Palakkadan Matta rice

Red rice porridge
Matta rice served
Par boiled rice
Cooked matta rice

Palakkadan Matta rice is a variety of parboiled rice[1] known for its coarseness and health benefits. It is cultivated in Palakkad district of Kerala in India and used for a variety of dishes in India and Sri Lanka.

History

Red rice was originally invented in China during the Tang dynasty in 800 AD. Palakkadan Matta rice was the choice of the royal families of Chola and Chera dynasties of India. The poorer sections of the society had no access to it as this variety was considered very expensive at that time.

Nutrition benefits

Palakkadan Matta rice more nutritious than white polished rice because parboiling before milling retains some nutrients.[2] One serving cup of 1/4 size can contain 160 calories and 1 gram of fibre. White rice doesn't contain any fibre. The brown outer layer of the Matta rice contains many nutrients and white rice is made by polishing away this valuable layer. One cup of Matta rice can contain 84 milligrams of magnesium and one gram of calcium. It also contains vitamins.

Cooking parboiled rice

Parboiled rice is harder than white rice and needs some thirty minutes of soaking before cooking.[3][4]

Cultivation

Palakkadan Matta rice is cultivated in the dense black cotton soil of Palakkad district in Kerala. The rice has a distinct earthly flavor because of the type of soil in which it is cultivated. These paddy fields are called 'poonthalpadam' and the soil contains a lot of clay and silt. Because of these qualities, this kind of paddy fields can retain more water.

Adulteration

A serious health hazard is the wide availability of artificially colored Matta rice. The color added for this purpose can be harmful to the body. There are complaints that such varieties are widely distributed through the subsidized public distribution systems on which the poor depend heavily.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Prabhakaran, G. (March 17, 2008). "Recognition for two rice varieties". The Hindu.
  2. ↑ Sylvia. "Health benefits of Red Rice". HB times.
  3. ↑ "Travel Thursday #12 | Rosamatta Rice | Puzhukkalari | Chambaavari". May 23, 2008.
  4. ↑ "Rosematta Rice And Dal". October 30, 2006.
  5. ↑ "Palakkad". October 21, 2014.
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