Have you been buying the wrong basmati rice all along?

White, translucent or pale brown – find out which is the best

Published:  March 25, 2022 07:00By Helga Jensen-Forde | Reach by Gulf News

  

Image Credit: Supplied

A staple in many food larders, basmati rice can be easily located on supermarket shelves. But do
you know that there are multiple varieties of basmati rice and that each has its own pluses and
minuses?
To know how we end up with so many varieties – and what makes a basmati grain perfect – we
need to understand their farm-to-plate journey. This allows us to choose the right basmati next
time we are out shopping.
Firstly, like many fine foods, rice is all about ageing. Aged rice will be more aromatic, tasty and
will cook well. The age of rice is often found on the pack, mentioned as the crop year. Tilda, the
first brand to introduce basmati rice to the modern retail world 50 years ago, recommends that
you aim for two-year-old rice. Needless to say, it follows the same guideline when it comes to its
products.
Three main features
Basmati is known for its long length, aroma and flavour. These three characteristics are essential
for rice to qualify as basmati. However, the question is do all basmati rice in the market have
these qualities. And why would any basmati lack any of these?
The truth is that since rice is all about ageing, it can be a nemesis for a lot of brands. Ageing is a
time-consuming and expensive process – something that brands like Tilda never compromise on.
The only way to reduce time to market is by artificially ageing the rice and taking it through a
partial boiling process, resulting in what is referred to as sella basmati. Despite being a genuine
basmati grain, it loses its taste and aroma during the process. An easy way to identify parboiled
rice is through its translucent/brownish colour. Less aged and sold at a cheaper price, this rice
lacks all the goodness of basmati.
Another method to make rice ready for sale earlier than it should be is steaming, which presents
pale, brown-coloured basmati - do not confuse this with brown basmati, which is a different state
of the grain. Steamed basmati is hard as a result of light or heavy steaming. This has its pros and
cons, but the biggest disadvantage is that it loses its taste profile and you end up eating
something that will only showcase the taste of your spices.
Remember, the whiter the colour of the grain, the more aromatic and tastier your basmati would
be. It is easy to chew and also lighter on your stomach. The sella/steamed basmati is always
harder to chew and will undoubtedly feel heavier on stomach. That’s why you should have a
look at the grains before you buy. Always opt for the whitest basmati when you cook rice as the
main dish with curries – where you need rice to lend all the flavour and aroma.
Image Credit: Supplied
For one-pot dishes such as biryani and kabsa, the Arab mixed rice dish, you can choose white
basmati or opt for steamed variants as the emphasis is on the appearance of the rice and the taste
depends more on the spices being used. Sella is least recommended for home cooking as it is
harder to cook and doesn’t offer the best in terms of flavour.
HOW TO COOK BASMATI RICE
Tilda recommends the following to ensure the best cooking results.

- Prepare by measuring the correct quantity. Tilda suggests that 60g of raw rice is usually enough
per person.
- Once you measure the rice, wash it three to four times before cooking.
- To cook, place one cup of rice with two cups of boiling water and cook on medium heat for 10-
12 minutes. Drain the water and let it stand (or simmer) for three to four minutes more. Lightly
fork through the grains and serve.
In today’s busy world, the way basmati rice is consumed is also changing. Brands like Tilda have
introduced Ready-to-heat basmati rice, which is an innovation that allows consumers to buy 90
per cent cooked rice with no preservatives or artificial additives and a shelf life of 18 months.
These vacuum-sealed packs can be heated up in a microwave oven or hot pan for two minutes
without adding any water. Packs come in different flavourful varieties as well such as Tilda’s
coconut or pilau basmati, which can be consumed as a meal on their own.
Whichever flavour or type you choose, basmati rice is a staple food consumed worldwide by
many of us multiple times a week, if not daily. So, it’s essential not to compromise on the quality
of your rice and opt for the best. Buy Tilda’s White Basmati rice to ensure a pure and original
basmati experience.
And, don’t forget basmati rice has many health benefits. Rich in fibre and vitamins and low in
fat, it has a low glycaemic index as well. So next time you stop at the supermarket, make sure to
stock up on Tilda basmati rice.

Image Credit: Supplied

TRUE OR FALSE?
Tilda busts some myths about basmati rice.

Soaking basmati rice for 30 minutes before cooking allows for a shorter cooking time.

False: Soaking marginally improves cooking time, but you lose time even before you start. If you
opt for white basmati rice from Tilda, you may not need to soak the rice at all - you can start
right after washing it 2-3 times.

The longer the grain of rice, the better it is.

False: All basmati grains are long. The extra-long grain is just millimetres longer than the
traditional basmati.
Rice never expires.

True. Rice doesn’t expire, but you should check the rice. This way, you can figure out if the
grains are broken or intact.

All basmati rice is the same.

False: There are different grains and different stages and processes that rice goes through before
being packed. All of these make the end-user experience change drastically and different.
https://gulfnews.com/uae/have-you-been-buying-the-wrong-basmati-rice-all-along-
1.1648134711270

How to kick those COVID kilos for good

One in three Australians say they have gained weight since the start of the pandemic. Experts
from MQ Health’s Healthy Weight Clinic share their advice on the best way to lose it –
permanently.
Many of us struggle with our weight, and lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic added an
extra layer of difficulty by keeping us at home and reducing opportunities for exercise.

