Wednesday 13 February 2013

Basmati Rice “The Queen of all Grains"

Basmati rice is used in several Indian cuisines. It is native to India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Most basmati rice exporters say that it is popular for its flavor but also for its fragrance.

It is a remarkably long rice and becomes much fluffy after cooking than standard white rice. This can be either brown or white but brown has variety of other flavors.

In Hindi language, basmati means “Queen of Fragrance”. This grain is has been cultivated at the foot of Himalayas for thousands of years in the areas where Sutlej and Yamuna flow. Basmati is primarily grown in Karnal which the ‘rice bowl of India’. It is also grown in other regions like Panipat, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Ambala, Kashmir and Punjab.

According to rice manufacturers, it is one of the important crops of India taking up 44 million hectares which is considered to be the largest rice-growing area of the world.

Not only this, rice provides main income for more than 50 million households in India and is about 65% staple food of one billion Indians. Even in Ayurveda basmati rice is considered to be pure or saatvic which has number of health benefits and is easy to digest.

Usually there are two methods to cook basmati rice: first is the past way, in which you first boil lot of water, add a pinch of salt, add few drops of oil, then add rice. When it becomes tender add half tablespoon of vinegar.

Then drain out excess water after which you can put the strained rice in a pot and sprinkle some oil in the pot. Then you can add some water and steam the rice on low flame till is fully cooked.

Wednesday 6 February 2013

Indian Rice - Simple To Cook and Delicious to Savor

Basmati rice is ideal for people with diabetics and other special dietary requirements as it's no gluten, fat and cholesterol. Even the oldest method of medicine of Ayurveda says that basmati is the purest kind of rice. The grains of this rice variety are delicate that need only maximum cooking time. Its natural flavor and taste is well augmented in biryani while it is cooked in ghee, with spices, nuts and vegetables or meat or chicken. It is a well-liked delicacy served in the coursework of weddings and festivals like Eid and Ramzan.

Rice is the staple diet in lots of countries in the world including India where 68% of the population eats rice. Of all the varieties of rice, basmati is the best and the priciest. Literally the word basmati means 'queen of fragrance' and this aromatic and scrumptious rice variety truly lives up to its name. The lip smacking nutty flavor and the non sticky texture makes it well suited for an array of preparations. A favourite choice of the royals, basmati is popular all over the world.

Served warm, basmati is truly exceptional among rice varieties. It is a treasure trove of vitamins and amino acids that would keep you energetic all day through without adding up the pounds because of its low starch composition. It is well suited for kids and aged similar and is well suited for every day consumption and special occasions. Simple to cook and scrumptious to eat, basmati is of the major export items in India and there's lots of exporters supplying this exceptional product of India to all over the world. The long grain basmati rice grown today was developed from the rice type Oryza Sativa Indica.

Though India is of the earliest countries to produce the long grain rice, lots of Asian countries like China and Japan prefer long grain rice for their meals as it is non sticky and fluffy. Ideal for most type of preparations apart from puddings and desserts, Basmati Rice is produced in lots of Indian states like Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, J & K and Rajasthan among others.

Lots of cooks opine that long grain rice of Indian Rice, when cooked properly will be fluffy and less sticky and the free flowing texture makes it simple to serve and eat. Due to lower gluten in basmati rice, the rice flour also makes a lovely substitute for those on gluten free diets. There's lots of basmati rice exporters who play a vital link to propagating the royal taste of this exotic rice in India all round the world!