Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Black Rice


Just last week one of my morning-walk friend  gifted me this rare variety of rice called Manipuri Black Rice."Make payas(rice n milk pudding) for kids" ,was her advice. I have been living in North East India for more than 25 yrs ...this part of India is blessed to have varied kind of rice. This rice grain when dry looks black in color.In closer look "black"  rice isn't really black at all. After soaking for a few hours, the water  turns into a deep burgundy, showing the rice's true colors. Here in this picture you can see that.Let me share few more interesting facts about this rice.


It is considered to be both food and medicine in Manipur. The Rice gets its dark purple color because it is rich in anthocyanines, which act as powerful antioxidants. The rice contains more vitamin B, niacin, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc than white rice. This grain is high in fibre and has got a sweet and slightly nutty  taste.It as an unmilled rice, meaning the the fiber-rich black husks of the rice are not removed. It is also known as 'Forbidden rice' in some parts of the world. “Forbidden Rice” probably originated in the royal court of China, when the unique grain was consumed by the emperor and his chosen favorites.
 



 The unusual color makes black rice very popular for exotic desserts, and the high nutritional value is an added benefit.Like other unmilled rice, black rice takes longer to cook than traditional husked rice. Rinsing and soaking the rice before cooking  helps to bring the cooking time down.I soaked it for nearly three hours before preparing kheer/payas .The idea to blog about it popped only after i soaked the rice,i wish i had a picture of the dry grains too.First i cooked  soaked rice with little water for about ten minutes,later i added milk and sugar.The milk turned purplish the moment it touched the pan.Another fifteen to twenty minute of constant stirring and this yummy pudding was ready to be served..Kids found it yummy and loved it more because of it's unusual color.Have you ever tasted this Black Rice ?.
 ( This post was previously published in N-zine  .)

  After reading this post my close friend Romita who is a Manipuri added few more facts .She says...let me share another interesting aspect to the tale; in manipur when served for feast they don't make the porridge out of this rice.
 Instead this "chahao- Chak+ahaoba"(i.e. tasty rice) is prepared plainly and on top of the mound of this rice a dollop of porridge of the white rice would be placed which kinda enhances the flavour of this violet rice and you can feel the texture as well as taste.
Personally, i have tried all different dark color rices around the world and i believe the patent for this rice grain is claimed by some Canadian firm but none can beat this tiny violetish rice harvested from the Manipuri valleys.


 Blog Updated on 14.12,12 : My blog friend Suranga Date whom I admire and respect a lot wrote a brilliant poetry which is inspired by Black Rice. With her kind permission I am adding this beautiful poem here. Thank you Suranga.

So many
presumed prosperous,
Bossy Basmatis and
Keen Kolums,
fighting it out
across the country,
smeared in pulaos,
flavoured in biryanis,
and being fussed over
and decorated
as they shamelessly laze
in stubborn payasams.

Sometimes,
some boiled transparent types
even join in
for griddle activities,
in the company of Udad,

All these folks,
completely oblivious
to Chak-hao,
the Mary Kom of Rice.

Like her,
from Manipur;
like her,
hardy, strong, and full of health;
like her,
always needed for her kids,
like her ,
fearing none,
and like her,
 loved by all !

The tough, dark rice,
soaked in water
bashfully turning a dark burgundy;
then tentatively
warming and cooking
to meet the advancing
milk and sugar folks,
coming to meet her.

A meeting of minds,
a great mixing,
and she turns a blushing pink,
as milk and sugar
shower her with compliments
amidst a spray of
slivers of nuts.

Like Mary Kom,
the star of Manipur,
a lovely, sturdy, healthy,
role model,
for the young Kheers of india.....
 

