What rice should I use when a recipe asks for "short grain rice"?
If a recipe says "short grain rice", which would be the correct rice to use?
Best Answer
Basically:
"Long grain" is just a generic classification for rice whose milled grains are at least three times as long as they are wide. (Don't worry; you don't have to be good at math to love rice.) Common varieties are usually simply labeled "long grain," but you might know them as basmati, Carolina, jasmine or Texmati.
With "medium grain" rice, the grains are less than three times as long as they are wide. Look for bomba, carnaroli, arborio, vialone, Valencia or Thai sticky rice, to name a few.
This is the last one that involves math, we promise. "Short grain" rice indicates grains that are less than twice as long as they are wide. To confuse things a bit, though, medium grain and short grain rice are often combined into this one category, which includes sushi and CalRose rice.
Source: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/guides/rice.php
Short grain rice isn't a specific rice. It is a group of rice that shared similar short grained characteristics. Generally speaking, short grain rice is short and stubby. When cooked, it will be chewier and stickier than its longer grained counterparts. You can tell they are short grain by what they look like. 
Use this picture as a reference for what they should look like. And many rice packages even write the words "long grain" and "short grain" on the front.
Pictures about "What rice should I use when a recipe asks for "short grain rice"?"
What is a good substitute for short-grain rice?
COMMON RICE ALTERNATIVES- Barley \u2013 This is pretty similar to wheat and rye. ...
- Bulgur Wheat \u2013 Here is a whole-wheat rice substitute. ...
- Chopped Cabbage \u2013 Cabbage goes well with a lot of different dishes. ...
- Farro \u2013 This is a whole-grain wheat product, chewier than rice, and packs a punch when it comes to protein!
What rice is considered short-grain?
Sushi rice and arborio rice are two varieties of short-grain rice.Can I use medium-grain rice instead of short-grain?
Some dishes simply work best with the firm, distinct grain you get with long-grain rice, while other thrive on chewier medium-grain rice or plump, sticky short-grain rice. The difference is not just the size, but also the texture of the rice, so the rice you use in a given recipe really does make a difference.Can you substitute long-grain rice for short-grain rice?
A little squatter than long-grain, medium-grain rice is thought by some to be essentially the same as short-grain rice. It's true that it cooks up sticky, like short-grain, and you can usually substitute one for the other without much consequence.Which Rice for Which Dish- Kitchen Conundrums with Thomas Joseph
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