White, brown, red, or black? Make a smart choice with rice

Some of the well-known varieties of rice available in the Indian market are Sona Masuri, Jeera samba rice, Basmati rice, Red rice, Ponni rice, Brown rice, Indrayani rice, Sticky rice, Dubraj, Mogra rice, and Kolam rice. While picking the best for your home, Vanshika Bhatia, owner and Chef Partner at Omo Café, suggests, “Unpolished rice is better for consumption than polished rice. The process of polishing disrupts the physical and botanical structures of the rice grain, causing a loss of essential nutrients and minerals. Polished white rice is also a major cause of a spike in the Glycaemic Index (GI), making it harmful for patients with diabetes. Black and red rice varieties have similar high fiber nutrients to brown rice, along with antioxidants.”

In the past few years, brown rice has grown in popularity with the health-conscious crowd, and many fitness experts are suggesting it over other varieties. According to nutrition experts, brown rice is considered to be a whole grain, low in calories, and full of nutrients like fiber, manganese, selenium, magnesium, vitamins, and minerals. “Nutritional requirements and ideal consumption differ from person to person. However, we highly recommend whole-grain rice for daily consumption. Brown rice contains more fiber and keeps the digestive system running well,” says Rajiv Das, Executive Sous Chef at Courtyard by Marriott, Mumbai. He adds, “Whole grains rice like brown, black, red, or wild rice has substantial health benefits. Whole grain rice helps to reduce the risk of heart disease, and obesity, and these choices are richer in disease-fighting antioxidants. While crafting our menus we always give preference to the freshest and healthiest options and hence recommend the same for our patrons too.”

Black and red rice varieties have the same high fiber nutrients as brown rice, along with antioxidants (Image: Pixabay)

 Local love

Local or regional varieties of rice are far more beneficial for daily consumption than polished white rice. Not only are they grown in soil that benefits from the climate and its surrounding crops, they also contain far more nutrients and health benefits. These different varieties also bring their flavours and textures to any dish, highlights Chef Vanshika.

Speaking about the standout rice dishes, she says, “Sticky rice is used extensively in North Eastern India as a staple, eaten with meats and vegetables as part of their daily diet. Tahdig, a dish originating from Persia, is a much-loved rice dish, which is cooked in a deep-bottomed pot, letting the rice get brown and crispy at the bottom. Berry pulao is another iconic dish that is a favorite amongst Mumbai’s Parsi community. Bise bele bath, originating from Karnataka, is a spicy lunch favourite throughout the state. And, Ela ada, a steamed sweet rice pancake, stuffed with coconut and jaggery, and steamed in banana leaf is consumed as dessert in Southern India."

The exotic variations

A little expensive but famous Indian variety is the Basmati rice, used majorly in Biryani, jasmine rice used in Asian dishes, and the Mogra rice used for pulao. Among the rare ones, “bamboo rice made out of bamboo shoots it’s uncommon to find around local stores but considered to be highly nutritious and has good taste,” says Chef Rajiv. He adds, “The wild rice and black rice are costly but have a very unique taste. Rosematta rice is grown in India and is good with vitamins and minerals; it is best served with non-vegetarian curry dishes like mutton, lamb, and beef. And, the red rice is majorly used in Thailand, Africa, and some parts of Bhutan. A globally famous option is Arborio rice, which is mainly found in Italy and used extensively in the Italian cooking of signature delicacies such as risotto, arancini, and minestrone. Another popular variety is Sushi rice, which has high starch content and is used for making Japanese dishes like sushi, and sticky rice and ideally can be a side dish with seafood.