Rice is a quintessential staple in cuisines across many cultures. From sticky rice on the Thai table to risotto in the Italian canon, the grain nourishes eaters around the world. Here we talk to Jiro Dreams of Sushi protegé Daisuke Nakazawa, Chris Jaeckle of All’onda and more about the starch.

China
“There are certain things you can’t have without rice, like mapo tofu. You need the rice to usher in the salty, numbing profile. It’s the perfect foil.”—Danny Bowien, Mission Chinese Food
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