What a Richie Rice !?!?

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Rice is a common food especially for Asian people.

Rice comes from a rice crop (paddy) or Oryza sativa.

First, people believed that rice was originated from Eastern Himalayas as the descendent of wild grass. Then, another thought believed that rice was originally from Southern India, which then spread to the north and reached China, Korea, Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia.

When Alexander the Great invaded India, he took rice to Greece. Arab travellers brought rice to Egypt, Morocco, and Spain. Portugal and Netherlands took rice to their colonies in West Africa. Last, rice arrived in USA by "Columbian Exchange". Also, Spanish brought rice to South America. That's how rice finally got travelled around the world.

Botanically,

Rice is a member of Poaceae family. Common rice plant may grow to height of half to two meters. Its production is highest in Asia region according to the fact that rice is prime foods for Asian people.

FAOSTAT (2002)

Talking about rice's nutrition, every parts of it has nutrients.

A single rice grain consists of the hull and the rice caryopsis (brown rice). The brown rice is the edible part of rice grain. The bran layer has high content of dietary fibre, minerals, and vitamin B (Thiamin, Riboflavin, and Niacin). The rice endosperm  is rich in carbohydrates and fair amount of digestible proteins. At the other side, rice contains antinutritional components, such as phytate, trypsin inhibitors, oryzacystatin, and haemagglutinin-lectin. Those nutrient composition in rice vary depending on the rice variety.

I'm giving you several examples of rice varieties around the world :

1. Long grain (all purpose rice) : can be used to all styles of cooking, commonly used in USA, Italy, Thailand. It has rough outter texture when harvested. It's slim grain. It undergoes different milling techniques to give different types of rice.

2. Regular long grain (white rice) : been milled to remove its husk and bran layer, has subtle flavor, essential in Chinese cooking, and can absorb lots of water so the volume is greatly up after cooking.

3. Parboiled rice : this rice is steamed before milling. The steaming process helps to harden the grains and retain the natural vitamin and mineral content inside. This rice can be used as similar as the regular one.

4. Brown rice (wholegrain rice) : this kind of rice doesn't go milling process, or only minimal milling to remove the husk but not the bran layer. Due to this minimal milling process, the rice remain got more vitamin, mineral, and fibre. After cooking, this rice is a bit harder to chew, which many people enjoy.

5. Aromatic rice : containing 2-acetyl-1-pyroline, which is responsible for its fragrant taste and aroma.

6. Basmati rice : the grain is long and slender, and has aromatic fragrant too. It's commonly used in India and for Indian dishes. It's often cooked with spices to enhance the aromatic properties.

7. Jasmine rice (thai fragrant rice) : it's original from Thailand. This rice has a soft, slightly sticky texture when cooked.

8. Japonica rice : the grain is short and medium in size. It may come in red, brown, or black. It has clingy moist and firm, and suits for Japanese and Caribbean cuisines.

Last, there are tips to cook rice perfectly, so it doesn't goes too mushy or flabby (exceptionally you want to make a porridge) : 

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That's all I can share about rice.

Hopefully, you enjoy the reading. And thankyou!

References :

Anonim . ___ . "Information on Rice". http://farmer.gov.in. Accessed on Jan, 6th 2017 at 10.00 a.m.<

Anonim. 2017. "Varieties". http://riceassociation.org.uk. Accessed on Jan, 6th 2017 at 10.30 a.m.<

Nguyen, V.N. 2005. Rice Production, Consumption, and Nutrition. Rome : Food and Agricultural< Organization.