Table of Contents
- Harvesting period:-
- Taste:
- Facts of Basmati rice:
- STORY OF THE ORIGIN
- Positive effects:-
- Useful features:-
- Conclusion
Indian Basmati rice is delicate long grain rice. It is a type of rice of the Oryza sativa variety. The very word basmati – means “fragrant”. In its homeland i.e., northern India, this rice has a name – the grain of the gods and forms the basis of the diet of the country’s population.
Historically, the Basmati rice has grown on snow-fed terraces and the foothills of the Himalayas with temples and the Indo-Chinese plains of northern India and Pakistan beneath them. These countries are the leading Indian Basmati rice exporters worldwide.
Each of these two countries insists that only his unique terroir gives Basmati the unique smell and taste that the holy books and chronicles have described for thousands of years.
One of the few that has withstood the dominance of transgenic hybrids from the USA and Australia. At home, this type of rice is an important part of special meals, everyone’s favourite.
Harvesting period:-
The Basmati rice harvest (September to December) in northern India coincides with the holiday season.
Usually, this rice is served in a pilaf with beans, almonds, raisins, spices and lamb, which has always had basmati in the traditional recipe. It runs perfectly. It absorbs the aroma of vegetables, meat and spices.
Taste:
Basmati rice has a taste that resembles popcorn and nuts. Due to its incredible advantages and original taste, it was given another name “King of Rice”.
This rice that goes on sale is usually 12-18 months old, like a good wine. This increases the hardness of the grain. This variety has long and thin grains, which do not boil and retain their shape after heat treatment. There are several traditional varieties such as brown varieties and hybrids.
Facts of Basmati rice:
The history of rice is calculated for millennia. In historical times, this is the culture that is most cultivated, which is explained by the excellent taste and usefulness of storage.
There is a great variety of Basmati Rice whose benefits for the body are invaluable, and therefore the gourmet will be satisfied. It should also be noted that vitamins and trace elements in their composition allow the widespread use of products in the diet, especially for weight loss.
It is an interesting fact to know that rice (red, ruby, white, black, brown, steam, basmati and unpolished) can influence the character of human thinking. This conclusion came from psychologists who studied the specifics of the functioning of higher nervous activities of the organism than Europeans and representatives of Eastern cultures.
Experts say that Europeans are dominated by individualism in behaviour and the analytical type of activity of the nervous system, while the inhabitants of the East – the tendency of collective work and holistic thinking.
In their opinion, such differences refer to the main cultivated crops i.e., wheat and rice. It is important to know that the work of one family is enough for growing wheat, and rice requires people to get united to attain more for their livelihood.
STORY OF THE ORIGIN
The name Basmati rice comes from the Hindi language and literally means ‘fragrant. The cultivation of the culture began about three thousand years ago. The first mention in literature was in 1766, in the poem ‘Heer Ranja’.
Initially, the word Basmati meant any rice with an unusual aroma, but over time, the name stuck to the modern species. Presently, It is well known for its aroma & fragrance.
Variants of Indian Basmati rice as given below:-
- Basmati rice is available in white and brown, i.e. not polished versions.
- Traditional Indian species are Basmati 370, Basmati 385, Basmati 198, Pusa 1121, Riza, Bihar, Kasturi, Hariana 386, etc.
- In addition, there are several official varieties of Basmati rice from Pakistan such as, Basmati 370 (Pakki Basmati), Super Basmati (Kachi Basmati), etc.
(People usually distinguish them by the length and color of the grains – from snow white to caramel.)
Rice is considered a symbol of love, happiness and health. The benefit of basmati rice is not so much the impact on the peculiarities of work, as on the human body.
It is a valuable food product. Let’s look at the main properties of such a grain as benefits that give strength to the human body to produce more work efficiently.
Positive effects:-
- Supports the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract thanks to fiber.
- Starch helps maintain blood sugar levels.
- The contained elements have a positive effect on the heart and pancreas.
- The high phosphorus content maintains bone strength.
- If you eat this type of rice properly, your weight will be on the right track, but before using the product as a basis for nutrition, it would be more beneficial to consult the dietitian.
It was believed that Rice had been imported into Europe in 350 BC. It was made by Alexander the Great, conquering India, where culture had been actively cultivated until then.
However, in medieval Europe, this grain was long considered an exotic product that only noble and rich people could afford. Cereals were used in the preparation of unusual delights that were served at the festive table.
One such popular dish in England was Basmati Rice Pudding.
Useful features:-
i) The product is part of a diet for weight loss, it helps to cope up with excess weight only if it is an unpolished variety (especially useful brown rice).
ii) The benefit of any type of rice, including basmati rice, is that they do not infect the hunger center because they do not lead to increased food intake that is often used in weight loss diets.
iii) Lack of allergic reactions, as in rice there is no gluten – one of the most dangerous allergens.Therefore, white, basmati and black rice for people with gluten intolerance is undeniable.
iv) In large amounts of lecithin in its shell, which is necessary for normal brain function and for the transmission of nerve impulses to the periphery. Oligosaccharides in rice normalize bowel function.
v) Red, black, brown rice a large number of kauv, which neutralizes the harmful effects of sodium and is necessary for the normal functioning of the heart.
vi) Benefits of wild rice (red, black, ruby and brown) is especially evident in the nervous system. Basmati rice contains a larger amount of vitamins.
Conclusion
Despite the great benefits of Indian Basmati Rice, in some situations, its use for the body can be excused. Frequent consumption of basmati rice flakes (despite vitamins and minerals in this variety) can cause constipation because cereals have a strong astringent effect.
Therefore, it is recommended to eat with various intestinal infections and poisoning, diarrhoea occurs, weight loss such, it seems, the negative properties of the product makes it useful.
The beneficial properties of Basmati rice for the body are manifested in a moderate intake in food, while it is important to know which varieties of this culture should be preferred.
Indian Basmati Rice with moderate use and proper cooking – a great helper in weight loss, improves the functioning of the intestines, nervous system and heart, gives desire without excess calories and impacts on the natural human behaviour.