The above image shows grains spread out in the sun to dry.
It is a long process for the paddy from the fields to turn into the rice you cook. Truthfully speaking, the back-breaking work of the farmer gives you your stomach's fill every day.
The grains are harvested by either people or machines and the hay is separated. The grains are then dried in the sun for a day. It is then packed into sacks and distributed among the farmers or sold to rice factories.
The farmer then boils the desired amount of grains in a huge pot. The grains will burst and you can see the rice grain peeping out from within the husk. Till that stage, the grain has to be boiled.
You can see the huge pot which is heavy as well. The pot is kept over stones and the fire is lit using firewood. Then water is poured. When it starts to boil, the grains are then put into it and a ladle is used to stir it occasionally. The Grains start to burst and the rice will be seen and then only the firewood is taken off and the grains are then transferred to a woven basket because the basket has holes and will allow the excess water to seep out. The mat is then kept on the ground and the grains are spread out. After a while, the farmer then walks on the grains and shakes them up with his feet so that the grains dry evenly.
The above process is known as parboiling. As for white rice, there is no such process and the grains are just dried and then taken to the mill to be pound into rice.
The grains are dried thoroughly and then cooled before being packed into huge sacks. It can be stored and when necessary, taken to the mill to be converted to brown rice.
The rice thus made does require a lot of time to cook. It cannot be cooked easily in a pressure cooker. It has to be cooked in a pot on a gas or firewood stove. Even though it takes a lot of time to cook, it is healthier and more filling than white rice.
The brown rice is not polished, unlike white rice grains. That is why when we usually wash the brown rice before cooking, the water appears brownish. Well, whatever rice you are cooking, please wash the rice before cooking because storekeepers usually add the boric powder to rice sacks to keep pests from entering it and spoiling it. It is always good to clean the items before cooking.
If you have not tried eating g brown rice, you should at least once because it is not only tastier but also healthier and keeps hunger pangs away for a longer time. Also, when cooking brown rice, the water is strained and not absorbed which reduces the starch content. The starch water thus strained can be used in several ways.
- starch water can be used as soup
- it can be used to add starch to clothes by dipping and drying in the sun
- it can be poured into plant pots to nourish the plant
Next time, you eat rice, do thank the farmer for his hard work and nature for keeping you healthy.
images - own
