Versatile rice is a basic staple in every culture

@BR Ednote:Editor’s note: This is the second installment in a series on food basics. Whether you are a pro in the kitchen or a newbie, we hope you’ll learn something to make your time with food more enjoyable and rewarding. This series will run every other week through April 7. You can find Part 1: Bean Basics attached to this story at Bradenton.com/food.

Rice is easy to prepare, tastes great and has all sorts of uses. It is also fat free, cholesterol free, sodium free and a naturally delicious, complex carbohydrate that can fuel your body with energy.

Rice is an essential ingredient in the regional dishes of many countries. As a Southerner, white rice was a staple on our table when I was growing up. Sometimes it was a base for beans, a side dish topped with tomato or meat gravy or baked into a pudding dessert. No matter how it was served, it was always a favorite.

Worldwide there are more than 40,000 different varieties of rice, but I’ll concentrate on the types that are common in our everyday life and found on our supermarket shelves.

We grow rice right here in America; our six rice producing states are Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas. We produce enough rice to feed our country as well as export to others.

Most of the rice consumed worldwide is white rice that has been milled (the husk and layers of bran removed). Brown rice is the unmilled rice kernel with only the outer husk removed and is considered a 100 percent whole grain. It retains the fiber, vitamins and minerals as well as the nutritious bran and germ of the whole kernel.

In addition to brown rice, there are other unmilled rice types that aren’t brown, like U.S. black japonica and aromatic red. These whole grains are nutritious and can add variety and color to your diet/menu. Wild rice is also a whole grain, however it’s not botanically in the rice family, it is really a grass and blends beautifully with other long-grain rice varieties.

American-grown rice varieties can be divided into long, medium or short grains along with some aromatics and specialty varieties. The primary differences in these types is their cooking characteristics and, in some cases, a subtle flavor difference. Nearly all are interchangeable in recipes with the exception of Arborio and sticky rice.

When you select rice, it is important to match the rice with the recipe you are preparing. There are no hard and fast rules on which type of rice to use in any particular recipe. It is simply a matter of personal preference and depends on the consistency your recipe demands. In the end, you’ll find that no matter which type of rice you use, the menu possibilities are endless. For instance, a long-grain white rice will give you a loose fluffy rice dish. Choose medium grain varieties that will stick together for a risotto or a dish where rice will be used with a thick sauce. Short-grain rice has the highest starch content and are most often used for molded dishes, desserts and sushi.