What is the difference between long and short grain rice?

The two main starches in rice are amylose and amylopectin. The grains tend to hold on the their amylose but amylopectin can leave the grain and move into the liquid being used for cooking. Long-grain rice has a lot of amylose and not much amylopectin. Short-grain rice has a good balance of both. So long grain rice will be lighter and fluffy because the grains will not get too sticky. Short grain rice will pour starch into the water it cooks in creating a sticky coating on all the grains which, if properly treated, can be made into an amazing, creamy sauce. Long-grain rices are great for dishes where rice is a base for something or playing second-fiddle to something else. Short-grain rice is superb for dishes where the rice is going to be the star, like a risotto.