Mr. Food Test Kitchen: February 20, 2013 Lemon Garlic Rice

You know, a few weeks ago, I went to the market to pick up a bag of plain old white rice, and I have to admit: I was blown away at how many varieties they had. And I knew if I felt that way so did you. So I thought today it would be good to help simplify what some of the most popular ones are and what they're used for. The most common rice we find is long-grain white rice, and it's probably what's in your pantry. And as for looks, it's slender, about 3 or 4 times longer than it is wide, and since it contains less starch, when it's cooked, the grains separate and fluff up. Looking for rice with lots of flavor? Try jasmine. It's simply an aromatic long-grain rice that has a distinctive aroma and flavor, similar to that of popcorn. Then there's basmati, similar to jasmine, yet when it's cooked, it expands only lengthwise, giving us long slender grains that are drier and fluffier.  For all of you sushi lovers, you probably know that when we cook short-grain rice it's stickier, so it clings together. Then there's converted or parboiled rice. All that is, is long-grain rice that's been pre-cooked, then dehydrated, which means it cooks up in no time. And with everyone being more health conscious, brown rice has become the new staple. Because it's unrefined, it's a whole grain, which gives it a nuttier taste. With all this talk about rice, we thought we'd share one of our favorite go-alongs, and it's loaded with a ton of fresh flavor. Look, the recipe for "Lemon Garlic Rice" along with loads of tips on how to make the best rice, is online now, so you can become a rice pro in just minutes. So the next time you're at the market, you'll know which rice to pick up, making sure you get the very best ... as we say around here ... the best of ... "OOH IT'S SO GOOD!!"