We catagorize rice into long grain, short grain, and medium grain. Additionally, scientists classify rice by the way it grows and in what soil conditions. There are a staggering 70,000 varieties of rice although only a few hundred are cultivated around the world today. This variety and ubiquity means that there is no cuisine on the planet that does not have rice on its menu. Naturally, one thinks of Asia where rice is the staple food at every meal.
China remains the world's biggest producer with India following as a close second.
Readers not from Texas may be surprised to learn that Texas is the fourth largest producer of rice in the United States, and Texas cooking reflects the wide array of rice dishes from hearty side dishes to main courses spanning many ethnic cuisines. Cooking Rice Rice is easy to cook. However, novice chefs find it intimidating. Simply use two parts of water for every cup of rice. For example, a typical rice side dish consists of adding one cup of rice to two cups of boiling water.