What Is Extra Long Grain White Rice And How To Serve It

Walk down the rice and pasta aisle of any grocery store and you are presented with so many choices it can make your brain boil.

This is true for rice in particular. There is sticky rice, Jasmine rice, Basmati rice, brown rice, long grain white rice and that’s just a few of the options. It’s head-spinning decision time anytime you go down that aisle.

This article is about long grain white rice, how to cook it and a good white rice recipe to fully enjoy it.

First of all, let’s explain what is exactly long grain white rice. According to its Google definition it is: “as it’s name states, tends to be 4-5x longer than it is wide. The key feature is that the grains stay fluffy yet separate after being cooked and tends to not to clump together. They tend to have a firmer, drier texture and are ideal for side dishes and salads.”

Now we don’t expect you to get out a ruler to confirm the measurements of the rice so we won’t concern ourselves with that detail. Rather, we will focus on how to cook it and the endless ways to enjoy it.

How To Cook Long Grain White Rice

Like all rice, the ratio of water-to-rice is 2-for-1. So use two cups of water for one cup of rice.

Heat the water and when it boils, add in the rice. Then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover it. Leave it alone for 20 minutes. Do this and it will be perfect. Resist the temptation to “peek” by removing the lid; you’ll risk ruining it. Just let the rice, water and heat do its job.

This rice can be cooked over the stove, in a microwave, Instant Pot or in a rice cooker.

After it’s done, this rice stays fluffy and does not stick together, which makes it ideal for adding to casseroles and as a stuffing.

Cooking Long Grain White Rice In A Microwave

Cooking purists turn your head. Modern-day convenience chefs, pay attention.

You can actually, believe it or not, cook this rice in the microwave. It’s a huge timesaver. The water-to-rice ratio is the same as in the other cooking methods. Put both in a microwave-safe dish, heat at high for 5 minutes, then reduce to 50% and heat for 15 more minutes. Let that cool for a minute, then fluff with a fork and enjoy!

For best results, do not microwave more than 1 cup of rice per batch.​

Long Grain White Rice Serving Suggestions

Like all rice, long grain white rice is an ideal side dish. The options are endless but to narrow it down a bit, this rice is particularly tasty with burritos, salads, lettuce wraps, in soups, with fruit and vegetables.

You can eat it from breakfast to dinner. Put it omelettes to start your day in creamy rice desserts such as rice pudding to end your day.

For lunch, put it in a wrap, a burrito or a rice salad. For dinner, it’s great as a base for a tasty stir fry, as rice pilaf or baked in casseroles and even in stuffed vegetables (hollow out a bell pepper, stuff it with meat and rice and then put in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes).

Don’t forget about rich and creamy rice desserts like a traditional arroz con leche and the previously-mentioned rice pudding.

For the kids, use a blender to make homemade rice purees using rice in combination with vegetables.

The Extra Long Grain Carolina White Rice is available in the following sizes: 16oz (454g),32 oz (907g),48 oz (1.4kg),80 oz (2.27kg),160oz (4.5kg),320 oz (9.07kg),800 oz (22.7kg).

It is available in grocery stores all around the world.