Jasmine rice facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jasmine rice
Close-up of uncooked grains
Species	Oryza sativa
Cultivar group	Jasmine
Cultivar	KDML105, etc.
Origin	Southeast Asia

Jasmine rice is a special kind of rice that has a wonderful smell, like pandan leaves or even popcorn! This smell comes from natural chemicals in the rice plant. Many people in Southeast Asia love to eat freshly harvested jasmine rice because its smell is strongest then. Jasmine rice is a type of Oryza sativa plant.

This fragrant rice is mostly grown in countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and southern Vietnam. When you cook jasmine rice, it becomes soft and a little moist. It also has a slightly sweet taste. The cooked grains stick together a bit, but not as much as sticky rice.

To get jasmine rice ready, farmers first cut the long stalks of the plant. Then, they thresh the rice to separate the grains. The rice can be kept with its outer shell, called "paddy rice." Or, the shell can be removed to make brown rice. If more layers are taken off, you get white rice.

Different Kinds of Jasmine Rice

Thai jasmine rice and Cambodian jasmine rice are very similar. They grow in areas close to each other, near the border between Thailand and Cambodia. Cambodian jasmine rice is sold as both white and brown rice. Some special Cambodian types include phka rumduol, phka romeat, and phka rumdeng.

Even though jasmine rice grows in Laos and southern Vietnam, it's not the most common rice there. In Laos, sticky rice is more popular. In Vietnam, regular Oryza sativa rice is grown more often.

Thai jasmine rice from Thailand has a slender shape. There are two main kinds: white and brown. Most of the jasmine rice sent to places like North America and Europe comes from Thailand. Some also comes from Vietnam. In Thailand, many people believe that only Surin, Buriram, and Sisaket Provinces can grow the very best hom mali (jasmine) rice.

White Jasmine Rice

When white jasmine rice is cooked, it has a soft texture. Its lovely smell comes from a chemical called 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, which evaporates when the rice gets hot.

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  Steamed with basil-fried minced pork

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  Thai yellow curry

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  Nigerian goat meat stew

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  Golden Thai vegetable curry

Brown Jasmine Rice

Brown jasmine rice still has its light tan outer layer. This layer is called the bran. Brown jasmine rice is healthier than white jasmine rice because it keeps this bran. It tastes a bit like oats.

Brown jasmine rice also contains helpful things like gamma oryzanol, which can help lower cholesterol in your blood vessels. It has vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin B, and beta-carotene. Plus, it has antioxidants that help your nervous system work well.

Glycemic Index and Your Health

The glycemic index (GI) tells us how quickly a food can raise your blood sugar. Jasmine rice has a GI between 68 and 80. Foods with a GI of 55 or lower are better for people with diabetes because they cause a slower rise in blood sugar.

Not all rice has a high GI. For example, Basmati rice has a lower GI of 59. But remember, rice is usually eaten with other foods. Eating rice with other foods can lower its overall GI by 20 to 40 percent.

Cooking with Jasmine Rice

Steamed jasmine rice is perfect for many meals. It goes well with stir-fries, grilled meats, fried dishes, or braised foods. You can also use it in soups, but you might want to add a little less water when cooking so it's not too soft.

Jasmine rice is usually not the best choice for making fried rice. This is because it's often too soft and can get soggy when it's still warm.

Jasmine Rice Wins Awards!

In 2017, at the World Rice Conference in Macau, Thailand's hom mali 105 (jasmine) rice was named the world's best rice! It beat 21 other types of rice from around the world. This was the fifth time in nine years that Thai jasmine rice won this special award.

The judges were chefs from restaurants in Macau. They looked at how the rice tasted and the shape of its grains. Cambodia came in second place, and Vietnam was third.

See also

In Spanish: Arroz jazmín para niños