Cooking is an art; we all know that. But, sometimes even master chefs have trouble when it comes to measuring quantities of the food items. One such food item is the Asian staple--- rice. As the cookbooks state- just put the rice to the cooker, add water twice the quantity, and it’s done. All ready to be consumed. But, the main point is in figuring out the exact amount, as a lesser quantity would starve people you are to feed, and more quantity will end up in the dustbin. So how much rice per person needs is the frequently asked question.

How Much Rice Does a Person Need Each Meal?

Now, first of all, we need to know about the recommended rice quantity for an individual per serving. It is important to keep your diet balanced, healthy and to know when you are overeating.

Is It the Main Dish or Side Dish?

Before cooking, you should have an idea about whether you want to serve it as a side dish or a main dish.

White Rice

Many dieticians recommend a ¼ cup or 90 g uncooked rice and roughly twice this amount i.e. 180 g for an average person, for side dish and main dish respectively.

Another important fact that messes with this fixed amount is the type of rice used. Long grain rice, like basmati and jasmine rice, is known to swell up to double its actual size. Thus half a cup of uncooked basmati rice yields in a cup of cooked rice, containing 200 calories. Similar goes for short grain rice like Arborio rice, although the calorie count is higher in their one cup of cooked rice (about 240 calories per cup).

Brown Rice

It's also hard to know how much rice to cook for each one but here is a general suggestion. In the article "Consumer Reports" published in 2012, it recommended that each person should consume no more than 2 servings of rice per week (1 serving yields from 1/4 cup of uncooked rice). But AARP suggested that, if the brown rice is thoroughly washed, cooked with a water-rice ratio of 6:1, and drained all extra water after cooked, you can reduce that recommended amount by about 30%.

Besides, per cup calorie count of brown rice falls somewhere in the middle of long grained white rice and short grained white rice, i.e., 220 calories. Hope that cleared out upon how much rice per person, you should cook based upon their variety.

Two Tips for Making Tasty Rice

Who doesn’t want to impress their guests? Use up the below sure-shot tips to cook the tastiest of tasty rice dishes that are perfect for a delicious meal.

• For fluffy rice, which is lighter and healthier, the ratio of water to rice should be a little more than 2:1. This means you should use about 1-3/4 cups of water to cook 1 cups of rice.
• If you don’t mind a non-vegetarian mix to your diet, you can always replace water with chicken or beef broth. This unique addition brings up distinct flavor to your rice dish. Vegetarians can go for adding vegetable stock instead.

Cooking can be a bit tricky, so for your perfect rice tutorial, refer the video below: 

Choose Your Favorite Rice Now

Now, when you are free from the troubles of how much rice per person to cook, you can focus on choosing the type of rice that will suit your taste. Here are the top 12 varieties listed, just for you.

1. Long-Grain Rice

As the name suggests, this type is long and slender in appearance, dry and distinct and most importantly, they swell up after being cooked, making them fit for all rice dishes, especially one with gravy to accompany them. Other than that, this variety is good for salads and found in most of the Indian and Middle Eastern dishes.

2. Basmati Rice

Originally from Pakistan, Basmati rice is known for its distinct flavor and health benefits it imparts (maintaining blood glucose level). One needs to cook this variety with absorption techniques to maintain its aroma and taste.

3. Jasmine Rice

Just like Basmati rice, jasmine rice is long grained and aromatic, but it comes from Thailand. This type stands out because of its stickiness, especially after it is cooked.

4. Brown Rice

Healthier sister of white rice, brown rice is rich in the raw and nutritious high-fiber and bran coating. Brown rice takes longer time to cook and is a lot chewier than its white variety. It has both long and short grains which remain separate and sticky, respectively after being cooked.

5. Wild Rice

Even though wild rice isn’t rice, but a name given to the North American aquatic grass seed, it is known to have a nutty and strong flavor and is pretty expensive. This variety is distinctively used in salads and stuffing.

6. White Rice Blend

A combination of long grained white rice and wild rice, this blend gives the distinct flavors of varieties, giving additional crunch and smokiness to the dish. It is best when served with lentils, soups and fish dishes.

7. Calrose Rice

A name given to the medium grained rice, this variety was once grown in California. It is less sticky and carries a good flavor. So how much rice per person really depends on the usage of rice and the type of rice.

8. Arborio Rice

A typically Italian risotto variety, this short-grain rice is known for its partially dissolving property that gives a creamy texture to the dish. Other than that, Arborio rice is clingy and easy to eat up.

9. Glutinous Rice

Another sticky type, glutinous rice is mushy and can easily stick to each other, so a perfect fit if you want to make little rice balls. It is perfect with soups and as a side dish.

10. Black Rice

Raw and brittle, this wild variety looks black when uncooked but turns into purple afterward. Gives a very nutty and crunchy texture to the dish and is found in a number of distinct varieties around all Asia, ranging from India to Thailand.

11. Nishiki Rice

A known sushi variety, Nishiki rice is slightly longer than short grain rice, sticky and tender, and most importantly, easily available.

12. Koshihikari Rice

This Japanese variety is known for being the premium sushi variety because of its sweet flavor, sticky texture, and distinct aroma. This variety is short grained and clingy.