Italian rices such as the popular Arborio rice are traditionally used for risotto. However most other rice varieties can be cooked in the risotto style – the final result just might not be as creamy.
A medium or long grain rice that is fluffy and separates when cooked is best for fried rice. White or brown rice can be used, Short grain rice should be avoided as it may go sticky or gluggy. For best result pre-cook rice in steamer and allow to cool in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight before making fried rice.
It is very unlikely that rice will go off if stored correctly. Rice should be kept in an airtight container to prevent it from being exposed to moisture (which may cause mould) or air (which can make rice go ‘stale’).
There is very little variation in the amount of carbs in the different types of rice – with most varieties of white and brown rice having around 74 to 79 grams of carbohydrates per 100 gram serve of rice.
All rice is naturally gluten free. Even ‘glutinous rice’ is gluten free – the name is misleading and only describes this rice’s tendency to go gluggy when cooked.