Amasake
A thick, fermented liquid made from cooked rice and koji starter; used as a beverage or flavoring ingredient in Japanese cuisine; also known as rice milk.

Amylopectin
The type of starch found in highest proportion in medium, short, and waxy rice that makes these rices more tender with a greater tendency to cling. The amylopectin:amylose ratio in rice determines the textural properties of rice when it is cooked.

Amylose
The type of starch found in long grain rice that makes long grain rice cook up fluffy and separate with a low tendency to cling. The amylopectin:amylose ratio in rice determines the textural properties of rice when it is cooked.

Arborio
Arborio rice is a traditional Italian rice used in making risottos. Arborio is also grown in the United States. By way of length/width ratio and starch characteristics, it is classified as a medium grain rice.

Aromatic Rice
Rice with a natural aroma and flavor similar to that of roasted popcorn or nuts. Also called fragrant rice. The United States grows different types of aromatic rices. Some cook dry and separate and some cook moist and tender.

Baby Foods
Rice is an important ingredient in commercially produced baby foods because it is easy to digest and is not likely to cause a food allergy reaction.

Basmati
An aromatic rice native to Pakistan and India. It is also grown in the United States. It has a natural flavor and aroma similar to that of roasted popcorn or nuts. When cooked, the grain swells only lengthwise, resulting in long, thin grains. When cooked, the grains are dry and separate.

Black Japonica
Musky, spicy and aromatic, this blend was developed by Lundberg Family Farms from a black short-grain rice of Japanese origin and a mahogany-colored medium grain variety, both grown in the same field. An excellent rice for stir fry, stuffings or side dishes.

Boil-in-Bag Rice
Specially processed rice that has been pre-measured and packaged into perforated cooking bags for quick and easy rice preparation.

Brewer's Rice
Broken grains of rice used as an ingredient in beer brewing. Rice has been ranked highly as a brewing adjunct from the standpoint of yield, overall performance in the brew house and in its influence on beer stability and quality.

Broken Kernels
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture standards, kernels of rice which are less than three-fourths of the whole kernel are classified as broken. Broken kernels are put to many uses; including brewing beer and rice flour.

Brown Rice
The least processed form of rice. It has the outer hull removed, but still retains the bran layers that give it that characteristic tan color and nut-like flavor.

Converted Rice
See Parboiled.

Christmas Rice
A short-grain red rice with a nutty, roasted flavor. Grown exclusively by Lundberg Family Farms in Richvale, California. Unlike most short-grain rices, it doesn't stick together when cooked. Originally from Asia, this rice adds color and a firm almost crunchy texture to salads and casseroles.

Della Rice
Della is an aromatic rice that was developed in the United States. It is described as having characteristics similar to basmati. It has the same flavor and aroma and it cooks dry and separate. However, the cooked kernels are not as long and slender as basmati because the grains, when cooking, swell both lengthwise and widthwise, like regular long grain rice.

Enriched Rice
Rice which has some of the nutrients replaced which were lost during milling. Most rice is enriched with iron, niacin, thiamin and folic acid. The enrichment is applied as a topical coating, therefore, should NOT be rinsed before or after cooking, and should NOT be cooked in large amounts of water and drained. This would result in loss of enrichment and other water-soluble vitamins and minerals.

Flavored Rice Mixes
Any of a variety of dried rice packaged with seasonings, fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc.

Hoppin' John
Southern dish of ham, black-eyed peas and rice traditionally served on the first day of the new year to bring good luck. Said to have originated in the kitchens of African slaves and taught to mistresses of Southern plantations.

Instant Rice
See Precooked.

Jambalaya
A traditional Louisiana rice dish, highly seasoned, and flavored with sausage, ham, seafood, pork, chicken or other meat.

Jasmine
An aromatic rice grown in the United States and Thailand. It has a flavor and aroma similar to that of roasted popcorn or nuts, and a soft, moist texture that clings together.

Long Grain Rice
Rice that is four to five times as long as it is wide. The cooked grains are separate and fluffy.

