There are thousands of types of rice in the world, specifically more than 40.000 types. All of them provide benefits for our body, since they are a source of proteins of vegetable origin and carbohydrates.
Although all rice comes from the same plant, the Oriza Sativa, not all are the same. Each variety has a different shape, texture, aroma and color. Also, not all have the same amount of starch. So, the ideal is to choose the type of rice that best suits the dish we want to cook.
1 Albufera rice
It is a cross between the Bomba and Senia varieties, with a round, pearly and crystalline grain that allows the flavors to be absorbed very well. It is a very young rice variety, which was developed at the Valencian Institute of Agrarian Research (IVIA).
It is a rice that also supports cooking very well.
It has around 24-26% amylose, a high percentage, similar to long grain rice, and therefore after cooking it is loose.
As a curiosity, the Albufera rice plant is very resistant, since it is smaller than other varieties such as Bomba rice, and therefore has less suffering from winds and storms.
Albufera rice from "la Dehesa" is a Valencian rice grown entirely in the Natural Park of La Albufera de Valencia, an environment that due to its natural flooding, climate, soil properties and the ancient ancient arts used generation after generation by Valencian farmers it becomes one of the best places in the world to grow rice. It is also a rice with DO Valencia.
For creamy and soupy rice dishes, it is luxury!
2.Basmati rice
It is a very popular rice in Asia, and especially in India. It is very rich in nutrients, long-grained and with a very particular aroma. It is a rice with a lower glycemic index than other rices, so it is ideal for people with diabetes to consume.
It is a perfect type of rice to accompany all kinds of curries!
3.Rice Pump
According to experts, this rice is considered one of the best quality due to its chemical composition. It has the perfect ratio of amylase to amylopectin. The rice remains loose after cooking, making it ideal for Mediterranean cuisine and paellas.
4.Carnaroli rice
It is originally from Italy, from the Piedmont region. It has a medium, round grain and is classified as a high quality superfine rice. It is rich in starch, which makes it ideal for making any type of risotto. It has a great capacity to absorb water and flavors, so it gives dishes a lot of creaminess.
5.Rice for sushi
The special rice for sushi is a round grain rice, of the japonica variety, with crystalline grain and a uniform white color. It is a glutinous grain, sweet, creamy and dry once cooked. It is a rice with a high starch content, which makes its grains very caked (which is what we need to make good sushi)
This rice, as its name indicates, is ideal for preparing sushi!
6.Brown rice
It has been cultivated in China for more than 7 thousand years, and after wheat it is the second most consumed cereal in the world. It provides complex carbohydrates, and keeps blood sugar levels constant. It is an optimal cereal for diabetics, with many vitamins (especially from group B: B1, B2, B6 and vitamin E), proteins, fats and minerals (such as potassium, phosphorus and magnesium)
We can have a brown rice salad, or a whole wheat paella, why not?
Do not forget to try these 6 types of rice from "Dehesa de la Albufera" rice grown entirely in the Natural Park of La Albufera in Valencia.
Bon appetit!
AUTHOR: Ana Gómez, graduate in Chemistry, Biochemistry and WSET3 sommelier. CEO of Perfectanino.
