Basmati Rice is a non-glutinous rice that has been cultivated at the foot of the Himalayan mountain ranges in India for thousands of years. The rivers Yamuna and Sutluj irrigate the Basmati paddy fields in Haryana and Punjab respectively. Basmati is an aromatic, fragrant, long grain, slender rice, and has a nutty flavor. 'Basmati', when literally translated from Hindi, means ‘queen of fragrance’. It is the world’s best rice one can use for cooking and has been exported all around the world for centuries. Many of the traditional rice dishes in the Arab countries are cooked with long grained Basmati rice imported from India. To obtain the correct aroma and flavor of Basmati rice, proper ageing is required to reduce its moisture content.

The best quality Basmati rice comes from the old Karnal district, known as the 'rice bowl of India'. Basmati is now grown in Karnal, Panipat, Kaithal, Kurukshetra and Ambala districts of Haryana. It is also grown in Punjab, Dehradoon region of Uttranchal and Jammu region of Jammu & Kashmir.

According to Ayurveda, Basmati is the king of all varieties of rice; is saatvic or pure, is nourishing for the body tissues and is easy to digest. Ayurveda recommends avoiding rice that is par boiled, instant or pre-cooked because it has less prana in it. Rice is generally good for balancing Vata and Pitta. Desserts made with rice and milk are particularly cooling and balancing for Pitta.

Specification: The grain of uncooked Basmati rice should be about 7 mm length and 2 mm breadth. When cooked the grains elongate (70-120 per cent over the pre-cooked grain) more than other varieties. This rice should not gel and its amylose content should be from 24-32 per cent.

Cooking: Boil it in water for perfumed rice dish or just add ghee to the water to enhance its nutty aroma and double your rice dinning experience. Add some whole spices, nuts, dried fruits, vegetables and beans (or meats) to the rice and make a rice dish into a main meal.

Dishes: Pulao (Pilafs), Biryani, and plain boiled white rice are used for the main course. Kheer, Sweet Saffron Rice and Phirni are prepared as desserts.

Rohtak Rewri