Types of Rice: Jasmine, Basmati, Sushi Rice and More Compared
You tell types of rice apart by grain shape and starch: long-grain rice such as basmati and jasmine cooks fluffy, short-grain rice such as sushi rice sticks, and sticky rice turns chewy and compact. Brown rice, black rice and parboiled rice need more water or more time. The table shows you the use, water amount and cooking time for each type.
Types of rice at a glance
The water amounts are by volume for the absorption method in a pot, so cup of rice to cup of water. They are guidelines: harvest year, pot and stove shift them a little.
| Type | Grain and texture | Use | Rice : water | Cooking time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jasmine rice | long-grain, fragrant, slightly sticky | Thai curries, fried rice, side dish | 1 : 1.25 to 1 : 1.5 | 12 to 15 min. |
| Basmati | long-grain, slender, fluffy | biryani, pilaf, Indian curries | 1 : 1.5 | 10 to 12 min. |
| Sushi and short-grain rice | short-grain (japonica), sticky, glossy | sushi, onigiri, donburi, bibimbap | 1 : 1.1 to 1 : 1.2 | 12 to 15 min., then rest 10 min. |
| Sticky rice | white and opaque, chewy | mango sticky rice, zongzi, mochi, side dish in Laos and northern Thailand | soak overnight, then steam | steam 20 to 30 min. |
| Black rice | whole grain, deep purple, nutty | desserts, bowls, salads | 1 : 1.75 to 1 : 2 | 30 to 40 min. |
| Brown rice | whole grain, chewy, nutty | bowls, side dish, salads | 1 : 2 to 1 : 2.5 | 35 to 45 min. |
| Parboiled rice | long-grain, pretreated, hardly sticks | side dish, rice salad, cooking ahead for several days | 1 : 2 | 15 to 20 min. |
How to cook rice explains the basic method. There are separate guides for individual types: How to cook basmati rice, How to cook jasmine rice, How to cook sticky rice and Black rice.
Long-grain, short-grain, sticky rice: starch decides
Rice grains consist mostly of starch, and that is made up of amylose and amylopectin. Amylose keeps the grains separate during cooking. Amylopectin makes them soft and sticky.
- Long-grain rice contains comparatively a lot of amylose. The grains stay fluffy and dry out quickly after cooling.
- Short-grain rice has less amylose. It sticks without falling apart, and you can eat it with chopsticks or shape it into balls.
- Sticky rice consists almost only of amylopectin. Steamed, it turns chewy and elastic.
Despite the name glutinous rice, sticky rice contains no gluten. The name describes the glue-like consistency. All types of rice are naturally gluten-free.
Asian types of rice in detail
Jasmine rice
Jasmine rice comes from Thailand, where it is called hom mali. It smells faintly of pandan and popcorn; the name alludes to the white color of the jasmine blossom. Its grains stick a bit more than basmati. You wash it but don't soak it. Use it for Khao pad or as a side with Thai curries.
Basmati
Basmati grows at the foot of the Himalayas in India and Pakistan. Its grains stretch lengthwise as they cook and stay separate. If you soak them for 20 to 30 minutes, they get longer and more tender. Basmati suits Indian curries, pilaf and Chicken biryani.
Japanese short-grain rice
For sushi, onigiri and donburi you need japonica rice, often sold as sushi rice. Korean dishes such as Bibimbap use the same type of rice. Wash it until the water stays almost clear, and let it rest after cooking. Pudding rice works as a substitute in a pinch but turns softer. Risotto rice gives off too much starch. How to cook sushi rice shows the seasoning with vinegar; for Onigiri you use it unseasoned.
Sticky rice
Sticky rice, also called glutinous rice or mochi rice, you don't cook in water like other rice. You soak it overnight and steam it for 20 to 30 minutes in a bamboo basket or steamer insert. In Laos and northern Thailand many families eat it with their fingers at every meal, as Khao niew. Sweet, you know it as Mango sticky rice.
Black rice
Black rice is a whole-grain rice with dark pigments in the husk. When cooked it dyes water and other ingredients purple. You get it as regular and as sticky rice. You need the sticky type for desserts such as Bubur ketan hitam, the non-sticky type for bowls and salads.
Brown rice and parboiled rice
Brown rice, also called whole-grain rice, keeps the bran layer and germ. The mill removes only the inedible hull. It tastes nutty, stays chewy and takes about twice as long as white rice. The fat in the germ shortens its shelf life.
Producers treat parboiled rice with water, steam and pressure before husking and then dry it. Minerals migrate from the husk into the grain, and the starch gelatinizes. Raw it looks yellowish, cooked white. It hardly sticks and forgives a few minutes too many. For Asian dishes it lacks aroma; as a side or for rice salad it fits.
Which rice goes with which dish?
- Thai, Lao, Cambodian: jasmine rice, and in northern Thailand and Laos sticky rice.
- Indian and Pakistani: basmati.
- Japanese and Korean: short-grain rice, for sushi as for rice bowls.
- Indonesian and Malaysian: long-grain rice, often cooked in coconut milk as with nasi lemak.
- Chinese: long-grain rice in the south, short-grain rice in the northeast.
For fried rice, use cooked rice from the day before. It is drier and doesn't clump in the pan.
Buying and storing rice
You find jasmine and basmati rice in the supermarket, large sacks and sticky rice at an Asian grocery store. Japanese short-grain rice is available at an Asian grocery store and online; look for the label japonica or sushi rice. Health food stores and Asian grocery stores carry black rice.
Store white rice dry, cool and sealed airtight, and it keeps many months and pantry moths can't get in. Brown rice and black rice turn rancid faster because of the fat in the germ. Use them within a few months and smell them before cooking. If you cook rice often, also read the guide on the rice cooker.