Long-grain rice: names of varieties, calorie content and properties, differences from the round-grain type
General information, the history of the emergence of culture
Rice appeared on earth before BC. e. in Asian countries. It was brought to European countries in the early 18th century. And still today it is one of the most popular cereals. Almost daily it is present in the menu of Europeans. In the countries of the East, rice is eaten several times a day, having many recipes in its arsenal. According to research, each Japanese eats 100 kg of rice every year.
There are several thousand varieties of rice, and the taste, color and variety depend on the country in which it was grown. This is a rather unpretentious culture. Most types of rice are grown in China, India, Russia, and Japan. Moreover, in the countries of the East, the cultivation of this cereal is a whole family affair with a bunch of subtleties and nuances.
The most popular are white round and long varieties of rice. If white polished round-grain rice is used, due to its stickiness, for casseroles, milk porridges, stuffed dishes, sushi, then long-grain rice is a full-fledged side dish with its own pronounced taste.
Long-grain cereal is polished and unpolished. The sanded look is one of the most commonly used. After all, it does not stick together, does not cook for long, has its own taste and aroma.This product is distinguished by the absence of gluten in its content, which means it is suitable for people with diabetes.
When grinding, the cereal is cleared of the outer shell, which contains many useful substances and fiber. The grain is polished, which makes it look very appetizing. But it is more useful to use unpolished rice.
Also, long-grain cereal, depending on the processing, is white, brown, steamed. Accordingly, its useful qualities and nutritional value change. If round rice does not have a pronounced taste and smell, then the long-grain relative is completely different from the round-grain one in these parameters. There are also differences in the amount of starch contained, which is much greater in the round variety than in the long-grain variety.
Popular types, their calorie content and distinctive features
In our country, several types have gained popularity, let's see how they differ and what is the calorie content of different varieties.
- Long grain white ground rice occupies, of course, the first positions. It has its own distinctive taste and aroma, does not stick together, unlike the round one, is quick and easy to prepare, and looks appetizing. The calorie content of such rice is 365 kcal per 100 grams.
- Steamed Long Rice confidently holds the second place. Under special conditions, it is treated with steam under pressure, due to which useful substances are formed in the grain and starch, which gives the product stickiness, is destroyed. Parboiled grain has a golden color, which changes to white when cooked. Such rice is very useful, its calorie content is 341 kcal.
- Variety "Jasmine" It has a faint milky taste and is named after the shrub whose aroma it vaguely resembles. Boiled for a short time, 20 minutes, it turns out crumbly.Prepare side dishes from it, add to salads. Its calorie content is 343 kcal.
- brown rice during processing, they are cleaned only from the rough shell, completely leaving the fiber. It is more useful than the described types of rice, it has its own flavor. It is very popular among the elderly and those who lead a healthy lifestyle due to its high fiber content. It cooks for approximately 40 minutes. The calorie content of this variety is 337 kcal.
- Varieties "Basmati" and "Indian" have their own special taste and aroma. Long thin grains, grown in excellent climatic conditions, are not in vain called a separate variety. Their calorie content is 342 kcal.
- red rice - a variety of Thai grain. It takes about 40-50 minutes to cook, however, if you pre-soak it overnight, the cooking time can be reduced. This variety is not very popular with us. Calorie content is 334 kcal.
- Brown rice known for its light nutty flavor. This type is also popular with supporters of proper nutrition, because processing is minimized and the outer shell is not removed. Its calorie content is 340 kcal.
- Wild rice is one of the highest nutritional varieties of varieties and, accordingly, expensive. It has a record amount of fiber, a lot of useful elements and a very low calorie content equal to 105 kcal per 100 g of grains.
As you can see, the less rice is processed, the more useful properties and vitamins it contains, the less calories it has. But the longer the cooking time will be.
Benefit and harm
Eating rice is beneficial for the human body. The amount of useful substances and vitamins in it varies depending on the method of its processing. The benefits of this cereal in a large number of vitamins B, E, essential minerals - magnesium, zinc, iron, calcium, potassium, silicon, phosphorus.
These substances have a positive effect on the nervous system, the cardiovascular system is supported by magnesium. Calcium is generally involved in 90% of the processes occurring in the body.
