Medium grain rice is wider than long grain, with several types including California, southern, Arborio, and Mochi. California is mild and sticky, southern has more flavor and is yellowish, Arborio is creamy, and Mochi is sweet and sticky.
When people talk about the grain of rice, they are generally referring to the length of a typical grain of rice. There are many varieties of short grain rice and also long grain. Between the short and long grain versions, there are a variety of medium grain rice types.
Medium-grain rice is typically slightly wider than long-grain rice, but also shorter, about six millimeters per inch is a good average estimate. Typically, rice is about three times as long as it is wide; thus, the width of these grains tends to measure approximately two millimeters. There are several different types of rice that fall under the medium grain classification, not just one variety. These can vary in flavor, so you’ll want to know which type you’re buying to serve the rice that best complements the meal you’re preparing.
Types of rice that can be classified as medium grain include:
California Medium Grain
southern medium grain
California Mochi
Chefs tend to refer to the Californian or Southern versions of medium grain rice as true medium grain since they are so different from Mochi. California medium grain may be known as calrose, and requires growing regions that have special climates where the climate remains mild. Growth regions include California, parts of Korea and China, Japan, and Australia. When rice is grown in countries other than the US, it is often popular, eaten plain, and preferred because it has a mild flavor, especially white rice versions. It tends to be softer and a bit stickier than other varieties of rice, particularly many long grain types.
In contrast, southern medium-grain rice is not as soft or sticky. While the California version is a japonica variety of rice, the southern versions are of the indica variety. Rice tends to have more flavor, and is generally more yellowish than white when cooked (in white rice versions). It is popular in the southern US and is usually not eaten on its own, but paired with meat or beans with sauces. You can use southern medium grain in recipes for red beans and rice, for example.
Arborio rice looks a bit like California medium grain rice, but it’s very different when cooked. The outside of the bean becomes creamy while the inside remains slightly firm. Arborio rice is especially popular in Italy, and is often used in dishes like risotto.
Mochi rice really differs from the other types. It is called sticky rice and is favored for its sweetness and because the rice grains stick very well to each other. People also enjoy its sweetness, as it tends to have a higher gluten content, and it is used in a variety of Asian dishes.
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