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This article is about the food grain; see also rice (disambiguation).
Rice (Oryza sativa) is a plant of the grass family,
which feeds more than half of the world's human population. Rice cultivation is well suited to poor countries as it is very
labor-intensive, but with plenty of water for irrigation, can be grown
practically anywhere, even on steep hillsides. Rice is the world's third largest crop, behind maize and
wheat — both of which have significant uses outside of human nutrition.
Rice cultivation
Rice is often grown in paddies — shallow puddles (typically 15cm depth), carefully controlled to ensure the appropriate
water depth. Rice paddies sometimes serve a dual agricultural purpose by also producing edible fish or frogs, a useful source of protein. The farmers take advantage of the
rice plant's tolerance to water: the water in the paddies prevents weeds from outgrowing the crop. Once the rice has established
dominance of the field, the water can be drained in preparation for harvest. Paddies increase productivity, although rice can
also be grown on dry land, including on terraced hillsides, often with the help of chemical weed controls.
In some instances, a deepwater strain of rice, often called floating rice is grown. This can develop elongated stems
capable of coping with water depths exceeding 2 meters (6 feet).
Rice paddies are an important habitat for birds such as herons and warblers, and a wide range of amphibians and snakes. They perform a useful function in controlling
insect pests.
Whether it is grown in paddies or on dry land, rice requires a great amount of water compared to other food crops, making rice
growing a controversial practice in some areas, particularly in the United
States and Australia, where rice farmers use 7% of the nation's water to
generate just 0.02% of GDP. However, in nations that have the periodical rain
season and typhoons, rice paddies serve to keep the water supply steady and prevent flood from reaching a dangerous
level.
Preparation as food
The seeds of the rice plant are first milled to remove the outer husks of the grain; this creates brown rice. This process may be continued, removing all of the husk, creating 'white' rice. The white rice
may then be buffed with glucose or talc powder, parboiled, or processed into flour. Most inner oily layer called
nuka is heated to remove its oil and then used for making pickled vegetables.
The processed rice seeds are usually boiled or steamed to make them edible, after which they may be fried in oil or
butter.
History of rice cultivation
Rice was first cultivated in ancient China and India. Rice growing was brought to Japan by the Yayoi. From India rice spread to southern Europe and Africa.
Colonial South Carolina and Georgia grew and amassed great wealth from the slave
labor obtained from the Senegambia area of West Africa. At the Port of Charleston, through which 40% of all American slave imports passed, slaves from
this region of Africa brought the highest prices, in recognition of their prior
knowledge of rice culture, which was put to use on the many rice plantations
around Georgetown, Charleston, and Savannah. From the slaves, plantation owners learned how to dike the marshes and periodically flood the fields. At first the rice was milled by
hand with wooden paddles, then winnowed in sweetgrass baskets (the making of which was another skill brought by the slaves). The invention of the rice mill increased profitability of the crop, and the addition of water power for the mills in 1787 by millwright Jonathan Lucas was another step
forward. Rice culture in southeastern USA became less profitable with the loss of slave labor after the American Civil War, and it finally died out just after the turn of the
20th century.
Varieties
American long grain rice
Rice varieties are often classified by their grain shapes. For example, Thai or Siamese Jasmine rice is long-grain and
relatively less sticky, as long-grain rice contains less starch than short-grain
varieties. Chinese restaurants usually serve long-grain as plain unseasoned steamed rice. Japanese rice and Chinese sticky rice are short-grain. Chinese people use sticky rice to make dumplings.
Indian rice varieties include long-grained Basmati (grown in the North), medium-grained Patna and short-grained Masoori. One variety, available in the
South Indian state of Kerala, is
usually referred to in English as boiled rice. This is prepared by boiling it just after harvesting, in huge pans, often
over coconut-shell fires, to kill any fungi or other contaminants. It is then dried,
and the husk removed later. It often displays small red speckles, and has a smoky flavour from the fires.
Scientists are working on so-called golden rice which is genetically modified to produce beta carotene, the precursor to vitamin A. This
has generated a great deal of controversy over whether the amount of beta carotene would be significant and whether genetically modified foods are desirable.
Draft genomes for the two commonest rice cultivars, indica and
japonica, were published in April 2002.
International Year of Rice
On December 16, 2002, the UN General Assembly declared the year 2004 the International Year of Rice. The declaration was sponsored by Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic
People's Republic of Korea, Ecuador, Fiji,
Gabon, Grenada, Guyana, India, Indonesia,
Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Madagascar, Mali, Malaysia, the Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Papua New
Guinea, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Vietnam, and
Zambia.
Rice dishes and beverages
Popular rice dishes include gumbo, idli,
jambalaya, mochi, ochazuke (お茶漬け), paella, pilaf, rice pudding, rice congee (粥), risotto, and sushi.
Beverages made from rice include sake, horchata, and rice milk.
See also
External links
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