Thai red rice Red rice grows among jasmine rice plants in Thailand, and a similar “gone wild” red rice also “contaminates” many rice fields in other parts of the world. Red rice is brittle and difficult to polish, so its color lowers the value of any white rice it is mixed in with. Recently, however, this “problem” rice has become sought after as a novelty rice, sold unpolished. It’s pretty to look at and good to eat. Red rice is available from many Thai groceries and from specialty stores. Himalayan red rice is very similar and can be substituted. Look for needle-slender grains, mostly a reddish-brown but with the occasional bit of pale white showing through. The rice is unmilled (like brown rice) and so takes longer to cook than polished rices such as Thai jasmine.
