Of the two types of classic short grain rice grown in Calasparra, Bomba is the supreme strain. The basic difference between Bomba rice and others is that Bomba expands in width like an accordion rather than longitudinally, as do other rice strains. It differs from Italian Arborio rice, which is bred to be creamy, and Asian rice, which is meant to be sticky. Bomba absorbs three times its volume in broth (rather than the normal two), yet the grains remain distinct.