Parboiled rice is a type of processed rice which is pretty popular in Asian countries, especially in India. In some Asian countries, rice is being parboiled for ages as it makes it easier to remove the husk and it is healthy rice. In addition to easier extraction, it also adds to the texture and health benefits. Here, we shall see the significance of parboiled rice and why we should eat such rice.

What is Parboiled rice?
Parboiling takes place even before the rice is milled. Between the removal of inedible outer husk and before refinement to make white rice

Steps involved in the parboiling process:
• Soaking: The unhusked rice is drenched in slightly warm water to add some moisture.
• Steaming: After soaking the rice is steamed until the starch turns to gel. This process kills harmful bacteria too.
• Drying: Finally, the steamed rice is dried to make it fit for milling.

Nutrition comparison
During the parboiling process, some nutrients get absorbed into the starchy endosperm. This reduces the nutrient loss that takes place while refining to make white rice. Here is a comparison of 150 grams of cooked parboiled rice with the same amount of cooked white and brown rice.

It is evident that parboiled rice has more amount of thiamine, niacin, and other required nutrients as compared to white and brown rice. In addition to that, parboiled rice also has higher protein and fibre content which shows better quality rice.

Other benefits of unpolished parboiled rice:

Improved cooking and storage qualities: Parboiling makes rice less sticky which is needed if you need to keep the rice warm for a while before serving or if you want to reheat and avoid clumping. Also, parboiling is known to deactivate the enzymes responsible for breaking down rice fat. This ensures no rancidity and longer shelf-life.

Formation of Prebiotics: After steaming the resistant starch reaches your large intestine without being broken down by the small intestine and gets fermented by beneficial bacteria called probiotics. Prebiotics are good for your stomach.

May affect blood sugar less: It is believed that Parboiled rice may help diabetic patients; it does not raise sugar levels like white rice

Thus Parboiled rice has to be necessarily consumed in our lives, especially during the outburst of Covid-19. Consuming Parboiled rice is as important as practising Social distancing and Sanitisation during the reign of the Coronavirus. It is because of the presence of high nutritional value of this rice or the unpolished rice, in comparison to other kinds of rice. Consumption of such kinds of rice increases the immunity levels in our body and thereby helping us to fight against Covid-19 or to live a healthy life at large.

Apart from this, one more thing that has to be kept in mind is to avoid loose rice and to encourage packaged rice. We are a trusted rice processing company, working for ages in the field of manufacturing and supplying unpolished parboiled rice. During the outbreak of COVID, we strongly suggest taking unpolished and parboiled rice, to stay healthy enough to fight against the deadly virus. We provide the best and healthy quality rice, which if consumed will have nutritious results. We sell various types of unpolished and Parboiled rice, which can be easily selected and bought owing to the personal requirements. So now, say no to White or Brown rice, and say yes to Parboiled rice.

Rice is considered to be the most widely consumed staple food for a large part of the world especially in Asia. It is the most important grain with regard to human nutrition and caloric intake, providing more than one-fifth of the calories consumed worldwide by humans. Rice complements almost all the cuisines and this is exactly why it is so largely consumed. There are different types of rice available in the market due to which one must be selective while choosing the preferred quality of rice since superior quality rice is good for health.

Tips for choosing good quality rice:

• Look closely at the color of the rice. Go for the rice which has a bright color with not much yellowish tinge on it.
• Pay attention to the texture of the rice. Quality rice has a texture that is powerful and not easily broken when pressed.
• Go for a type of rice that does not stick when squeezed. Rice which stick to the hand when pressed indicates that it has a lubricating content which is not good for one’s health.
• Examine the grain of rice. If you do so, you can determine whether the rice is new or aged.
• Make sure the rice does not have ticks in it.
• Bite the rice to test the quality. Good quality rice when bitten is not easily broken and is hard. If the rice is too fragile, it won’t last long.
• Buy rice from a trusted store. Choose a trusted store since it would hand over safe and healthy rice products.

These tips will certainly help you to choose the best quality of rice for you and your family. Eat healthy and stay fit!

To begin with, what is aged rice and new rice? Well, aged rice or old rice is nothing but stocked rice which is kept for ageing for one or more years. On the other hand, new rice is the one which is produced from newly harvested crops.

Now, how is rice aged?
Ageing of rice is perhaps a complicated process in which changes in the physical and chemical properties of rice grain takes place. The newly harvested crops are stored for a few months to bring a change in flavor and texture in it. However, the main components of the rice like starch, protein and lipids remains unchanged during ageing and only structural changes take place along with change in flavors and texture.

