When I think of rice, I think of the back-up dancer. It's the pile of basmati next to a curry, the sticky short grains in a sushi roll, or the vehicle for more interesting flavours in a risotto or paella.

While it's unlikely to be a cult ingredient any time soon, it's undeniable that we eat an awful lot of it. In fact, 20 per cent of the world's dietary energy comes from rice.

And when it comes to cooking rice, there are plenty of decisions to be made — from whether to go short or long grain, try the absorption method or invest in a rice cooker.

We break down the varieties and their uses, which ones are more likely to be low GI, and the best ways to prepare and enjoy one of the world's most popular staples.

The basics: Common name: Rice

Rice Botanical/scientific name: Oryza sativa (Asian rice)

Oryza sativa (Asian rice) In season: Rice is planted in October in Australia and harvested from March to May. It's available to buy year-round.

Rice is planted in October in Australia and harvested from March to May. It's available to buy year-round. Climate: In Australia, rice is primarily grown in the Riverina region of NSW, where conditions are most suited to medium-grain varieties like Japonica. Many popular varieties, like basmati, are imported from overseas.

Lesson 1: Understanding the different varieties

Rice can be either white or brown, and long grain or short grain.

Brown rice simply means the rice has its hard, outer bran layer is kept intact; in white rice, the bran is removed in the milling process. We'll get to the nutritional differences between the types shortly.

Short-grain rice tends to be stickier, which makes it great for sushi and rice puddings. Koshihikari is a popular short-grain rice that's grown in Australia and Japan.

tends to be stickier, which makes it great for sushi and rice puddings. Koshihikari is a popular short-grain rice that's grown in Australia and Japan. Long-grain rice is fluffy, as the grains tend to stay separated after cooking. Basmati rice, with its distinctive pandanus-like flavour, is the classic accompaniment to a South Asian curry; Jasmine rice is a fragrant long-grain variety widely used in South-East Asian dishes.

is fluffy, as the grains tend to stay separated after cooking. Basmati rice, with its distinctive pandanus-like flavour, is the classic accompaniment to a South Asian curry; Jasmine rice is a fragrant long-grain variety widely used in South-East Asian dishes. Medium-grain varieties , such as Calrose (the basic staple rice you'll see in the supermarket), are in the middle: they're not as sticky as the shorter grain, and not as fluffy as the longer grain. Arborio is a medium-grain Italian rice with a creamy texture, which makes it great in risottos.

, such as Calrose (the basic staple rice you'll see in the supermarket), are in the middle: they're not as sticky as the shorter grain, and not as fluffy as the longer grain. Arborio is a medium-grain Italian rice with a creamy texture, which makes it great in risottos. Brown rice has more fibre and nutrients than white rice because it's unrefined. Its nutty flavour goes great with earthy vegetables like capsicum and sweet potato, says Hana Assafiri, chef and founder of a popular Moroccan-inspired restaurant in Melbourne.

If you're making sushi, you need rice that sticks together, like short-grain Koshihikari. ( Unsplash: Epicurrence )

Uncooked rice can last a long time if stored properly, but it should be used before its best before date, says Lydia Buchtmann from the Food Safety Information Council.

Once you've opened a packet of rice, store it in the pantry in a sealed container, she adds.

It might surprise you, but cooked rice can be a food poisoning risk. After cooking, rice that's allowed to cool at room temperature can develop heat-resistant toxins.

To be safe, leftover cooked rice should be put in the fridge as soon as possible and eaten within three days, the Food Safety Information Council says.

Lesson 2: How rice varieties fare when it comes to the glycaemic index

Rice is a great source of energy, vitamins and minerals. It's also is a source of protein and very low in fat — 100 grams of uncooked white rice contains only half a gram.

Cooked white rice typically has a glycaemic index (GI) rating of above 70 (out of 100), which is considered high.

High GI foods are absorbed quickly by the body, which can lead to a spike in blood sugar levels. Low GI foods — considered to be those with a GI rating of 55 or below — release energy slower, and can help us feel fuller for longer, says accredited practising dietician Hannah Brown.

"If you're looking for a lower GI rice, there's basmati and doongara, which are usually sold as white rices, but they're long grain," she says.

"[GI is] more important for people who have diabetes or pre-diabetes, as they're the ones who really need to watch their blood sugar levels. For the rest of us, it's not as big a deal, but it's still something to consider."

Here's how some popular rices compare, using data from the International GI Database maintained by the University of Sydney:

Long-grain white rice, microwaved for 90 seconds: 76

Long-grain white rice, microwaved for 90 seconds: Calrose (medium-grain) white rice, boiled: 83

Calrose (medium-grain) white rice, boiled: Arborio rice, boiled: 69

Arborio rice, boiled: Jasmine rice, white: 79

Jasmine rice, white: Doongara white rice, cooked in a rice cooker: 48

Doongara white rice, cooked in a rice cooker: Basmati rice, boiled: 58-65

Basmati rice, boiled: Low GI brown long-grain rice: 54

ABC Life in your inbox Get our newsletter for the best of ABC Life each week Your information is handled in accordance with the ABC Privacy Collection Statement Email address Subscribe

Lesson 3: Absorption or rice cooker? Best ways to prepare and cook rice

The first step to preparing rice is to wash it to remove any loose bran, says Jenny Randall, who grows and mills organic rice on a family farm in the Murrumbidgee Valley in south-west New South Wales.

Hana Assafiri likes to go a step further. She soaks the rice for about half an hour when preparing it at her restaurant.

"It's much nicer, and it tends to absorb differently, because the soaking removes some of the starch," she says.

When it comes to cooking, Hana recommends the absorption method. Here's how she does it.

After the rice has soaked for 30 minutes, drain it, and put it in a saucepan.

After the rice has soaked for 30 minutes, drain it, and put it in a saucepan. For long-grain rice, add two cups of water for each cup of rice. For medium-grain rice, add one and half cups of water; for short-grain rice, add one cup.

For long-grain rice, add two cups of water for each cup of rice. For medium-grain rice, add one and half cups of water; for short-grain rice, add one cup. Next add salt. "It should taste like seawater," she says. You could also add spices for flavour or colour, such as saffron, turmeric and cardamom.

Next add salt. "It should taste like seawater," she says. You could also add spices for flavour or colour, such as saffron, turmeric and cardamom. Bring the rice to the boil, cover with a lid, turn the heat off, and leave it for 20 minutes. You should have perfectly cooked rice. "It's idiot-proof. You put the lid on tightly, leave it, and it should cook itself," she says.

You could also use a rice cooker, like I do every other night. You just add water, hit a button and wait for the magic to happen.

Rice is also easily cooked in the microwave — just check the instructions on the package to find out how much water to add and how long to cook it for.

When it comes to flavours, rice is extremely versatile. It's wonderful with wine in Italian risottos, soy sauce and fish in East Asian cooking, mussels in Spanish paella or with saffron alongside an Indian curry or Middle Eastern meat dish.

In Biryani, a popular South Asian dish, rice is cooked with spices, vegetables or meats. ( Pexels/Rawpixel )

For Hana Assafiri, a classic saffron rice is hard to go past. "That goes well with everything," she says.

Or for something simpler, try pairing rice with bolder flavours like preserved lemons or harissa, Hana adds.

"Harissa rice tastes like nothing you've ever tasted, and it's a meal with a bit of yoghurt on the side," she says.