Instructions: Store rice in a cool, dry pantry. Unopened white rice should keep indefinitely. Brown rice has a shorter, shelf life and should last for up to six months, If the brown rice is not used frequently, store it in the refrigerator.

When cooked, long-grain rices become fluffy and the grains remain separated.

Short-grain rices become sticky and dense. Medium grain rices are in-between.

Long-grain rices are ideal for salads end pilafs; use short-grain rices for risotto, puddings and stuffed dishes.

Most rices should not be rinsed before cooking-valuable nutrients are lost down the drain. Some imported rices, which are not always enriched, do require rinsing. Read the fine print on the label.

One cup uncooked long-grain rice yields about 2 cups cooked. One and one-half cups uncooked rice short-grain rice yields about 3 cups cooked rice.

Arborio: These pearly white, fat grains develop a soft, creamy texture when cooked and absorb almost twice as much liquid as regular rice. Used mainly in risotto. Arborio may be used in soup and pudding recipes.

Black japonica: This exotic, whole grain blackish-purple rice is popular in Southeast Asian cuisine. A gourmet blend of black rice and russet-colored rices is marketed nationally.

Brown rice: This whole grain rice has a nutty flavor, beige color and chewy texture. The grain still has its outer bran layer intact and twice the fiber as white rice. Brown rice comes in short, medium or long-grained varieties.

When brown rice is substituted for white rice in a recipe, add about 1/4 cup more liquid and 10 to 15 minutes to the cooking time.

Jasmine rice: This fragrant white grain has a nutty, popcorn-like aroma similar to basmati. When cooked the grains become moist, sticky and extremely tender. Jasmine rice is native to Thailand and is also called Thai fragrant.

Basmati: The name means "queen of fragrance" in India. The long, slender grains have an intensely aromatic and nutty nuance. Brown basmati and Texmati, an American-grown cross between basmati and long-grain rice, are also available.

Parboiled rice: The harvested grains are soaked in water, pressurized, steamed and dried. This treatment retains more nutrients than normal milling and yields fluffy, white grains. (Brown rice is still healthier.) Parboiled rice is also called "converted" rice. Do not confuse parboiled rice with instant rice, a commodity which is completely precooked, dried and devoid of most nutrients and flavor.

Wild rice: Not really a rice, this is actually the dark seed of a native North American aquatic grass. Wild rice is grown and harvested in the northern lakes of Minnesota and Canada and is quite expensive. The grain has a firm, chewy texture, strong grassy flavor and is often blended with other rices and whole grains. Wild rice takes 45 to 50 minutes to cook, and 1 cup requires at least 3 cups of liquid.

Valencia: Named for the region in Spain where it is grown, Valencia is a medium- grain white rice used in paella, the Spanish dish of sausage, seafood and chicken or vegetables and saffron cooked over rice then topped with green peas. If you are in a jam, Valencia can be substituted for Arborio rice to make risotto. or Arborio can be substituted to make paella. Valencia packaging sometimes says Spanish paella rice.

Wehani: This mahogany-colored whole grain rice has a robust, nutty flavor and chewy texture.

Whole grain rice blends: There is a growing selection of gourmet rice blends that include combinations of brown rice, wild rice, black rice and russet-colored rices.

Wild pecan: This aromatic white rice has a nutty aroma and pecanlike flavor-but contains neither wild rice or pecans. Wild pecan is grown in Louisiana and is a staple of Cajun and Creole cooking.

White long-grain rice: One of the most common rices in the world, white rice has had its outer bran layers removed in the milling process. The result is a polished white grain that cooks in 15 to 20 minutes but has a lower fiber and

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