Up and at ’em: It’s time to put our COVID couch potato days behind us.
On average, Australian adults report having gained three to five kilograms during the first
lockdown, with information still being collected on subsequent waves of the virus. According to
Royal Australian College of General Practitioner data, one in three of us have reported gaining
weight since COVID-19’s arrival.
The effects of the pandemic are far from over, leaving us with a new normal of more time at
home, but minus the lockdown habit of a daily walk to see something other than the same four
walls.
To make matters worse, there is a clear link between being overweight or obese and how ill
people become if they contract COVID.
Healthy weight varies from person to person and depends on factors such as gender, age and
ethnicity, but the contributors are the same: a healthy diet, regular exercise, and good metabolic
health, which takes in a range of measurements from waist circumference to blood sugar.
Healthy diet
Accredited dietitian Valentina Duong says unfortunately, there are no quick fixes when it comes
to lasting weight loss.

Eat right: A Mediterranean diet rich in fruit, vegetables, nuts and fish is the way to go, with red
meat and dairy kept to a minimum.
“It takes time for us to gain those extra kilos, and it also takes time to lose them,” Duong says.
“About half a kilo a week is a healthy rate of weight loss, so if you want to lose 5kg, you should
expect that to take a minimum of 10 to 12 weeks. Losing weight isn’t linear, either: you might go
faster at the beginning, taper off and plateau.
“Reaching your ideal weight isn’t about ‘going on a diet’, but about a sustained change in
lifestyle and eating habits.”
It’s important to learn about healthy choices and make them every day.
Valentina says while fad diets may give quick results, they won’t last. As soon as we go back to
our old habits, the weight comes back – and often more than we started with.
“It’s all about calories in versus calories out,” she says. “Counting calories works for some
people, and using one of the many available apps may help at the beginning, but neither is likely
to be sustainable as a long-term option.
“It’s important to learn about healthy choices and make them every day.
“That doesn’t mean that we’re never allowed to have cake again, but it’s important to eat only
those energy dense or highly processed foods occasionally and in small amounts.”
Valentina’s top tips for good nutrition
 Follow a Mediterranean diet that is rich in fruit and vegetables, beans, legumes, fish, nuts
and seeds, and low in red meat and dairy. Small amounts of healthy fats, like those found in olive
oil and avocado, are vital for our bodies to absorb the vitamins from other food.
 Eat three meals a day at regular times, with one or two healthy snacks if you need them.
Good snack options include a quarter of a cup of nuts, a piece of fresh fruit, a boiled egg, or
vegetable sticks with hummus or tzatziki. The key is not to let yourself get too hungry, as this is
the danger zone for making less healthy food choices.
 Recommended portion sizes vary from person to person, but a good rule of thumb is to
aim for balanced meals made up of a half a plate of non-starchy vegetables, a quarter of a plate
of lean protein, and a quarter of a plate of carbohydrates, preferably wholegrains like wholegrain
bread, basmati rice or quinoa, or a potato that has been steamed, baked or boiled.
 Make it easy to make healthy choices. Plan your menu in advance, make sure you have
all the ingredients on hand, and do some of the preparation before mealtime, like cutting up fruit
or vegetables, washing salad or trimming meat.
 Drink water when you’re thirsty. Alcohol, soft drinks, juices and flavoured milks are all
high in calories, so cutting them out of your diet is a simple way to reduce calorie intake. Make
water your go-to, with herbal teas or fresh mint and cucumber for flavour.
Incorporating exercise
Accredited exercise physiologist Carly Trajkovski says exercise is a vital part of not only
working towards a healthy weight, but also improving strength, mood and improved longevity.

