Questions and Answers - Rice Starch, Amylose, Amylopectin

For some reason, we seem always to have rice that is sticky/clumpy. I want to have rice that is separated and not sticky.

Can you please advise us on how to do this consistently. Could it be partly a result of the type of rice we buy. It usually comes from an Asian market. Also, could we use more (or less) water to fix the problem, or perhaps a different percentage of butter. oil, etc. Thank you for your assistance,

Answer:

The various types of rice behave differently when cooked mainly because of variations in the ratio of the starches (amylose, and amylopectin) that each type of rice contains:

If amylopectin is predominant, as it is in short and medium grain rice (usually found in Asian stores), the grains have a greater tendency to cling together when cooked.

If amylopectin is low and amylose high, as in long grain rice (found in grocery stores and super markets), each cooked rice grain is dry and fluffy and remains separate.