Rice

Oryza sativa is grown in most regions of Southeast Asia. In well-watered level areas such as valley floors and deltas, rice is grown in level irrigated fields and two crops a year can be grown. In the upland areas, where there is little water available for irrigation, the rice crop is seeded just as the rainy season begins, then harvested at the start of the dry season in October–November. In Burma the main rice resembles Thai jasmine, being fine, tender, and aromatic. It is cooked in a measured amount of water. Sticky rice, also known as glutinous rice, has lower amylose, so it absorbs less water as it cooks (usually by steaming) and is softer and more clinging. It is used for making sweets and for brewing liquor; it is the daily staple rice for the Tai Koen people (and in northern Thailand and Laos). Black and white sticky rice is a common breakfast treat in Burma. Broken rice is used for rice soups and by people who cannot afford higher-quality rice; it consists of a high proportion of broken grains, so that it does not cook to an even texture. Brown rice