Bonta brand varieties include white short grain, and long grain Jasmine.

There are hundreds of rice varieties, but they generally fall into three categories: Long-grain, medium-grain, and short-grain, each of which has its own properties. Here, a quick primer.

Long-Grain

A slim type of rice that cooks up fluffy and doesn’t clump the way, say, short-grain rice does. This is the most forgiving rice, the variety that will most often turn out the way you want it. So, use it when you’re making a simple pilaf, or a pot of rice to go alongside a piece of fish. Two specific varieties to have on hand: Basmati and Jasmine.

Medium-Grain

A little squatter than long-grain, medium-grain rice is thought by some to be essentially the same as short-grain rice. It’s true that it cooks up sticky, like short-grain, and you can usually substitute one for the other without much consequence. But when you really want true risotto or paella, you need medium-grain rices such as Arborio, Valencia, and Bomba.

Short-Grain

The fattest, roundest breed of rice. It cooks up sticky and clumpy—think sushi rice, which is always short-grain. Making sticky rice? Don’t reach for anything else.