Baby and me: With a bit of creativity, parents can include children in their exercise.
“During lockdown, many of us developed the habit of going for a daily walk, just to be able to
see something apart from the same four walls every day, but unfortunately we haven’t kept that
up,” Trajkovski says.
“We should aim to be active every day, whether that’s cardiovascular exercise like walking,
swimming or cycling, or strengthening our muscles.
Those old sayings like, ‘No pain, no gain’, and ‘Go hard or go home’ simply aren’t true.
“Incidental exercise might not seem important, but it makes a difference. Try getting off the bus
one stop early, parking a bit further away from work or just standing up at your desk and doing
some stretches during the day.
“And remember that exercise doesn’t have to hurt to be effective. It should challenge you, but
those old sayings like, ‘No pain, no gain’, and ‘Go hard or go home’ simply aren’t true. By
believing them, we increase our risk of overdoing it and injury, and consequently reducing our
likelihood of exercising again.
“Everyone can benefit from being a little more active than they were yesterday.”
Carly’s top tips for getting more exercise
 Find your ‘why’. Everyone’s reason to improve their fitness is different and very
personal. Work out your motivation and write it down so you can return to it if you start to feel
like you’re losing momentum. It might be as simple as being able to keep up with your children,
or get up off the floor without difficulty.
 Ask for support. Family, friends or a health professional can cheer you on and keep you
accountable, and this may make all the difference to staying on track. If you can find an exercise
buddy, all the better – you’ll have an extra reason to get out of bed for that Sunday morning walk
because you won’t want to let them down.
 Start slowly and set achievable goals. If you haven’t been very active, you shouldn’t
expect to immediately be able to go on a 60-minute walk or lift heavy weights. Start by walking
around the block or taking a flight of stairs. To strengthen your muscles, you can start off by
simple exercises at home like raising up onto your toes or standing up and down from a chair a
few times. Gradually increase the distance you walk and the number of repetitions you do, and
keep an exercise diary, so you can look back and see what you’ve achieved.
 Plan your exercise sessions, blocking out time if you have to. Make sure a few are in
early in the week so if something comes up on the weekend, you won’t miss out on too much of
your exercise.
 The gym isn’t the only way to get fit. Parents might find it hard to exercise, but with a bit
of creativity, you can include children in your training. Kids often enjoy exercising with you,
especially if you can make it something fun like running around or playing sport in the park. The
little ones can even become an integral part of strength training: do some squats holding bub out
in front of you, or lie on your back and raise them in the air. You don’t need a full half hour to do
a strength training session either – try a few repetitions here and there, in between other tasks.
The importance of metabolic health
For part of the population, reaching a healthy weight is more complex than eating better and
doing more exercise.

Taking control: Men who are overweight and have other health conditions have been getting
sicker with COVID-19, says Associate Professor Veronica Preda.
Endocrinologist Associate Professor Veronica Preda says more than 50 per cent of Australians
are now overweight or obese – and the national weight problem has worsened with multiple
lockdowns.
“Consistently throughout the pandemic, we’ve seen men who are overweight and have other
health conditions get sicker when they contract COVID-19, meaning they are more highly
represented in the hospitalisation and death statistics,” Preda says.
“When a patient comes to the Healthy Weight Clinic, we take all their circumstances into account
rather than just looking at the number on the scale.
“We calculate body mass index (BMI), measure blood pressure, waist circumference, and screen
for metabolic associations including diabetes, high triglycerides, and ‘bad’ cholesterol.
“Conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, joint problems, liver
dysfunction and sleep apnoea all contribute to poor metabolic health and increase the risk of
cardiovascular disease, which remains the number one cause of death in Australia.
“With all this information available, patients see MQ Health clinicians and specialists who can
manage their weight in conjunction with their health conditions.
“It’s a more holistic, interdisciplinary approach than managing weight in isolation.”
MQ Health’s Healthy Weight Clinic takes a holistic approach to weight loss, with patients able to
work with a variety of clinicians, including dietitians for nutrition, exercise physiologists for
fitness, medical specialists such as endocrinologists, cardiologists and rheumatologists for
metabolic health, and psychologists to assist with mental health.
Endocrinologist Associate Professor Veronica Preda, dietitian Valentina Duong, and clinical
exercise physiologist Carly Trajkovski advise and treat patients at MQ Health’s Healthy Weight
Clinic.
They will be speaking at the latest MQ Health Wellbeing Webinar on March 30. Register free
online.
/Public Release. This material from the originating organization/author(s) may be of a point-in-
time nature, edited for clarity, style and length. The views and opinions expressed are those of
the author(s).View in full here.
https://www.miragenews.com/how-to-kick-those-covid-kilos-for-good-753263/

9 Ramadan food essentials in UAE, for 2022

From Rooh Afza to soup, here are some Ramadan pantry essentials for you to consider