The basic difference in the nature of aged rice and new rice that one gets to see while cooking it is that new rice produced from newly harvested crops need less water to be cooked since the newly produced rice stay hydrated unlike aged rice. In case of aged rice, the moisture content is less and it always stays separated and looks good after cooking while new rice tends to become sticky. Aged rice need more water while being cooked in comparison to new rice and ends up fluffy in texture.

It is often suggested by nutritionists that aged rice is a healthier option as compared to new rice due to the change in pasting properties that occur during ageing.

The lockdown due to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak must have hit you hard with boredom. Are you completely blank about what to do with so much of leisure time? Invest it in enriching some of your skills, like cooking! To help you with, we have an easy recipe for you.

Prepare this dish with Pragati rice and some very basic veggies and have a nice meal!

Tadka Rice
Tadka Rice happens to be a very simple yet tasty dish which doesn’t need much of a hustle to prepare. It’s yummy and nutritious as well. Follow these easy steps to prepare this dish and it’s going to hardly take a total cooking time of 25-30 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1 Bowl cooked rice
• 1 Small finely chopped tomato
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 1  small capsicum finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped coriander
• Cooking Oil
• 1 Tbsp Red Chili powder
• 1/2 Tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/2 Tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1 pinch Asafetida
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

• Heat a non-stick pan and add some cooking oil.
• Once the oil is heated, add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
• Add asafetida, capsicum, a pinch of salt, onions and sauté it well.
• Cook the mixture for 2 minutes on a medium flame.
• Add turmeric powder, red chili powder and mix it well for 2 more minutes.
• Then add some tomatoes and give it a mix.
• Add the cooked rice and mix it well with vegetables.
• Add salt to taste and stir.
• Garnish with coriander.
  The dish is now ready! Serve it in a bowl with curd and enjoy it with your family!

Rice is not only good for your appetite but also good for your hair.

Rice is full of nutrients like Vitamin B1, C and E which are beneficial for hair. It is believed that women from eastern countries have been using rice water since ages in their hair and skincare.

It can be brown or white rice whichever you prefer. In West Bengal you will easily find white as well as brown rice so it won’t be a big issue finding the correct rice for beauty treatment.

Rice water can be extracted in three ways. First is fermentation, second is boiling and third one is soaking. All the three methods will benefit the skin and hair as it contains the required quantity of nutrients which are necessary for supple skin and thick hair.

For the fermentation method you would require ½ cup of rice and soak it for 30 mins then after 30 mins strain it and keep it aside for 2 days. After 2 days there would be a sour smell which will indicate that the process is complete. After that put it in the refrigerator and when you are about to use it dilute it using 2 cups of warm water.

Another method which can be used to extract rice water is boiling method. This process is also very simple. You need to boil rice just as you do it for lunch, instead of throwing it away strain it into a container. After you are done with the shampoo, apply this boiled rice water and let it rest for about 20 mins on your scalp, after that gently massage your scalp and wash it off to get shiny hair.

Sometimes fresh rice water which is obtained by soaking method is also used for the conditioning hair. This can be a good alternative for the chemical based hair conditioner. For this method you will need ½ cup of rice which needs to be soaked for 30 mins then use that white water as a conditioner.

Dosa is a pancake which is the most popular snack in all of South India, overtime it has become popular all over the country and globally too.

Here is the recipe to make the crispy pancake – Dosa is made of rice and urad dal. The ingredients are soaked, ground into the fine batter and allowed to ferment for 8- 10 hours. Next, add oil in a Tawa and slowly spread the batter to make the pancake. The Dosa can be enhanced in taste by topping it with spice powder and other ingredients like roasted coconut, chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, etc, while it is still cooking on the fire.

The beautiful golden color of moong dal Dosa is enough to make you tantalizing and get tempted to the mouthwatering aroma and taste. It is made of parboiled rice and moong dal to entice crispiness which can occur due to the blending of the fermented batter.

It tastes different from regular dosas as we use moong instead of urad dal and parboiled rice, you will love to have it for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

The parboiled variety is a rich source of B vitamin, niacin and thiamine. There are so many different types of rice, it can be tricky to figure out which one to eat – white rice, whole grain rice, brown rice. The list goes on and on but however parboiled rice has a distinctive feature that par-cooked rice and converted rice. One homemade plain dosa without oil contains about 112 calories, of which 84 percent is carbohydrates and 16 percent of proteins. The fermentation process increases the vitamin B and vitamin C content.