The benefits of unpolished varieties are in the high content of fiber, the preservation of useful substances in the shell. Thanks to the gluten-free composition, the grains are approved for use by people suffering from diabetes. Many diets and healthy recipes are based on this product, due to its low calorie content, the presence of fiber and the absence of fat. This cereal perfectly removes sodium salts from the body, relieving pain for people suffering from urolithiasis.
However, it should not be used by people suffering from constipation. Frequent use is also not recommended, because it absorbs not only sodium salts from the body, but also useful substances.
Preparation of fluffy white polished rice
What is the right way to cook rice? This can be done on a conventional stove in a bowl with thick walls and in a slow cooker.
On the stove
Fill a saucepan with 2 liters of cold water, bring to a boil. Rice, about one glass, thoroughly rinse with cold water, pour into a saucepan when the water boils, and cook over very low heat under a closed lid for 20-25 minutes. Don't interfere! Then turn off the gas and let the porridge brew for 7-10 minutes. Then throw the cereal in a colander, rinse with cold water and pour over with boiling water. And only then you can add salt, oil.
In a slow cooker
Place well-washed rice in a bowl, one glass. Add 2 cups water, salt. Set the multicooker to the “Porridge” mode and cook for 20 minutes. After turning off the program, let the rice brew for another 5-10 minutes. You can add oil if you like.
Recipes
Risotto
Perhaps one of the most popular dishes using long-grain rice is risotto. It is cooked with seafood, chicken. And since it's summer, you can cook risotto with vegetables.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup washed white long-grain polished rice;
- 1 small carrot;
- 1 small onion;
- salt, pepper, seasoning from dried tomato, basil and garlic - to taste;
- Bulgarian pepper;
- canned corn - 1 can.
Cook rice according to the recommendations described above. Cut the carrot into small cubes, chop the onion as for frying. Fry them in a pan with butter. Pepper cut into cubes. Mix rice, carrots, onions, adding salt, pepper, seasoning to taste, simmer for 3-5 minutes. At the end, add bell pepper and corn. When serving, sprinkle with herbs.
This dish can be eaten on its own or as a side dish.
Lenten pilaf with mushrooms
People who lead a healthy lifestyle, and those who fast, will like pilaf with mushrooms. It is easy to prepare, however, rich in rich taste and nutritious.
Ingredients:
- long grain rice - 1 cup;
- champignon mushrooms -600 g;
- onion - 1 pc.;
- carrots - 1 pc.;
- salt, pepper, seasonings to taste.
Wash the mushrooms, cut in half and cut each half into slices. Pour oil into a heavy bottomed pan. Add mushrooms to the heated oil, salt and fry until the water from the mushrooms is reduced by half. Finely chop the onion, carrots into thin narrow slices. Add onions and carrots to the mushrooms, fry for about 5 minutes, until the color of the onion changes to golden. Add washed rice to vegetables.Pour all this with water so that it is 1-1.5 cm higher than the level of rice, add salt, pepper, spices. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20-25 minutes. After that, turn off the fire and let the rice rest for another 10 minutes.
Rice with chicken and mushrooms in pots
Ingredients:
- long white rice - 1 cup;
- champignons - 300 g;
- onions - 2 pcs.;
- carrots - 1 pc.;
- chicken fillet - 0.5 kg;
- tomato paste;
- hard cheese -150-200g;
- salt, pepper, spices to taste.
Cut the mushrooms into slices, onion into half rings, carrots into long thin sticks, fry everything together until half cooked, add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, salt, pepper. Cut the chicken fillet into long strips, like carrots, salt and fry for about 6 minutes to brown over medium heat. Prepare rice for cooking in the above manner by rinsing several times with cold water. Preliminary preparation is done, now everything needs to be laid in pots and baked.
Lay in layers: first rice, chicken on top, then mushrooms with carrots and onions. Repeat layers several times. Fill halfway or slightly more than halfway. Cover with a lid and place in the oven for 30 minutes at 180 degrees. At the end, sprinkle with grated cheese and send to the oven for another 3-5 minutes. When serving, you can decorate the dish with herbs. Most of all, black Borodino bread is suitable for him.
Remember that rice increases in volume during cooking. After filling the pot, fill it with water 1-1.5 cm above the contents.
For information on which type of long-grain rice to choose, see the following video.