Glossary for Starches

Potatoes:

Russet potatoes - Also known as Idaho potatoes, the russet is long ans slightly rounded. These are best for making baked potatoes and French fries because of their low moisture content and high starch content.

Yukon Gold potatoes - These have a golden skin and the flesh ranges from buttery yellow to golden brown. Yukon gold potatoes are great for making mashed potatoes.

New potatoes - Because they are younger than most potatoes, they have not converted all of their sugar into starch. This give then a crisp and waxy texture and a very thin skin. popular when making potato salad because they retain their shape better than an older potato.

Sweet potatoes - This large edible root is not actually a potato; the texture is often moister than a regular potato and the flavor is sweeter.

Rice:

Arborio rice - This is an Italian grown grain with a high starch content. Arborio rice is typically used in risotto due to its increased starch content, which provides a creamy texture.

Basmati rice - Basmati is a long-grained rice with a very fine texture. It is often found in Indian and Middle Eastern recipes.

Long-grain rice - This rice has a length that is four to five times that of its width. When cooked, long-grain rice produces a light product that separate easily.

Medium-grain rice - This rice is shorter and moister than long-grain and not as starchy as short-grain. Medium-grain rice is fluffy immediately after cooking, but clumps once it cools.

Short-grain rice - The grains have a high starch content and, when cooked, it is moist and sticky. This variety is sometimes called glutinous rice (although it is gluten-free) and is often seen in Asian cooking.

Source: The Eating Smart Cookbook