Range of Rice — A versatile grain.
Rice is part of the staple diet in almost all the cultures and countries in Asia. It is a principal agricultural grain as well. Numerous cultures have had a take on different and varied dishes made from rice. Even in the subcontinent of India, rice has been a very integral part of the cuisine even though the cultures couldn’t be more diverse. It is almost like rice binds us together as an imperative part of our food culture. It is really interesting that so many different items can be made from one single grain. In this blog, I am going to discuss a few varied items made from rice in an attempt to showcase its true range :)
Rice: Rice as rice duh! It is usually eaten with a mix of curry (ranging from lentil curry, paneer, all kinds of meat curry .etc) and side of vegetables. It is the most common way of eating rice all over the continent of Asia, with a difference in the curry and the side dishes pertaining to different cultures.
Rice Beer: Yes !! you heard it right. Rice is also used to make beer. It is a locally curated and created beverage made from fermented rice which is offered during local festivals. It is most common in the North-East region of India as well as certain parts of Japan, Korea and the other East Asian countries.
Rice Pudding: Rice can also be used to make sweet dishes. ‘Payesh’ is a very popular dessert in India which is made by mixing rice, milk, sugar and dry fruits .etc. The belief that rice can only be eaten in a savoury manner is not true because rice as a dessert tastes delicious too.
Rice Tea: Rice is also used to make non-alcoholic beverage like tea. It is used to make a variety of tea which tastes similar to that of green or white tea. It is extremely healthy and a good replacement for caffeine.
Varied well-known Rice items: South Indian dishes are extremely popular all over the world especially Dosa, which is made with a batter of rice powder. The main ingredient in Dosa is rice and there are also other items like Rice Porridge which is made with grounded rice. These items are very popular and sought after for heir tastes and texture.
Rice is an incredibly versatile grain and a complete meal from the main course to dessert and drinks can be prepared with rice as the principal component.
