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USES OF RICE
 Rice is more than a staple food, it is a versatile ingredient
Rice is rich in energy-giving carbohydrates, very low in fat, contains no cholesterol, and is salt free, sugar free and gluten free.
In Australia, we grow many varieties of rice to suit the culinary expectations of our consumers. The different varieties each have their own texture, cooking ability and taste.
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Arborio
- Bold medium grain with soft texture that absorbs flavours well.
- Ideal for Italian Risotto, Spanish Paella, Greek Dolmades and other Mediterranean dishes. Also suitable for creamed rice and desserts.
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Koshihikari
- Soft sticky texture and glossy appearance when cooked.
- Ideal for Japanese sushi, nori maki meals, rice balls and other Japanese dishes. Also makes excellent creamed rice and desserts.
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Jasmine
- Tender texture with natural fragrance.
- Originally from Thailand - adapted to suit the growing conditions in Australia.
- Ideal for Asian style dishes - Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese such as Fried Rice, Stir Fries, Red and Green Curries.
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Long Grain
- Firm, fluffy texture which separates well when cooked.
- Ideal for most everyday dishes such as fried rice, stir fries, curries and rice salads.
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Medium Grain
- Softer cooking rice with a slightly clingy, creamy texture.
- This rice variety was originally from United States of America, California - adapted to suit the growing conditions in Australia.
- Ideal for most every day dishes including savoury vegetable rice, soup, casseroles, creamed rice and rice desserts.
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Doongara
- Firm texture rice.
- Hard to overcook, so it turns out fluffy, not gluggy.
- Specialist function - Moderately Low Glycaemic Index means that the rice is a slow energy release variety - suitable for people with diabetes and for people engaging in endurance sports.
- Ideal for most everyday dishes.
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Brown Rice
- Wholesome and nutritious grain with a characteristic nutty flavour, and has a slightly chewy, texture.
- The bran layer is the reason why the grains take longer to become soft when cooking than white grain.
- Ideal for poultry stuffing, rissoles, savoury stuffed capsicums and soup.
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Organic Rice
- Grown without the use of chemicals.
- It is suitable for creamed rice, rice puddings, rice soups and casseroles.
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New improved varieties are constantly being developed through an extensive rice breeding program at Yanco Agricultural Institute, jointly funded by the rice industry and the New South Wales Department of Agriculture.
 New varieties are grown and evaluated on the following criteria:
- Length of grain
- Colour of grain
- Cooking quality – time, consistency
- Transparency of grain
- Yield in the paddock
- Water use
A decade or more for a new rice variety
It often takes more than 10 years to develop a new variety of rice. In 2003, a new variety took 16 years to launch to our Australian rice farmers. Known as Quest, this variety has improved water use efficiency by 10% by having a shorter growing lifecycle.
For more information on rice research, visit The Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Rice Production.
 Rice By-Products
By-products from growing rice create many valuable and worthwhile products. Rice hulls, rice bran, broken rice and rice straw are used as common ingredients in horticultural, livestock, industrial, household, and building and food products.
 The industry's stockfeed enterprises use rice by-products extensively and the industry has invested millions of dollars in continuing research and development programs to find new applications for its by-products. For more information, visit CopRice.
Burnt rice hulls go to many industries including steel making, and into products such as potting mixes and building materials. Combustion of rice hulls is carried out at the industry's biomass conversion facilities.
Incorporating rice stubble and some surplus rice hulls into the soil after harvest creates organic matter. This organic matter assists the soil and provides nutrients for future crops.
Did you know many breakfast and baby foods utilise rice flour milled from broken rice grains?
 Other Rice Related Products
- Rice Paper
- Rice Cakes
- Rice Flour
- Sake – Rice Drink
- Rice Based Beer
- Cat & Pet Litter
- Pet Food
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ABOUT RICE
 History of Rice
Rice Facts
Industry Structure
 Uses of Rice
Growing Rice In Australia
How Rice is Grown
Storage & Milling
Marketing & Export
Technology
Research
Rice Community
FAQ's
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