Medium Grain Rice
Rice that is a little shorter and plumper than long grain rice. After cooking, the grains are more moist and tender, and have a greater tendency to cling together than long grain.

Milled Rice
Rice in which the hulls and bran have been removed. It is also referred to as polished or white rice.

Milling
Rice milling is the removal of the hulls and bran from harvested, dried rough rice to produce a milled, polished or white rice.

Packaged Rice Dinner Mixes
Any of a variety of dried rice packaged with seasonings, fruits, vegetables, nuts, pasta, etc. to which meat, fish or poultry are added.

Paddy Rice
See Rough Rice.

Paella
A traditional Spanish dish of saffron flavored rice, shellfish, chicken, chorizo, vegetables and seasonings.

Parboiled Rice
Rough rice soaked in warm water under pressure, steamed and dried before milling. This procedure gelatinizes the starch in the grain, and ensures a separateness of grain. It also retains more nutrients than regular-milled white rice, but it takes a few minutes longer to cook.

Pearl Rice
See Short Grain Rice.

Pilaf
A light and fluffy rice dish originating in the Middle East. The rice is often sautéed in a fat, and then cooked in a broth with onions, raisins, various spices, and sometimes meat.

Polished Rice
See Milled Rice.

Precooked Rice
Rice that is milled, completely cooked and then dehydrated. Preparation takes only a few minutes, making precooked rice ideal for hurry-up meals and speedy desserts. Precooked rice is enriched and as nutritious as other rices. Also called quick cooking and instant rice.

Regular-Milled White Rice
Rice that is also referred to as "white" or "polished" rice, the most common form of rice. The outer husk is removed and the layers of bran are milled away until the grain is white. It takes 15 minutes to cook.

Reheating Rice
For each cup of cooked rice, add 2 tablespoons liquid. Cover and heat on top of the range or in the oven for about 5 minutes until heated through. If reheating in a microwave oven, cover and cook on HIGH power about 1 minute per cup of rice. Frozen rice may be cooked 2 minutes on HIGH power for each cup.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.)
A semi-aquatic member of the grass family. Its edible seed is the staple grain for over half the world's population.

Rice Bran
The pericarp or outer cuticle layers and germ directly beneath the hull. The bran is removed during the milling process to make regular-milled white rice. It has a sweet, nutty flavor and is rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber. Research indicates rice bran is helpful in reducing blood cholesterol levels. Also, rice oil is extracted from rice bran.

Rice Bran Oil
Extracted from rice bran, rice bran oil is a high-quality cooking oil that has an excellent balance of fatty acids. Research shows that the consumption of rice bran oil may be effective in lowering serum cholesterol. Rice oil refined to a lesser extent is used as a conditioner for leather goods.

Rice Cakes
A low calorie rice snack most often made with puffed rice. They can be eaten plain, or topped with peanut butter and jelly, cheese, bean dip, guacamole, etc. much like regular crackers. Most rice cakes have only 35 calories per cake. Some brands come in flavors such as apple and cinnamon, cheese and taco-flavored.

Rice Cereals
Cereals that are made from the entire rice grain and can be puffed, flaked, crisped, etc., like ready-to-eat rice cereals found on the market. Rice cereals that require cooking are made with whole grain or granulated rice. Rice cereals can also be used to make very smooth rice pudding and other rice desserts.

Rice Bran Oil
Extracted from rice bran, rice bran oil is a high-quality cooking oil that has an excellent balance of fatty acids. Research shows that the consumption of rice bran oil may be effective in lowering serum cholesterol. Rice oil refined to a lesser extent is used as a conditioner for leather goods.

Rice Flour
Rice ground into flour which can be used in place of wheat flour for baking. Rice flour has no gluten, a protein found in wheat flour. Since rice is non-allergenic, this flour is particularly valuable to individuals allergic to wheat flour products.

Rice Flour Noodles
Extremely thin noodles made from finely ground rice and water. When deep-fried, rice noodles explode dramatically into a tangle of airy, crunchy strands. When stir-fried, they remain soft.

