Gaeng Massaman Nua - Massaman curry with braised beef
"Have you eaten rice today?" In Thailand, the question means as much as a simple "How are you?", and clearly shows how deeply rice is anchored in daily life there.
While rice is considered a staple food in most Asian countries, Austria tends to favour pasta or potatoes as a source of carbohydrates. Austrians only consume around 5kg of rice per person per year. In Asia, on the other hand, per capita consumption is 120 kg, almost 25 times as much. So it's no wonder that almost 90 % of the world's rice harvest takes place in Asia. But what types of rice are there and what are their uses in Asian cuisine?
Another special type is wild rice, which is a wild cereal related to rice. Its grains are brown in colour and have a somewhat nutty flavour. It grows in North America and Canada and was already considered a staple food by the indigenous peoples living there.
But it is not only the type of rice grain that plays a role in the purchase. Of course, there are also significant differences in quality. Rice can therefore be categorised into different quality grades. These grades are measured by the percentage of broken rice in the pack. Broken rice refers to those grains that have been broken during production during husking, sorting or shaking. This is often sieved and processed into rice flour, for example. However, some of the broken rice usually remains in the pack and this determines the quality and therefore also the price:
There are around 120,000 different varieties of rice worldwide. So it's no wonder that many countries have chosen their "own" type of rice, which is reflected in the traditional national cuisine. In Europe, such dishes include Spanish paella and Italian risotto. Both dishes traditionally use a subspecies of medium or round grain rice. The "Bomba" and "Senia" varieties grown in Valencia are particularly suitable for paella, while the Italian varieties "Arborio", "Vialone nano" and "Carnaroli", which are grown in the Italian Po Valley, are favoured for risotto. Rice is now even grown in Austria, and not only because of its name: "ÖsterReis" comes from Gerasdorf and is grown in dry conditions. In contrast to typical wet cultivation, it is only irrigated when necessary. You can buy the round grain rice either polished or as brown rice, so why not buy regional rice?
Africa also has its very own rice culture. North of the Sahara, couscous and bulgur are cooked a lot, but rice is also a staple food in the 54 African countries. The so-called "Oryza Glaberrima" developed there for 3,500 years without any influence from Asian varieties. As a result, various rice dishes were created that are an integral part of African cuisine. The West African jollof or benachin in particular is an essential rice dish in the region. Similar to paella, the rice dish is prepared in a large pot and contains tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetables and poultry in addition to the traditional African rice.
Both South and North America have produced their own rice dishes over the years. Louisiana's Creole cuisine, for example, is characterised by its jambalaya, which is probably derived from paella. Unlike Spanish paella, however, long grain rice is used for jambalaya.
Although potatoes tend to dominate as a side dish in South America, as in Austria, there are nevertheless various rice dishes that are South American specialities: Peruvian "Aji de Gallina", "Arroz con Mariscos", which is popular in coastal towns (and Portugal), and "Arroz con Pollo", which is widespread throughout South America. Long grain rice is mainly used for these dishes.
However, 90 % of the global rice harvest is attributed to Asia. Consumption of the grain is correspondingly high: the global leader is Myanmar with a full 206 kg per capita per year. However, the largest rice exporters are Thailand, India and Vietnam. In order to represent Asia and Asian cuisine as well as possible, the following rice varieties are discussed in more detail in this text: Basmati rice, jasmine rice, sushi rice and sticky rice.
"Queen of flavours" - this is how the word "basmati" is translated directly from Hindi into German. No wonder, because basmati rice is an intense and aromatic flavoured rice. It is usually grown in the mountains, primarily in the Himalayan region, and is therefore often used in India. After preparation, it tastes slightly sweet and has a relatively strong flavour of its own compared to other rice varieties. In principle, basmati rice goes very well as a side dish with strongly flavoured dishes. A typical dish prepared with basmati rice is Indian biryani, for example. You can also find out more about basmati rice in our cookery course on Indian spice cuisine.
The fact that rice in its original form is one of the most popular foods in the world is probably nothing new, but what else can be made from rice? Besides Rice vinegar, Rice paper and Rice noodlesthe grain is also processed into various other products. Rice flour, for example, plays a key role in Vietnamese and Japanese cuisine. Glutinous rice flour is used, for example, for the popular mochi, small Japanese rice cakes. You can also replace wheat flour with rice flour if you are gluten intolerant.
Another particularly exciting rice-based product is the Rice miso. While miso paste is typically made from soya, rice takes centre stage here. It is mildly flavoured and is particularly suitable as a universal seasoning in Japanese cuisine. In our shop you will find selected organic varieties from Black Forest, Mimiferments and Clearspring Miso.
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