Rice has more than 40,000 varieties, although most are not available commercially, according to Hui Leng Tay in the book "The Everything Rice Cooker Cookbook." Each type varies by starch content, length, cultivation and processing. Whole grain rice differentiates from white rice, because it undergoes minimal processing and retains its husk. Due to this difference, whole grain rice typically requires longer cooking times and will have a firmer texture. They also tend to be more aromatic, colorful, nutritious and flavorful.
Brown Rice
Brown rice can be either short-, medium- or long-grain. Long-grain rices contain higher amounts of the starch amylose, rendering it absorbent and firm. Medium- and short-grain rices displace amylose with amylopectin, which causes the rice to become softer and stickier when cooked. Accordingly, long-grain brown rice requires the longest cooking times under the highest heat. Various rice varieties have unprocessed, brown rice versions, including sweet rice, sticky rice, basmati rice and jasmine rice.
Pigmented Rice
Whole grain pigmented rice come in black, red, purple and mahogany. Their coloring derives from anthocyanin, which is an antioxidant. They also come in types that range from long- to short-grain. Each pigmented rice emits a different aroma when cooked and has a slightly different flavor. Black rice, for example, can have a rich, nutty flavor. Red rice has a decidedly chewy texture, particularly when compared with white rice.
Wild Rice
"Wild rice" is actually a misnomer, as it is not a rice or grain at all. In fact, it's a reedy water plant native to the marshy regions of the northern United States and Canada. It comes in two varieties: mottled gray and shiny black. Both contain antioxidants and twice as much protein as well as B-complex vitamins as white rice. While gray wild rice has a cooking time akin to white rice, black wild rice can take up to two hours. Both have a flavor that Robin Asbell and Caren Alpert describe as "nutty" in "The New Whole Grain Cookbook: Terrific Recipes Using Farro, Quinoa, Brown Rice, Barley and Many Other Delicious and Nutritious Grains."
References
- "The New Whole Grain Cookbook: Terrific Recipes Using Farro, Quinoa, Brown Rice, Barley and Many Other Delicious and Nutritious Grains"; Robin Asbell and Caren Alpert; 2007
- "Understanding Food: Principles and Preparation"; Amy Christine Brown; 2007
- "The Everything Rice Cooker Cookbook"; Hui Leng Tay; 2010
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