Rice Growing States
Arkansas, California, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas are the seven states where rice is grown.

Rice Hulls
The inedible outer husks or straw of the rice grain which are removed during processing.

Rice Milk
Rice milk is a dairy-substitute made from white rice, brown rice or rice flour. It can be used as a beverage, flavoring or ingredient an a wide variety of recipe applications. See also Amasake.

Rice Oil
See Rice Bran Oil.

Rice Paper
A thin, dry, nearly translucent sheet made from a dough of rice flour and water and used as wrappers in Vietnamese and Thai spring rolls.

Rice Starch
A major component of milled rice. It is present only in the endosperm of the grain making up 90-93 percent of the milled rice dry weight. Rice starch is used as a thickener in making sauces and desserts. It can be hydrolyzed to make a sweet syrup.

Rice Vinegar
Vinegar made from fermented rice. Chinese rice vinegars are sharp and sour. Japanese vinegars are mellow.

Rice Wine
Sweet, golden wine made from fermenting freshly steamed glutinous rice. Most rice wines are low in alcohol. Most well-known Japanese rice wines include Sake and Mirin. Chinese rice wines include Chia Fan, Hsiang Hsueh, Shan Niang, and Yen Hung.

Rijsttafel
Dutch for "rice table," rijsttafel is the Dutch version of an Indonesian meal consisting of small well-seasoned side dishes such as steamed or fried seafood and meats, vegetables, fruits, sauces, condiments, etc. The Dutch adopted this style of dining during their occupation of Indonesia in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Risotto
A rich and creamy Italian rice dish in which the rice is sautéed in fat with onions, and cooked in broth. It's often flavored with Parmesan cheese.

Rough Rice
Rice as it comes from the field. Also called paddy rice. The rice kernels are still encased in an inedible, protective hull which must be removed.

Sake
The traditional wine of Japan made from fermented rice. The sweet, light-colored beverage is most often served heated and with meals.

Short Grain Rice
Rice that is a little shorter than medium grain rice. As a rule, the shorter the grain, the more tender and clinging it cooks.

Storage of Cooked Rice
All forms of cooked rice can be refrigerated for 6 to 7 days, or frozen for 6 months. Be sure to store the cooked rice in a tightly covered container or sealable plastic bag so the grains won't dry out or absorb flavors of other foods.

Sushi
A Japanese dish of cooked seasoned rice served with a variety of other ingredients, usually fish.

Sweet Rice
Also called waxy or glutinous, these rice grains are short and plump with a chalky white, opaque kernel. When cooked, this rice is very glutinous. It is more often used in commercial product formulations than in recipes. The starch and flour from waxy rice is used frozen as a binder for gravies, sauces and fillings, because it is resistant to breakdown during freezing and thawing.

Texmati
An aromatic rice that's a cross between American long grain and basmati. Available in both white and brown versions.

Waxy Rice Flour
Also called sweet-flour, this flour is ground from waxy rice and is used extensively in frozen foods. Waxy rice flour is able to withstand syneresis during freezing and thawing. This resistance to liquid separation is attributed to its high amylopectin content.

Wehani
A long grain mahogany colored rice, grown exclusively by Lundberg Family Farms. Splits slightly when cooked. Wehani has a distinctive aroma that has been described as nutty, musky or even buttery. Well suited for stuffings, salads, pilafs and some desserts.

White Rice
See Milled Rice.

Wild Pecan
A long-grain aromatic rice from Louisiana's Cajun rice growing area, with a flavor reminiscent of pecans.

Wild Rice
Not a true rice, wild rice is the grain of an aquatic grass native to North America. It is dark brown, has a chewy texture, and a nutty flavor. Native Americans traditionally harvested wild rice by using a long pole to bend the stalks over their canoes, and another pole to hit the stalks and loosen the ripe grains. Today most of what is sold as "wild" rice is actually cultivated and then mechanically harvested and processed. Wild rice expands 3-4 times its original size during cooking and is ready when some of the kernels pop; you'll see a little of the white inside the dark hulls.