rice the more water it retains and therefore the softer/ more "fluffy" it is.