Bhutanese red rice In Bhutan, which lies north of India in the Himalayas, the staple food is red rice. The rice is medium-grain and slightly sticky and has recently become available in the United States, at specialty stores such as Balducci’s and Dean & DeLuca. It’s a red japonica rice that has been semi-milled, so the red of the outer (bran) layers is still on the rice in patches. The cooked rice is pale pink when first cooked, soft and tender, and slightly clingy, so it’s easy to eat with chopsticks. The rice can be served in place of white or brown rice, accompanied by hearty side dishes such as dal or meat stews. See for a basic Bhutanese red recipe and also Uighur Autumn Pulao.
