A Mini Primer on Indian Rices

Rice plays a very important role in India, and this book would not be complete without a brief description of some of the more common varieties that are consumed with curries. But let me begin by saying that there are 100,000 varieties of rice, and about a tenth of them are cultivated for human consumption—making this one of the most popular grains in the world. Terraced hills, typical of rice cultivation, dated to around 10,000 B.C., have been found in Kashmir, and the grain itself has been traced around 6000 B.C. in Thailand and China. India’s soil and rainy weather are perfect for rice and it is now cultivated all over, with the south producing massive amounts for everyday use. Goa grows its classic red rice, and farther south you will find a black cultivar called black puttu rice. The pearl rice of Sri Lanka, called muttu sambha, is similar to Japanese short-grain rice and is very starchy.