Published:  March 29, 2022 16:30Sahar Ejaz, Features Writer

  
Bag the rest of your Ramadan groceries off Amazon using our curated list.Image Credit: Agency
While people flock to grocery stores for Ramadan essentials, you can shop on Amazon, instead,
from the comfort of your home. Use our list of bestselling food items to prepare for iftar and
suhoor, well before the month arrives. And keep the pantry stocked throughout Ramadan by
auto-scheduling deliveries using Subscribe and Save. You can also get these items delivered to
you the next day via Prime.
1. Noor, Sunflower Oil, 1.5L
From cheese rolls to chicken samosas, deep-fried treats always have a place in the iftar spread.
Head into the month with fresh oil in the deep fryer using Noor's pure sunflower oil, for crispier
snacks. It’s fortified with vitamins A, D & E, and carries zero cholesterol and trans fats. The
contents also make the oil suitable for vegetarians. With the 1.5-litre bottle, you can easily fill a
small-sized deep fryer.
2. Tang Tropical Flavoured Juice, 2 kg
Replenish your vitamin C intake with Tang’s tropical flavoured juice after breaking fast. Mix the
powder into a jug full of cold water and serve with ice to chase away the heat. This 2kg tub is
bound to last you throughout Ramadan, giving you 16 litres of tropical juice.
3. Knorr Packet Soup, Cream of Broccoli, (Pack of 12)
Knorr’s creamy broccoli soup, made of 100 per cent natural herbs, vegetables and spices, is the
best way to warm up your stomach for heavier meals later in the day. With no preservatives and
artificial colourants, this healthy and tasty appetiser prepares in just 10 minutes. You get 12
packets in this bundle deal, with each serving four in the family.
4. Bayara Majdoul Dates, 500 g
Still haven’t decided on which dates will make it to the table? Try Bayara’s Majdoul or Medjool
dates in a 500g pack that are bigger and sweeter than most varieties. They come packed with
nutritional benefits and natural sugars, giving your body a much-needed energy boost after
fasting.
5. Hamdard Rooh Afza Bottle, 800 ml
Rather than juice, should you wish to refresh with water instead, add a dollop of Rooh Afza and
stir. Long known as the classic drink for the month of Ramadan, the red syrup is a concentrated
mixture of fruits, vegetables, flowers and herbs. Aside from water, it has equally cooling
properties when mixed in cold milk with ice.
6. Al Baker, Chakki Fresh Atta Flour, 10kg
For suhoor this year, opt for a healthier flat bread alternative with Al Baker’s whole wheat flour.
Its authentic, stone-ground grain, milled right here in the UAE, keeps the roti soft for six hours.
This is a 10kg bag of Chakki Atta flour, guaranteed to last Ramadan.
7. Rainbow Cardamom Evaporated Liquid Milk - (Pack of 6)
If you can’t pass up a cup of karak chai every evening, bring home Rainbow’s cardamom-
flavoured evaporated milk. Fortified with vitamin D, the milk pack of six contains no
preservatives nor added sugars. You get to brew the perfect pot of cardamom milk tea for the
whole family after iftar.
8. Mumtaz Classic Long Grain Basmati Rice, 5kg, White
Save on your regular purchase of rice with this 5kg Mumtaz rice bag that's currently on sale.
This long grain, sweet-smelling rice originates in Pakistan, and there's no doubt it's going to add
flavour and elegance to your iftars and suhoors during Ramadan.
9. evian Mineral Water, 500ml (Case of 24)
Don't forget to hydrate in Ramadan, as your water intake is bound to reduce over the fasting
period. This case of 24 500ml bottles of fresh mineral water, right from the French Alps, is the
refreshing boost you need at iftar every day. Stock up while the case is on sale!
Our recommendations are independently chosen by Gulf News editors. If you decide to shop
through links on our website, we may earn an affiliate commission, as we are part of Amazon
Services LLC Associates Program.
https://gulfnews.com/best-buys/consumables/9-ramadan-food-essentials-in-uae-for-2022-
1.1648497044282

Can Gene Editing End World Hunger?

HUNGER IS A GLOBAL ISSUE BUT IS MOST PROMINENT IN ASIA, AFRICA, LATIN
AMERICA, AND THE CARIBBEAN. IMAGE
CREDIT: VOVIDZHA/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

By Maddy Chapman
29 MAR 2022, 11:59
One-tenth of the world’s population – 811 million people – were
undernourished in 2020. That’s an increase of 161 million in just a year,
as much as the previous five years combined. 
The effects of world hunger were felt most keenly in Asia, Latin
America and the Caribbean, and Africa, where the 2020 increase was
most prominent.
Top Articles

