There are two kinds of rice: long grain and short grain. Long grain rice is long and narrow, absorbs more water, is fluffier after cooking, and is the best kind to use for fried rice. Short grain rice is short and wide, absorbs less water, and is softer after cooking. Soft rice, which is easier to digest, is preferred by most Chinese. In this country, a dried, fluffier rice is preferred. Sweet rice, also known as glutinous rice, is used primarily in pastries and special festival dishes. When properly cooked, a grain of rice is about twice its uncooked size, fluffy and white, and somewhat translucent. Each grain should be separated. If an insufficient amount of water has been used, the inside of the grain remains hard and white, whereas if too much water has been used, the outside of the rice becomes soft and mushy. The Cantonese prefer hard rice, with each grain separated from the other; the Shanghailanders prefer softer, more glutinous rice. Rice goes particularly well with salty dishes or those cooked with large amounts of soy sauce.

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