Because we leave the bran on, native red rice keeps more of its colour, fibre and nutrition. It also needs a touch more water and a touch more patience than polished rice, and it rewards you for both.
The simple method
- Rinse once, gently. You want to keep the goodness in the bran.
- Use a little more water than usual, roughly two and a half cups to one cup of rice.
- Soak for twenty minutes if you can, then cook until soft.
Serve it hot with a simple pappu, a spoon of our wood-pressed groundnut oil, and a piece of jaggery on the side. It is a plate our grandparents would recognise, and it keeps you full right through the afternoon.
Real food does not need a long ingredient list. It needs honest ingredients.