No doubt hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the dramatic rise means we have veered
drastically off course of our 2030 target to end world hunger. If nothing changes, we will fall 660
million people short of this objective.
Of these 660 million, 30 million may be attributed to the effects of the pandemic. But, according
to the latest food security report from multiple UN agencies, climate change, conflict, and
economic recession are the main drivers of global food insecurity. Poverty and inequality also
play their own part in intensifying the crisis.
With the world’s population predicted to grow to almost 10 billion by 2050, the effects of global
food insecurity are only going to worsen. Something needs to change. And fast. 
Gene editing has the potential to produce higher-yielding, nutrient-rich crops that are resistant to
disease, climate change, and pests. It has been heralded as a potential revolutionary of global
food production, but could it be the solution to ending world hunger?
WHAT IS GENE EDITING?
Gene editing has been around since the backend of the last century but its use has exploded in
recent years. It involves cutting DNA at a particular point to facilitate the removal, addition,
modification, or replacement of genetic material.
This allows scientists to essentially customize the DNA of living organisms – it can be used to
disable target genes, correct mutations, and alter the activity of genes. Its uses stretch far beyond
agriculture and include the investigation and treatment of diseases such as cancer, HIV,
and COVID-19.
There are several approaches to gene editing, but perhaps the most powerful tool is
the CRISPR/Cas9 “genetic scissors”, which has allowed scientists to snip DNA in a much faster,
cheaper, and more accurate way. “It has been a real game-changer,” Professor Nigel Halford
from Rothamsted Research told IFLScience.
IS GENE EDITING THE SAME AS GENETICALLY MODIFIED?
Gene editing is distinct from genetic modification (GM), although they fall under the same
umbrella. Crucially, gene editing does not involve the insertion of foreign genetic material as
GM does.
Perhaps the most famous genetically modified organism, or GMO, crop is golden rice – a rice
variety with added zinc, iron, and the vitamin A precursor beta-carotene – which was developed
to combat malnutrition in parts of the world where rice is a staple of the diet.
Because gene-edited crops contain no added DNA, in many places – including the US – they are
not subject to the same stringent regulations as GM crops. It also means that they are not vilified
in the same way as GM crops, although the two are often confused, which can give gene editing
a bad name.
“Most people do not understand what gene editing really is and does to their food,” Matin Qaim,
Professor of Agricultural Economics and Director of the Center for Development Research at the
University of Bonn in Germany, told IFLScience. 
“Especially in Europe and other rich countries, people want their food to be as natural as
possible, and they do not think that gene editing is natural. What most people do not really know
is that also traditionally-bred crops today are very different from their wild ancestors several
thousand years ago and would never have developed the same way without human interference.”
As for the safety of gene-edited crops, Qaim says they are as safe as those that are traditionally-
bred.
“There is no scientific justification for using very different tests, safety standards, and approval
procedures for gene-edited and traditionally-bred crops and foods,” he adds.
GENE EDITING IN CROPS
Just three crops – rice, maize, and wheat – make up nearly 60 percent of the world’s energy
intake. That’s a lot of weight on their leafy shoulders, so optimizing each plant is really
important in tackling global hunger. 
This is where gene editing comes in.
“Gene editing can help develop crop plants that are higher-yielding while needing fewer
chemical inputs and being more resilient to pests, diseases, drought, heat, and other
environmental stress factors,” Qaim told IFLScience.
And it is already living up to this potential in practice. 
A recent study found that gene editing in maize and rice could boost their yields by 10 and 8
percent, respectively.
Disease-resistant crops have also been produced. Basmati rice, for example, has been edited to
be immune to bacterial blight. 
“[Gene editing] has also led to crops that have improved storage and do not brown so quickly,
therefore, reducing food waste,” Professor Wendy Harwood, who leads the Crop Transformation
Group at the John Innes Centre, told IFLScience. 
In 2016, a common white button mushroom, edited to resist browning, became the first CRISPR
gene-edited food to be approved by the US government.
“Other examples include nutritional benefits such as wheat with reduced gluten and edits that
affect yield traits such as leading to larger grain size,” Harwood added.
Wheat has been edited to have other nutritional benefits too. A team, lead by Halford, created a
variety with less free asparagine – a precursor to a potential carcinogen.
Some other examples of gene editing include an edited canola – which was the first commercial
application of gene editing in a plant – and a tomato in Japan that last year became the first
CRISPR gene-edited food to go on sale anywhere in the world.
It’s not limited to just plants either: cattle that are edited to be resistant to heat stress
were recently approved by the FDA.
CAN GENE EDITING END WORLD HUNGER?
Gene editing certainly has the potential to improve global food production.
Harwood believes “there is a very strong possibility that gene editing will be an important tool in
developing improved crops for the future.” 
But is it the answer to all our world hunger problems?
“That is too much to hang on any single technology,” Halford told IFLScience. Sentiments that
Qaim echoed:
“Gene editing alone will not end world hunger, as hunger can only be overcome through a
combination of technological, economic, and social measures. But gene editing can and must be
part of a broader hunger-reduction strategy, as it helps to make breeding faster and much more
precise.” 
In fact, it can cut the length of the breeding process to just a few years, compared to the eight to
15 it currently takes using traditional methods.
“Can it live up to the potential? This depends on us. If we regulate the technology efficiently and
work on those traits that can really help sustainable development in a wide variety of different
plant species, the potential can be realized. If we ban or overregulate the technology, then the full
potential will not be realized,” said Qaim.
WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE?
Whether or not we get to a point where gene editing becomes an integral tool in the food
production arsenal depends now on the actions of governments.
“The main roadblock is having appropriate regulation for this rapidly developing new
technology. Ideally what is needed is consistent regulation that protects the consumer and also
allows trade to continue,” Harwood told IFLScience.
“We need efficient and science-based regulation and a broader public discourse to reduce the
many prejudices and misunderstands that people have about gene editing technologies,” Qaim
added.
“Then we need to ensure that also smallholder farmers in the global south will have affordable
access to improved seeds that work well in their particular environments.” 
Currently, China, North America, and parts of South America are paving the way in testing gene-
edited crops in the field, Qaim told IFLScience. While in Europe, the 2018 ruling that gene-
edited crops are GMOs has made this virtually impossible.
“I very much hope that countries in Africa and Asia will not follow the European example,”
Qaim said.
Meanwhile, the UK is in the process of relaxing its regulation of gene-edited crops, a step which
Harwood describes as “welcome”.
There may be a long way to go but it’s a promising start. With more appropriate universal
regulation, the potential of gene editing to play a part in ending world hunger could one day be
realized.
“Gene editing is not a panacea, but it has a super-big potential to contribute to sustainable food
security and agricultural development,” Qaim concluded.
https://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/can-gene-editing-end-world-hunger/

Why idli should be your fermented flatbread go-to

Idlis are the perfect breakfast with a cup of tea. (Bhavna Kalra)

