Rice varieties
How starch composition influences stickiness, creaminess and cooking time.
COOKING SCIENCE · GRAINS & STARCHES
Rice, Grains & Pasta
Small grains, big chemistry: starch, water and texture.
Rice, grains and pasta are dominated by starch, and starch changes dramatically when heated with water. Different proportions of amylose and amylopectin help explain why some rice stays separate while other varieties become sticky or creamy. Similar principles shape pasta, beans and other staple foods.
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EXPLORE TOPICS
What this hub covers
Start with the question or ingredient behavior you want to understand. These launch topics are editorial overviews until real child guides are published.
Gelatinization
What happens when starch granules absorb water and swell.
Water ratios
Why absorption, evaporation and pan geometry matter.
Pasta
Starch release, texture and why cooking water behaves the way it does.
Beans & pulses
Soaking, softening and the role of time, minerals and pressure.
Pressure cooking
Why increased pressure raises cooking temperature and speeds softening.
Cooling starches
Retrogradation and how texture changes after cooling.
WHY IT MATTERS
Use the science to reason about the result
Rice, grains and pasta are dominated by starch, and starch changes dramatically when heated with water. Different proportions of amylose and amylopectin help explain why some rice stays separate while other varieties become sticky or creamy. Similar principles shape pasta, beans and other staple foods.
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COOKING SCIENCE
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