September
is
...
National Rice Month! By Lina Zhu
The history of National Rice Month
County officials in Mississippi cele-
dates back to 1991 when President
brate the occasion with an annual rice
George H.W. Bush signed the official
tasting luncheon held in September.
proclamation designating September
According to the US Department of
as National Rice Month. The president
Agriculture, nearly 500 million met-
and the USA Rice Federation recog-
ric tons of rice are harvested globally
nized this special holiday to encour-
each year.
age the use of the small but mighty
Rice has a special place for many
grain in our daily dining. In the U.S.,
Asian countries and people as it’s
cities celebrate National Rice Month
one of the most common foods in
differently.
Asian cuisine.
For
example,
Bolivar
Different types of Asian Rice KOREAN RICE
16
INDIAN RICE
JAPANESE OR SUSHI RICE
Korean hyunmi refers to Korean
Indian basmati is also long-grain
Sushi rice is steamed Japanese rice
short grain brown rice. Unlike white
rice, meaning that the grains are long
that is flavored with vinegar-based sea-
rice, brown rice has the bran and germ
and skinny. When cooked, basmati rice is
sonings and it’s only used for making
still attached. Brown rice tends to have
less sticky than jasmine, with grains that
sushi. In Japan, it is known as sumeshi
a higher nutritional value than white
tend to remain on the firm side. Basma-
(vinegared rice). Sushi rice is usual-
rice, with many vitamins and fiber. It
ti rice also doesn’t stick together as Jas-
ly short grain rice, which has plump
takes longer to cook and longer to
mine rice does, which makes it a great
grains and a high proportion of amy-
digest. Many Koreans combine white
choice for rice pilaf, salads, and Indian
lopectin, a type of sticky starch that’s
rice and brown rice together to bring
rice side dishes that often include safron,
responsible for the trademark creamy
better texture and taste.
lemon or turmeric.
texture of risotto.
September 2020 | Culture