Hide Grid
Soak up the flavours of Indian chutney with an idli.
By 
Bhavna Kalra

30 MAR 2022 - 5:10 AM  UPDATED 13 HOURS AGO

As a north Indian who grew up on a steady breakfast diet of parathas – flatbread made with
wheat and stuffed with different veggies and generously smeared with ghee – idlis were a treat
that we all looked forward to. However, what are idlis, you ask?
Idlis are savoury steamed rice cakes made with a fermented batter of rice and lentils that are
commonly eaten in South India. They're steamed in a mould, which gives them their distinctive
shape. They are eaten for breakfast or as a snack with a variety of chutney or a lentil stew called
sambar.  
The history of idlis isn't clear, but food scientist and author K.T. Achaya suggests that they may
have entered India around the 9th to 13th Century from Indonesia. There are also references to
idli in the 12th-Century Sanskrit text called Manasollasa by King Someshwara III. Others think
that south Indian fabric merchants introduced idlis around the same time. 
Idlis are unlike north Indian flatbreads, roti or chapati, which are made with wheat flour, water
and salt. To make idlis, rice and lentils are soaked and ground together into a paste. Then, the
lacto-fermentation process weaves its magic, similar to a sourdough starter. It takes around two
to three days to prepare the batter, depending on the weather. This is why my mother only made
them for us as a treat on Sunday mornings when everyone was home. 
"Wholesome, nutritious, and perfect to soak up any of the flavours that you dip it in."
It's important not to use basmati rice in the batter. Parboiled or idli rice is best and results in soft
fluffy idlis.
They're not hard to make. However, you need to pray to the fermentation gods that the batter
rises to the occasion. Once fermented, the batter can be stored in the fridge for three to four days
and used as needed. 
However, if like me, you're an idli fan but don't have the time or patience to make the batter or
wait for it to ferment, you can make semolina or rava idlis, which are instant and can be ready in
under an hour. 
Semolina idlis were made famous by the popular restaurant chain Mavalli Tiffin Rooms, often
called MTR, of Bengaluru. During World War II, there was a shortage of rice, so the
owners experimented with semolina and added yoghurt to aid fermentation, which resulted in
idlis. Some recipes also call for Eno. Yes, you read that right: the powder to treat heartburn. It
provides a light tang that you get from the standard fermentation process.  
This bread is wholesome, nutritious and perfect to soak up flavours. Whatever the origins are,
and whether it's made with rice and lentils or semolina and yoghurt, idlis are a firm Indian
favourite. 

Semolina idlis 
 1 cup coarse semolina (look for a packet labelled 'semolina idli' at Indian stores)
 1 tsp mustard seeds
 1 tsp cumin seeds
 1 tsp chana dahl
 ½ tsp asafoetida
 8-10 curry leaves
 2 green chillies, finely chopped
 2.5 cm ginger, finely chopped
 1 carrot, finely grated
 1 tsp turmeric
 ¾ cup plain yoghurt
 1 tsp salt
 ½ cup water
 1 tbsp vegetable oil
 ¼ tsp baking soda
 Handful cashews, halved
 Coriander, freshly chopped
 Method
1. Heat oil in a wok and add the mustard and cumin seeds, chana dahl and asafoetida. Reduce
the heat so the spices don't burn. Then add the ginger, green chillies and curry leaves. 
2. Add the carrot and turmeric and mix well. Add the semolina and gently roast, ensuring the
mixture doesn't burn. After a few minutes, take it off the heat, cool it down completely and
transfer it to a bowl.
3. Add the yoghurt, coriander and salt to make a thick batter. Add ½ cup of water and let it rest
for 30 minutes. Semolina absorbs water, so you may need to add a little more water if the
batter becomes too thick.
4. Grease the idli plate with oil and place cashews in the centre of each mold. Before you ladle
the batter on the plate, add Eno or baking soda, mix gently and pour into the mold.
5. Steam the idlis for 13–15 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the moulds from the steamer.
Let them rest for 5 minutes before using a knife to release them from the molds. Serve them
with coconut chutney (see below).
Coconut chutney 
 1 cup fresh or desiccated coconut
 3-4 green chillies (you can use less if you don't like too much spice)
 Small seedless tamarind ball
 ½ tsp salt
 ¼-½ cup water
For tempering
 2 tsp vegetable oil
 1 tsp mustard seeds
 ½ tsp urad dahl
 ½ tsp chana dahl (optional)
 3-4 dried red chillies
 7-8 curry leaves 
Method
1. Combine the chutney ingredients in a blender and blend to a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl.
2. To temper, heat the oil and reduce the flame. Add the red chillies, chana and urad dahl, and
mustard seeds. As the seeds start popping, pour the oil on to the chutney. Refrigerate and
always use a clean spoon to scoop the chutney out.
 
