Basmati rice: the ethnic twist for your main dishes.

Rice is a herbaceous annual plant of the Gramineae family, originally from Asia, already known and widely cultivated in China since the 6th millennium B.C., as evidenced by various Neolithic excavation sites found in eastern China. This cereal then spread to Mesopotamia, Persia, Egypt, and finally to Europe. In Italy, rice is one of the most prevalent and consumed foods and is the undisputed protagonist of countless regional recipes, which is perhaps why this product has become so familiar to us. Not surprisingly, risottos are one of the countless excellences of our beautiful country. However, rice has a very long history that dates back from far away, from the distant East, a legendary land that cradles some of the most important civilizations of the past.

Rice, primarily grown as the species Oryza sativa, has three subspecies: Indica, Javanica, and Japonica. The latter is the most cultivated subspecies in Italy, which in turn is divided into four types: common rice, semi-fine , fine, and superfine. This nomenclature depends on the shape and size of the grain. The common type grain is small and round, the semi-fine type is round of medium length or semi-long. The fine type grain is long and tapered, while the superfine type is long.

There are several varieties of rice, and each pairs perfectly with different types of preparations. Among the numerous rice varieties, Basmati rice is one that has recently gained attention, at least in Italy, as native varieties such as Carnaroli, Arborio, or Vialone Nano, whose use is firmly rooted in regional gastronomic tradition, have long been preferred.

BASMATI RICE: THE HEALTHY RICE FROM THE EAST

Basmati rice is the name of a long-grain variety, famous for its fragrance and delicate flavor. Its name indeed comes from the Sanskrit word "vasmati", which literally means "fragrant". It has been primarily cultivated in India and Pakistan for hundreds of years and, today, in some varieties, also in the United States; just think that in 2011 and 2012, India’s production of this rice reached 5 million tons.

Among the types of rice, basmati has the greatest health benefits: it is rich in amylopectin, a polymer of glucose that is the most digestible and absorbable fraction of starch for humans. According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, cooked basmati rice has a medium glycemic index, ranging between values of 56 to 69 on a scale from 0 to 100. This characteristic makes it a rice with a low glycemic index, which means that consuming it results in lower levels of glucose in the blood. Therefore, Basmati rice is particularly suitable for the diet of diabetics and also for the obese.

THE BATTLE OVER BASMATI RICE PATENTS

The commercial launch of basmati rice saw a fierce battle for the acquisition of the patent. In September 1997, RiceTec, a Texas multinational that develops and produces hybrid rice seed varieties for the American and international market, obtained patent no. 5.663.484 aimed at protecting all the production lines of basmati rice and the company’s distinctive methods. This decision immediately sparked international outrage and the subsequent accusation of biopiracy, meaning the appropriation or abusive use of biological material, particularly endemic plant species from developing countries, for commercial purposes, in this case, India.

This circumstance led to a brief diplomatic crisis between India and the United States, with India threatening to bring the matter before the WTO, citing the USA and RiceTec for violating trade and intellectual property rights agreements. Given the seriousness of the circumstances, RiceTec had to withdraw most of its patent claims, including, primarily, the right to call their rice lines “Basmati.” Later, in 2001, they were granted a patent that was limited to protecting other rice varieties developed by the company that were not basmati.

TIPS FOR COOKING BASMATI RICE

Basmati rice does not cook like the rice we all know, and for this reason, we want to give you three quick tips for cooking it to perfection:

rinse it or soak it for half an hour before cooking, as this will eliminate the starch, making the grains more separated and firm;
cook it for 3 minutes on high heat and then continue on low heat for another 9 minutes;
keep the lid on while cooking so that the basmati rice can also cook thanks to the steam.

RECIPES WITH BASMATI RICE

Basmati rice is primarily used for typical preparations and uses in Oriental cuisines, such as Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Thai. It is indeed the ideal rice for preparing exotic and tasty recipes, especially with vegetables like tomatoes, zucchini, and legumes. In addition, it pairs perfectly with delicate combinations with fish, shellfish, especially shrimp and scampi, perhaps spiced with curry as is customary in Indian cuisine. A highly appreciated and easy-to-prepare recipe is basmati rice with chicken, shrimp, and curry, or an alternative rice with paprika, peas, and Parmigiano Reggiano. It can also be used to create fresh and quick rice salads with lightly sautéed vegetables to retain all their crunchiness. Even though it is not very oriental, it can be enriched with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, which, as we know, never hurts!

Ilaria Chesini