What Is Haiga Rice?
Which Rice is the Best? Simple, white rice is the foundation of Japanese cuisine. In fact, the word for rice, (pronounced go-han), is identical to the words for “food” and “meal.” However, the average Asian grocery store will likely carry a variety of options.
Which of these rice varieties is the most suitable? Consult this guide to determine which rice is appropriate for the dish you have in mind. This is the most basic type of rice you can find. It is typically sold in short- and medium-grain varieties, but the distinction between them is negligible when purchasing an Asian cultivar.
The bran and germ have been removed from white rice, leaving it almost entirely composed of starch. It has a smooth, slightly sticky, and very soft texture, making it ideal for delicate foods such as sushi or rice balls. In older recipes, short- to medium-grain white rice is commonly referred to as “sticky rice” because it is significantly stickier than long-grain varieties.
- This should not be confused with actual Asian sticky rice, which is only used to make mochi.
- Brown Rice Brown rice contains both the bran and the germ, making it considerably more protein- and fiber-rich than white rice.
- Brown rice typically requires a longer cooking time and greater amounts of water due to the bran and germ.
Brown rice is also available in a quick-cooking variety in which the bran has been perforated without being removed. These perforations make it easier for water to enter the rice, making the cooking time comparable to that of white rice without sacrificing nutritional value.
- Brown rice has a firmer texture and distinctly nutty flavor, so it may not be ideal for sushi, but it is an excellent source of protein for rice bowls and curries.
- It is also commonly used to make inarizushi, a sweet rice cake wrapped in tofu.
- Haiga rice functions as a sort of compromise between white rice and brown rice.
Haiga rice is devoid of the bran but retains the germ. This makes it stickier and softer than brown rice, with more protein and a bolder flavor than white rice. Haiga rice has the same cooking time and water requirements as white rice due to the absence of bran.
Haiga rice is excellent for adding a healthy twist to a variety of dishes, including rice balls and rice bowls. Mochi Rice: Also known as mochigome, this ultra-short grain rice (the grains are roughly spherical) is extremely high in gluten, resulting in a chewy and sticky cooked product. Mochi rice is typically used only to make mochi because it is so sticky and chewy that it is not particularly appetizing for any other purpose.
Occasionally, a small amount of mochigome is combined with regular white rice to create a slightly chewier rice ball: Which Rice is the Best?
Is Haiga rice more superior to brown rice?
A year after returning from a life-altering trip to Japan, I discovered haiga-mai rice. I was primarily macrobiotic at the time, which consisted primarily of rice and grain bowls. Therefore, I was ecstatic when my colleague Adina brought in some rice she had recently discovered at Mitsuwa, a Japanese megamarket in New Jersey.
- She placed a bag on my desk and exclaimed, “You’re going to love this!” Haiga-mai is comparable to the “Goldilocks” option between white and brown rices.
- If you are the type of person who frequently asks, “What is the best rice to eat?” Or debating between the deliciousness of white rice and the nutritional value of brown rice, then this third variety may be the answer.
The neutral flavor and quick cooking time of white rice make it a popular grain. The problem, from a nutritional standpoint, is that the grains have been polished to remove the outer husk (also known as the bran) and the oil-rich germ found in brown rice.
Haiga-mai rice, on the other hand, undergoes a special milling process that removes the bran but leaves the germ intact, granting it the quick cooking time, tender texture, and easy digestibility of white rice while retaining the nutritious germ of brown rice. Haiga-mai, also known as semi-polished or half-milled rice, is the best of both worlds! Find Haiga-mai rice in Asian grocery stores or online.
Photographed by Chelsea Kyle and styled by Katherine Sacks. In terms of flavor, haiga-mai rice resides between white and brown rice. As with brown rice, it has a slightly nuttier texture and a more chewy texture than white rice. But it is much closer to white rice in flavor, texture, and color, and contains more fiber, vitamin E and B, niacin, and calcium.
- I assumed that, given the nutritional benefits of haiga-mai and the fact that the Japanese consume a great deal of white rice, they would be big fans of haiga-mai.
- I contacted Elizabeth Andoh, who has lived in Japan for over four decades, is the author of seven Japanese cookbooks, and is an expert on Japanese cuisine, to get the scoop.
“I occasionally consume haiga-mai, but I don’t purchase it,” says Andoh, who prefers white rice for traditional Japanese dishes such as takikomi and mazegohan due to its greater absorbency.
Organic Lundberg Family Farms Long-Grain Brown Rice Certified organic, gluten-free, and non-GMO, their organic long-grain brown rice is among the best available. Additionally, it contains no additives and only one ingredient: organic long-grain brown rice.
Which brown rice contains the least arsenic?
How to consume rice safely: Consume less rice. If you are concerned, I recommend eating only half the daily recommended amount of rice and increasing the variety of grains you consume. Rinse your rice. The U.S. Rice Foundation recommends rinsing uncooked rice prior to cooking, using a rice-to-water ratio of 1 to 6, and draining any excess water after cooking.
- Learn which types of white rice are regarded as the safest.
- Overall, white basmati rice from California, India, and Pakistan, as well as sushi rice from the United States, contains half as much inorganic arsenic as other types of rice.
- However, rice from Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, and the majority of other U.S.
locations contained the highest levels of inorganic arsenic, with the exception of sushi and quick-cooking rice. Limit children’s consumption of rice-based beverages. Rice-containing beverages have among the highest levels of inorganic arsenic, so they should be given to children under 5 with caution.
- Select your brown rice with care.
- Although brown rice contains more nutrients than white rice, it contains approximately 80% more inorganic arsenic, according to scientific studies.
- Brown basmati rice from California, India, and Pakistan has one-third less arsenic than other types of brown rice.
- Try different grains.
According to the U.S. Rice Foundation, gluten-free and gluten-containing grains contain almost no inorganic arsenic. In addition to bulgur, barley, and farro, you could add amaranth, buckwheat, millet, and polenta (or grits) to your diet.