Bhavna Kalra is a passionate Indian cook based out of Sydney. She missed Indian food after
moving to Australia over a decade ago and started to cook, write, and document the traditional
recipes that she grew up eating back home. follow her on Instagram @themoderndesi.co
https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/2022/03/30/why-idli-should-be-your-fermented-
flatbread-go

Zarda: A luxurious Indian dessert for special occasions

Often served at weddings, this luxurious dessert is studded with pistachios, almonds and
apricots, writes Prudence Wade
Zarda recipe – sweet rice with saffron and nuts (Laura Edwards/PA)
 (Laura Edwards/PA)

A nyone attending a milad (religious gathering) or a Muslim wedding in the

subcontinent would have come across this saffron-infused glistening dessert,” says chef Asma
Khan.
“Saffron is one of the world’s most expensive spices, but you only need a little, and infusing it in
warm milk is a very effective way to bring out its flavour. The addition of nuts gives this dessert
a further luxurious touch. Definitely serve with some thick or clotted cream on the side.”
Zarda – sweet rice with saffron and nuts
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:

Fuss-free prawn curry perfect for midweek

½ tsp saffron strands
2 tbsp milk
250g basmati rice
100g ghee or butter (or flavourless vegetable oil), plus extra for greasing
6 cloves
8 green cardamom pods
40g each shelled unsalted pistachios and unsalted blanched almonds, cut into thick slivers
30g dried apricots, cut into small cubes
150g granulated sugar
2 tbsp kewra (screwpine) water or rose water
Method:
1. Put the saffron in a small bowl, warm the milk to tepid and pour over the saffron strands.
2. Gently wash the rice in a large bowl with cold water (not under running water as this will
break the tips of the rice, which will make the rice sticky). Change the water several times until it
looks clear, then soak the rice in cold water for at least 30 minutes or up to three hours. Drain the
rice well in a strainer.

‘Ammu: Indian Home-Cooking To Nourish Your Soul’ by Asma Khan (published by Ebury Press,
£26; photography by Laura Edwards), available now.
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/dessert-recipe-indian-zarda-
asma-khan-b2044889.html

Price of rice skyrockets due to rise in freight charges and low

production
MB Babu
29 March 2022, 11:29 AM IST

Representative Image / Photo: Vivek R Nair (Rice (Grihalakshmi, 2013 Nov 1))
Thrissur: Amid inflation, the price of rice varieties are skyrocketing in Kerala due to freight
charges for transport and lower production in the paddy cultivating states of India. Notably, in a
stretch of three months, the price of all rice varieties increased in the range of Rs 2 to Rs 8.
Over this period, the price of Jaya variety of rice coming from Andhra Pradesh witnessed highest
hike. Wholesale price of the Jaya rice which was at Rs 32/kg in the month of January now has
become Rs 39/kg (based on prices in Kozhikode market*). While the price of Bodhana rice
variety witnessed lowest hike, that is Rs 2. Some varieties of rice have become unavailable in the
market.
According to traders, apart from freight charges and low production in the paddy cultivating
states, the export to crisis hit Sri Lanka is the reason behind skyrocketing prices.

Meanwhile, Kerala has been relying on other states for major share (99 per cent) of its
consumption.
The paddy harvested in Kerala is almost fully procured by Kerala State Civil Supplies
Corporation. However, for the 99 per cent of consumption, the state is relying on supplies from
other states. Kerala depends on Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Odisha and
West Bengal.
The production in the state is only 1/6 of its actual requirement. Last year’s rice production was
6.05 lakh tonnes, while this year it is expected to be at 6.71 lakh tonnes. Based on this estimate,
only rice for two months’ consumption was produced in the state.
The total monthly sales of rice in the state is at 3.3 lakh tonnes. Of that, 1.3 lakh tonnes is being
sold through ration shops.
*The retail prices will be more than wholesale prices (variation of Rs 2 at least). The rates are
influenced by freight charges (variation of Rs 50 paise). The quality of rice will also govern the
price.
https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/rice-prices-skyrocket-on-the-back-of-
freight-charges-and-lower-production-1.7386845

Scientists discover how to improve corn crop yield

1. March 29, 2022 by
 2.
3.
4. Scientists discover how to improve corn crop yield
5. A group of scientists affiliated with a number of institutions China already one of
Germany has discovered a way to improve crop yields corn and of riceaccording to an
article published last Friday in the journal Science.
6. The experts mapped the genomes of those two crops and then searched their genomes for
genes related to grain yield, finding 490 pairs that appeared to have similar functions in
both plants.
7. Later, they narrowed down the genes to just two, one from maize and one from rice, and
found that both produced a type of protein that regulated the number of grains a given
plant could produce.
 8. How is the corn crop improved?

1. Scientists discover how to improve corn crop yield

2. Subsequently, the researchers used the CRISPR gene editing technique to turn off
those two genes and planted test crops using the gene-edited seeds to measure average
yield.
3. Looking at the results, the study authors found that the gene-modified plants
produced more grains per plant than the control groups, with yield increases of 10 percent
for maize and 8 percent for rice.
4. They also studied the genetically modified plants to see if they could detect other
changes, specifically those that might have a negative impact on plant growth, and found
none.
5. More resistant crop species
 1. Scientists discover how to improve corn crop yield
2. The scientists maintain that their technique provides “a reasonable approach” to
increasing crop yields, while pointing out that the modified plants could be mixed with
wild varieties, to create new species more resistant to climate change.
3. In recent years, as the planet continues to warm, the scientific community has
become increasingly concerned that not enough food can be grown to feed an ever-
growing world population.
4. Follow us on Google news, Facebook and Twitter to keep you informed.
https://california18.com/scientists-discover-how-to-improve-corn-crop-yield/3968592022/

