Thai People Don’t Eat Only Jasmine Rice
There’s a misconception that Thai people, and Southeast Asians in general, only eat jasmine rice, but this is not true. Thai jasmine rice or little man rice is the best, most prized rice of Thailand, and it is our most popular exported rice. But it is also the most expensive, which is why when you go to Thailand, if you’re eating at an inexpensive street-side restaurant, they’re likely not using jasmine rice, but one of the many other varieties of long grain white rice that we have.
Aside from being more fragrant, Thai little man rice also tends to be softer and stickier than other adjacent varieties, making it not ideal for fried rice So many restaurants who make fried rice will choose another variety, such as star two rice, which is less soft and sticky. Or they may also do a mix of varieties.
It is worth noting that the word “jasmine rice” is not regulated. So it may say jasmine rice on the bag, but it may not be the prized jasmine little man rice Thailand is known for. So if you want real little man rice, look for the green round logo at the top of the bag in the picture above, which is a government seal certifying that the rice is genuine little man. Now, the logo has been known to be faked, so go with a reputable brand if you can (Royal Umbrella, Kirkland, 3 Ladies, for example.)