Blog updated -13.9.12 Yaikhom Vivekananda said in his comment

 Hi, I am from Manipur (Local Name of Brown Rice is Chak-hao meaning tasty rice) and fortunately I am also an agriculture student (plant breeding and genetics, MSc final yr). From my experience it is mostly cultivated in rainfed small scattered area. I think more research is needed for this particular rice, I have collected few local varieties and planning to do RAPD analysis on it. I can send you small quantity if anyone of you who like to try it by airway(I don't have any idea regarding formalities for transportation). Lastly for preparing first prepare the rice normally, best prepared by first washing the rice with clean water (no need for soaking)and after that put some water for boiling , level of water should be 2mm above the rice then boil it by giving little heat with a lid, after few minutes remove a little amount of rice and see if there is any hardness by pressing between two fingers, when there is no hardness then you can remove the water and warm it for few minutes. Now, it is ready to serve with kheer(rice pudding). By preparing in this way you can have the aroma of this rice. If any further information regarding it you like to know please contact me at boneybi@gmail.com

35 comments:

  1. Interesting piece and a good info.Hope this unique rice of the region will be preserved and do not get decimated for ever by the GM and other hybrids from outside.

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  2. fascinating info, so fun to have you back blogging...

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  3. Nice info.Even mota rice from kerala takes long to cook which has to soaked for 2-3 hours.

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  4. Very interesting Kavita. I never knew abt this rice. I luv the colour of the payas :)

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  5. Another grat post, full of lots of information. My husband likes rice, maybe I will try and find out where to buy this and make it for him. Thank you for coming by and leaving a comment.

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  6. Quite an informative post
    Inspite of grwoing up in the northeast, I did not come accross this particular dish
    Shall definitely look forward to try this one day

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  7. lovely! this post just brought bk so many childhood memories. i grew up having what i used to call "purple payas" at my grannies at least once during my annual visits to her plc.

    hope your kids love it too :)

    and a very informative pc as always!

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  8. I love the color - and no I had never heard of this rice before! How absolutely fun and unique! And it looks very very tasty.

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  9. Hey...Thanks for sharing...lovely post...Let me see if I can get hold of this rice...sounds interesting.. :)

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  10. Wow. Black rice. One look and I thought it is similar to Kerala rice but his one is dark when raw while the other gets its colour after processessing.
    Another good page in encyclopaedia:)

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  11. Cool! I have never seen this variety of rice let alone tasting it. Thanks to your blog, now I know about Manipuri Black rice :)

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  12. ya interesting n healthy dessert..nice to c my dear friend in action again..keep up the cheers K:)

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  13. This purple-colored rice looks delicious! I wouldn't mind tasting it.

    At home in Hawaii, I always cook BROWN rice. I don't pre-soak it, but simply put in my automatic rice cooker with a bit of water and let it cook for 1 hour 15 minutes. I cook it plain - no milk or sugar. Tastes good.

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  14. Very interesting, Kavita! Except white rice, all other rice have more nutritional value, my mama says. He never eats white rice at home. We get one dark brown boiled rice in Mangalore. I heard they get this rice in Kerala too. We used to cook it in slow fire for nearly two hours and eat it alongwith the water (normally we drain the water when cooking directly without using the cooker)with some ghee and pickle or any kind of saambaar in the morning for breakfast. We call it 'Ganji'!

    I have seen this rice in Nilgiris once and did paayasam with jaggery and coconut milk, which was very tasty!

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  15. This is interesting. I have neither heard nor seen this before. The m medicinal properties of this particular variety of rice is surely amazing.

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  16. This is very interesting, Kavita. I've never seen black rice before. I'd love to taste some someday.

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  17. By the way, we didn't have black rice, but we did have some Nepali-Indian food tonight. It was great!

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  18. @Anilkurup--this is such a unique kind,i hope it is preserved .Thanks for finding the post interesting.

    @ Lin Floyd...thanks.I am happy to be back.

    @Varunavi..i think all unmilled rice take long to cook.Thanks.

    @Satya...yes,the violet color and the nutty flavour of the rice makes the dish very appealing.

    @Swaram..even i had never seen it before.Thanks.

    @Margarate Cloud..i think black rice is available in certain asian stores in US.Thanks for your visit.

    @Sumandebray..same here,i came across this rice just recently.Thanks.

    @Myra b..i am glad at least there is someone who has seen this.Even my kids found the color very interesting.

    @Clytie...yes it is very yummy,it has a nutty flavour.

