It all began with a turmeric latte. The weather’s been infuriatingly indecisive lately, moodily soggy one minute and recklessly bright the next. In a cunning attempt to pre-empt an attack of the sniffles, I whip up a cup of creamy hot chocolate, suitably dark, with just enough bitterness to give it an edge. Then, I sneeze.
One friend tells me vodka is great for colds, another swears by brandy. However, all I have is a bottle of Jack Daniel’s. I add a generous glug of it to my cup of hot chocolate. It’s absolutely dreadful.
Perhaps, it’s best to take a more traditional route. Apparently, turmeric milk spiked with pepper is the home remedy of choice at times like this. I wouldn’t know. My mother’s idea of traditional healing is giving me two Vitamin C tablets and a lecture on why partying late into the night is the sole reason I’m sick. So, I turn to recipe mothership, Pinterest, and am rapidly submerged in turmeric latte hysteria. Don’t worry. I won’t bore you with the benefits. Suffice to say Gwyneth Paltrow has added it to her morning routine. She reportedly drinks it with “ginger, coconut sugar, coconut oil and a pinch of sea salt.” As everyone knows, she’s the Kardashian of new-age food trends, so we better get on board fast.
Shopping malls used to be my happy place. Now it’s gourmet food stores, with their fascinating array of kombuchas, farm-fresh cheese and organic indigenous food. As I browse contently, looking for the requisite fresh turmeric, sea salt and coconut milk, I’m delighted to stumble upon dramatically inky kavuni rice. Back at home, I grab my blender determinedly, but I just can’t go through with it. My vociferous Mallu genes protest at the idea of turning a cup of rich coconut milk into a pretentious yellow oil-slick.
So, I turn my attention to the bag of kavuni instead. Although black rice is still fairly rare in urban India, it is steadily gaining popularity for its high nutritional values, unique texture and intriguing nutty flavour. High in fibre and minerals, it is a great source of iron. Packed with antioxidants and phytochemicals, this rice is said to lower bad cholesterol levels, decrease inflammation and fight heart disease. It’s also a really cool colour. A brooding black that turns almost purple when cooked.
After washing the rice multiple times, I soak it overnight, then pressure-cook it in the morning for ten minutes. According to traditional Chettinad recipes, it’s perfect for payasam. Indiscriminately blending Thai cooking, Chettinad recipes and Nouvelle cuisine, I stir in coconut milk, jaggery and a healthy pinch of salt. Then, add a handful of toasted sesame seeds. The rice grains, much like an overly-muscled schoolyard thug, stand their ground. Even after an additional 15 minutes of stirring, they hold their shape. Chewy, but pleasantly so. Unlike white rice, which tends to get mushy, this retains its personality, yet manages to unite all the ingredients into a sweet, comforting flavour-pastiche.
Looking for more information, I track down remarkable Potshangbam Devakanta. Based in Manipur, he works on preserving indigenous varieties of rice, concentrating on Chakhao Poireiton, a black sticky rice revered for its medicinal properties. Devakanta was awarded the PPVFRA (Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act) conservation award for his work in 2012.
Over the phone, he tells me Manipur has 300 varieties of rice, of which about ten are black. Realising its potential – there’s an enthusiastic market overseas and a slowly expanding Indian consumer base – farmers in Assam now grow a respectable quantity. Devakanta says he’s given seeds to Assamese farmers, and the rice is thriving there. But, he adds, terrior plays a great role. Strains like Chakhao Poireiton taste best when grown on their home soil, he contends. “Outside Manipur, the aroma becomes less. Also the stickiness.”
Explaining why so few farmers grow this rice, Devakanta says, “The yield is less. One hectare produces about two tonnes of black rice, as opposed to white rice which can yield up to 4.5 tonnes with modern farming methods.” He adds, “Also, it is better organic. If you use chemical fertilisers with Chakhao Poireiton, the yield decreases.” Since the rice is indigenous, it’s quite hardy and does not require as much water as commercial white rice. All of which makes it an ideal desi superfood: clean, convenient and cheap. (I paid Rs. 55 for 250 grams. Devakanta sells a kilo for Rs. 150.)
“Now, I see on the Internet it has got high medicinal values also. For us, it’s traditional. Our ancestors have always cultivated and eaten this rice,” he says. “We make kheer. We make it into herbal tea. Just dry it in the sun, grind and mix one spoon with hot water. As porridge, it gives energy.” He adds, “My favourite method is to make it like suji halwa. It’s very tasty. And after one small cup, I can go to the fields and work for six hours!”
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