Parboiled rice is the most commonly sold and consumed type of rice grain available in the Bengal market. Apart from Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Assam are some of the states which have a heavy population of parboiled rice eaters.

Consumers rely on the retailer’s word-of-mouth and purchases, whatever is suggested, ignorant of the actual facts.

Let us try and analyse the factors which degrades the quality of parboiled rice in the Indian markets, with particular focus on Bengal. Some of the popular variants of parboiled rice popular in Bengali households are banskathi, dudheshwar, miniketto name a few.

The banskathi variant is a favourite amongst most as it yields milky white free flowing rice, which appeals to the taste buds of all. Consumers fall trap to the words of the retailer, without knowing the truth about the quality of the grain. However, there are certain factors which consumers must be knowing before they choose their grains.

Mixture: The primary cause which effects the quality of the rice grains is mixing. Once the rice leaves the manufacturers, they reach the market. In the market there are various traders who, adulterate the original variant of the grain with a lesser variety, to retain a better margin of profit. This reduces the quality which eventually affects the taste and texture of the rice grains.

Damage and Discolouration: Another important factor the consumer need to understand is that during the processing of the rice grains, may grains are damaged and lose their original colour. These grains rather than being disposed off, are mixed with the good quality grains by one section of the market to ensure that profit percentage remains high.

Polish: Some grains of rice are extremely shining, which is not natural, some manufacturers add a powdered stuff to the rice grain to make it shine, which reduces the taste and quality of the rice grains. Also, such processes make the quality unhealthy for consumption. Most consumers are unaware that such practices are followed in the market, and ultimately harm their health.

Moisture: Moisture is another important factor which decides the quality of the rice. When the paddy is processed after harvest, the maximum amount of moisture is removed from the grains within 24 hours of harvest to ensure that the quality does not deteriorate. Most people are unaware of these factors affection the quality of rice.

Plastic Rice: Plastic rice or artificial rice, as it is called is broken rice grains, treated with micro nutrients and other cereals. It is just a replica of a rice grain.

Broken Rice: In many cases substandard quality of rice which breaks while processing is collected and further mixed with better quality of rice to help rice whole sellers keep better profit. Broken rice grains mixed with a superior quality of rice will lead to over cooking and finally give stick rice, which is always uncalled for.

The consumers must be aware of the above mentioned factors which affect the quality of rice, which ultimately yields poor quality of cooked rice, which in turn affects the taste as well. If the consumers are educated to enough to identify these problems in their rice, then markets will definitely improve and whole sellers and miscreants will have very less scope to tamper with the quality of rice.

Bengal and its people are known for their rice eating habits. An average Bengali consumes rice every day, some may even consume it twice or thrice a day. Bengalis belong to that community where rice is an integral factor not only in their diet but culture and tradition too. Having said that, do we Bengalis have enough knowledge about the product we are consuming?

The rice that is consumed on a daily basis is parboiled rice, which is once boiled with the husk, and follows a process of soaking, steaming and drying to attain best results. This process gives the grains its distinctive taste, texture and colour. With modernization, machinery is used to complete this process which enables better time management.

The average Bengali household consumes parboiled rice on a daily basis. It is only on special occasions when they eat the other long grained variant, better known as Basmati rice. For the average Bengali parboiled rice is comfort food. It is like their constant companion. Having said that, does the rice eating Bengali know what they are consuming? Usually, when a customer goes for his monthly refill of grocery, they simply ask for the availability, and distinguish on the basis of price, based on the retailer’s verdict.

However, it is important that the consumers learn what they are eating. Most people are not aware of the negative factors which reduce the quality of rice. People are aware of a few variant names of parboiled rice like miniket, 10:10, banskathi, and dudheshwar but only a limited section of people are aware of the process of categorization. It becomes imperative to educate the consumers about what they are consuming and how they can identify the problems, if any.

One of the leading rice merchants of Kolkata, Pragati Edibles has willingly shared their views on how good quality parboiled can be identified and ways of categorizing them.

Banskathi variant is one of most popular parboiled rice types available. It is a huge favourite among rich eaters of Bengal and its neighbouring states. Pragati rice has taken the initiative to bring the banskathi rice to every household while maintaining quality and class. The common man is acquainted with the name of the product, however a little more in depth knowledge about the food item they are consuming on a regular basis only.

Pragati ensures that their banskathi rice grains are sought from the best paddy fields across the nation, having high yield potentiality. The best rice grows on rich alluvium soil brought by the rivers with a lot of silt and loam. The paddy is then husked and hulled after harvest. The rice fields need to be rightly curated before the seeds are sown in. The rice fields have to be diagnosed timely to ensure there are no threats from pests and insects. Weed control is also an important factor to ensure there is no loss of yield. Some varieties of banskathi paddy growth are extremely sensitive to water, so the control on the supply of water in the paddy fields must be monitored to perfection.

Once the banskathi seeds are ripe it is ready for harvest which follows steps like reaping, threshing and hauling. Once the harvesting process is complete the grains need to be stored in the right conditions to ensure minimum loss. The grains are prone to get spoilt with adverse weather condition, rodents, birds and micro-organisms like fungi. The rice grains then undergo a process of drying whereby the moisture content of the banskathi rice grains are decided, which is a major factor in deciding the future of the quality of the rice. Drying needs to be done to perfection to ensure minimum damage and destruction of the rice grains. This follows milling, which is part of the post production process and involves husking the bran of the rice is need be and categorizing them as white rice or brown rice.

Many by-products of the paddy plants can be used successfully, by-products like rice straw, rice hulls and rice bran may be used to generate energy, in addition to being used as animal fodder.

Rice happens to be the most widely consumed staple food for a large part of the world’s population, especially in Asia. It is the agricultural commodity with the third-highest worldwide production. India is one of the principal rice-producing and rice-consuming countries of the world where people consume rice as a main part of their daily meals. Due to which rice is prepared every day in most Indian households which results in left over rice after meals are done with. Most of this leftover rice is thrown away and wasted. But have you ever realised that this leftover rice can be used in making a new dish? If not, we have two wonderful leftover rice recipes for you!

1. CHOCOLATE RICE PUDDING using leftover rice:
You can easily make a rich creamy dessert with the leftover rice that you were planning to throw away, with a few kitchen-staple ingredients. The ingredients used in this recipe are definitely there in your kitchen right now. Instead of tossing out the leftover rice, use it to make this easy leftover chocolate rice pudding.

Ingredients for this creamy, comforting, and chocolate loaded recipe:

• 2 (1/2) cups  milk
• 2 cups leftover cooked rice (white or brown)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 table spoon salt
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 large egg
• 1 table spoon vanilla extract
• whipped cream for serving (optional)

Instructions for preparation:
Step 1: Mix 2 cups of milk, the left over rice, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat and cook for some time, stir often about 15 minutes until it has thickened slightly. Stir in the chocolate chips until it melts.

Step 2: In a bowl, whisk the egg and the remaining 1/2 cup milk. Slowly pour a ladleful of the hot rice mixture into the egg mixture. Pour the egg mixture back into the pot with the rice and cook. Stir it until it thickens and just comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Step 3: Serve the pudding warm or chilled, with whipped cream and chocolate chips.

Special instruction: The pudding will thicken as it cools down. If it gets too thick in the refrigerator, add a little extra milk before serving.

2. BREAKFAST RICE PUDDING using leftover rice:
You can easily make a creamy rice pudding with coconut milk, cinnamon and brown sugar for breakfast. This dish is a healthy way to use leftover rice for breakfast. This is a sweet recipe which is delicious and easy to prepare. It is also a good after school snack or dessert if served cold!

Ingredients for this breakfast recipe:

• 1/2 cup leftover cooked rice
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup cream (or coconut milk)
• 1/2 table spoon brown sugar or maple syrup(use according to taste)
• 1/4 table spoon ground cardamom or nutmeg
• 1/4 table spoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt
• Fruit of your choice for topping

Instructions for preparation:
Step 1: Mix the rice, milk, cream, brown sugar or maple syrup, cardamom, cinnamon, and salt in a saucepan.

Step 2: Heat the pan to medium-high and bring it to bubble.

Step 3: Turn down the heat to simmer.

Step 4: Cover it and simmer until the mixture becomes thick with pudding-like texture. (It’s going to take about 5 to 7 minutes)

Step 5: Top with fruit and more sweeteners, according to your choice.

Step 6: Serve the rice pudding hot, cold, or at room temperature.

Special instruction: Serve it chilled if you want to consume it as a dessert.