    @Jyothi...i hope you find this one but out here in Guwahati market BR is not available.

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  19. @Holy-Lama..it is naturally black/violet in color.Thanks.

    @Destiny's Child ...i am glad that you liked the post.Thanks.

    @Ramesh...thanks.

    @Gigihawaii....even i love brown rice but don't eat it frequently.It was on the lady's ( who gifted us this rice)advice i made a pudding but my other Manipuri frn commented that they prepare it just like plain white rice
    @Sandhya... you are right.NE and Kerala's climatic conditions are quite similar .This rice will loose its flavour if the water is thrown.I loved its sweet version.

    @Rajesh..thanks a lot.

    @Kay...i thought that may be you must have come across this one during your recent Japan trip.I read your blog post...the food looks yummy.

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  20. what happnd next u want to know? i lost toouch with that female colleague..am told she's somewhere in the US..though i met her airhostess sister on flight..hehe..the guy is in pune..u will meet him when v all meet soon godwilling..cya kavita

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  21. very interesting to know about this new variety of rice..have never seen a black colored rice..the dessert looks yum and healthy..thanks for sharing..

    First time at you blog..your space is wonderful..happy to follow you..
    www.nithubala.com

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  22. Very nice and interesting information. Wonderful and healthy dish.

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  23. I would love to try this, Kavita




    Warm Aloha from Waikiki :)

    Comfort Spiral

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  24. Another amazing fact!! This particular rice is available here..wonder of wonders, i have seen it in stores and wondered..and today, I get my answer. I am buying it today evening and following your recipe.

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  25. This is something new to me.
    Black rice ?
    We have the brown rice in Kerala, but ?

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  26. wow this is amazing!
    thank you for the images and info..

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  27. Is this grown anywhere else in India? If it is comparatively more nutritious, it could be used as a substitute for other white rice varieties. In Kerala too, we have a rice variety called Njavara, which is highly medicinal and used in Ayurvedic treatment.

    Thank you for sharing the info.

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  28. Amazing. You always come up with things so different.

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  29. Very interesting. You have a great space here.
    http://shanthisthaligai.blogspot.com/

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  30. @Ramesh..thanks.

    @Nithubala...a warm welcome.Thanks for your visit.

    @Babli...thanks.

    @Cloudia..i am sure you are going to love it.thanks.

    @Sujata....please try it and tell me.thanks

    @Haddick...it amazed me too.Thanks.

    @Magic eye...thanks.

    @Balachandran....it is an heirloom variety and is not grown for mass consumption.It sure has lots of benefits.Thanks.

    @Onkar..thanks.

    @Shanti...thanks a lot.

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  31. Great article Kavitha! I have long been a progenator of brown rice.
    1. Can we buy this rice in cochin?
    2. can i use it as substitute at lunch consumption, instead of brown rice

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  32. @Sanuly...yes,it is a very good source of fiber and antioxidants.One can include it in as a healthy diet option.It's availability is very limited out here in NE even though if it is produced in Manipur.Please check and inquire your local stores.

    Thanks for liking this .

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  33. Yes lovely pudding...we have something similar here but used coconut milk instead. Very fragrant and delicious!

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  34. Hi, I am from Manipur (Local Name of Brown Rice is Chak-hao meaning tasty rice) and fortunately I am also an agriculture student (plant breeding and genetics, MSc final yr). From my experience it is mostly cultivated in rainfed small scattered area. I think more research is needed for this particular rice, I have collected few local varieties and planning to do RAPD analysis on it. I can send you small quantity if anyone of you who like to try it by airway(I don't have any idea regarding formalities for transportation). Lastly for preparing first prepare the rice normally, best prepared by first washing the rice with clean water (no need for soaking)and after that put some water for boiling , level of water should be 2mm above the rice then boil it by giving little heat with a lid, after few minutes remove a little amount of rice and see if there is any hardness by pressing between two fingers, when there is no hardness then you can remove the water and warm it for few minutes. Now, it is ready to serve with kheer(rice pudding). By preparing in this way you can have the aroma of this rice. If any further information regarding it you like to know please contact me at boneybi@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete