Rice, an edible starchy cereal grain that belongs to the grass family poaceae is a product of grass that is cultivated annually in all over the world. The cultivated rice plant grows up to about 4-4.5 feet in height during its lifetime. The flower cluster which is called a panicle consists of spikelike protrudes that produce the fruit or in this case grain. The size of rice depends on the size and weight of panicle, that’s why there are many varieties of rice available in the market. More than 90 percent of the whole supply of rice is produced in Asia, to be more specific in India, China, Indonesia, Bangladesh being major hubs and smaller hubs include Japan, Pakistan etc.

Rice is consumed mostly as whole grain, and it also has many derivatives like breakfast cereal, noodles, Japanese sake which is an alcohol that is made by fermenting rice. Now let’s go see its history of how it came to be, how it was domesticated, how it has changed over the course of history and what exactly are we eating right now.

Many cultures have produced evidence that they had an early signs of rice cultivation like India, China and other Southeast Asia, but the earliest archaeological studies have shown that rice came to be from central and eastern China and dates back to more than 7000 to 4000 BCE. Domestication is a very complex evolutionary process where humans’ repeated usage of a species leads to genetical, morphological changes in the said species as compared to their ancestors. Wild rice has two species that we used to eat that is Indica and Japonica. Asian rice i.e., Oryza sativa L. is one of the ancient and most important crop species having been domesticated 8000-9000 years ago. Several genetic studies have also shown that Oryza rufipogon is the wild progenitor of the domesticated ones. Studies have also established that rice consists of several genetically differentiated groups two main being Indica and Japonica. Over the course of history mass production, storing and replanting have drastically changed the genetical structure of rice and resulted in what we are eating today.

Types of rice around the world and their uses:

1. Arborio Rice: It is a medium grain rice that is cultivated in the Po valley of Italy. Due to high starch content of it, it has a chewy and sticky feel to it during eating.
Used in: Soup, Risotto, Rice pudding.

2. Basmati Rice: These originate from India and are very long, dry and separate when cooked. They have a very pleasant aroma and nutty taste.
Used in: Biryani, Pulao, Dosa.

3. Black rice: These are used in Chinese cuisine as a health promoting food. It has a black coloration which arises due to anthocyanin pigment present in it.
Used in: Rice cake, rice pudding.

4. Brown rice: Probably the healthiest form of rice as it has both its bran and germ layer intact which give its natural tan color. It proves as a better supplement of fiber, vitamins and minerals than its brothers.
Used in: Stir fries, whole rice bowl, rice pilaf.

5. Jasmine rice: Having its origin in Thailand, Jasmine rice is an aromatic flavorful rice that imparts a really exotic aroma with any dish it is cooked with.
Used in: Curry, Stir-fry dishes.

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