TRS raised paddy issue after its defeat in Huzurabad bypoll:

Kishan
DECCAN CHRONICLE. | DC CORRESPONDENT
PublishedMar 30, 2022, 12:12 am IST
UpdatedMar 30, 2022, 7:15 am IST
The chief minister has a habit of blaming everything on the Centre, Kishan Reddy said
 G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Tourism, Culture and DoNER. (DC)
Hyderabad: The political heat between the BJP and the TRS over various issues is showing no
sign of abating, with the BJP continuing to hit back at the TRS over an allegation that the central
government is not allowing the state to implement SC/ST reservations and not purchasing paddy
from the state.
On Tuesday, Union Minister and BJP MP from Secunderabad, Kishan Reddy said reservations
are implemented by the state government and the Centre will have no objection if quotas are
raised as per population strengths. In Manipur and Mizoram, the state governments are taking
such a decision, and Telangana can as well do this. He said Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao
and the TRS leaders have begun raising the issue of rice and paddy purchases after the regional
party’s defeat at the hands of the BJP in the Huzurabad assembly by-poll. “Andhra Pradesh has
no issue with paddy procurement, but Telangana has. The chief minister has a habit of blaming
everything on the Centre, he said.
The Union minister said the state, instead, should take up the issues of paddy purchase from this
season and of the processing of parboiled rice with rice millers. “The state must take
responsibility for the purchase of broken rice. It entered into an agreement before the Huzurabad
bypoll but changed its tune after the loss in the byelection. Why were the farmers not told about
the agreement before the bypoll,” Kishan Reddy asked.

On TRS’ allegation that the Centre is not granting any new medical college to the state, the
central minister said the state did not send proper proposals.
 
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/politics/300322/kishan-reddy-says-trs-raised-paddy-
issue-after-its-defeat-in-huzurabad.html

Researcher aims to alleviate global hunger by deciphering

the molecular 'language' of plants
Shelley Lumba hopes her research will lead to new ways of combatting the blight caused by the
parasitic witchweed plant, which the UN considers a major impediment to poverty alleviation in
Africa (photo courtesy of Shelley Lumba)
As a young child spending time on her grandparents’ rice farm in the Philippines, Shelley
Lumba grew up understanding the benefits of the Green Revolution – the period in the 1950s
and 60s when many technological advances were made in agriculture.
“My grandparents told stories about how we didn't have enough rice to feed our family, much
less sell in the market,” she says. “And the Philippines was facing the same crisis – there wasn't
enough rice to feed the country’s population. Of course, it was hitting the poorest people hardest
and it was happening in countries around the world.”
Then, Lumba’s grandparents began growing a hybrid strain of rice – one of the newly developed
varieties of cereals that were hardier, more nutritious and produced higher yields. Thanks to the
hybrid, Lumba’s grandparents were able to feed their family and had rice leftover to sell.
 Sh
elley Lumba and her grandfather on the family rice farm.
Today, Lumba is an assistant professor in the University of Toronto’s department of cell and
systems biology (CSB) in the Faculty of Arts & Science. She hopes her research will lead to
advances in agriculture like those made during the Green Revolution and help alleviate hunger,
poverty and climate change.
Lumba and her colleagues study how organisms – even those from completely different
kingdoms – communicate on a molecular level through a shared “language of life.” For example,
plants signal fungi in the soil by giving off hormones called strigolactones (SLs). These “come-
hither” hormones trigger the fungi to latch on to the plant, thus establishing a symbiotic
relationship in which the fungi provide phosphates to its partner and, in return, receives carbon.
“This symbiosis is ubiquitous,” says Lumba. “If you’re a gardener, you know that new, sterile
soil feels like sand, but soil from your planted pots or garden feels heavy with ‘stuff.’ That stuff
is all the different fungi and bacteria helping your plants grow.”
SLs and other plant hormones such as gibberrellins trigger germination when conditions are
favourable – for example, when there’s sufficient moisture and nutrients in the soil.
Lumba’s goal is to better understand how, at a molecular level, organisms send out these signals
and, once received, how those signals are translated into a response. One hope is that the
research will lead to new ways of combatting the blight caused by the parasitic Striga
hermonthica, commonly known as witchweed.
Witchweed – aka the “violet vampire” for its bright flowers – is considered by the United
Nations to be a major impediment to poverty alleviation in Africa. The parasite attacks major
cereal crops such as maize, sorghum, millet, sweetcorn and rice, latching on to their roots and
draining the host of moisture and nutrients.
Witchweed is particularly difficult to combat because a single plant is capable of producing up to
100,000 seeds. The seeds are so tiny they resemble dust and a square-metre patch of ground can
contain thousands. What’s more, the parasite begins to damage crops even before sprouting
above ground – in other words, before farmers even know their crops are under attack.
Witchweed can lead to significant crop losses and can sometimes wipe out entire harvests.
Damage to agriculture in Africa caused by the plant is estimated at approximately US$9 billion a
year, with infestations affecting the lives of over 100 million people in 25 countries.
Like any parasitic organism, witchweed needs a host in order to survive and so it has evolved
seeds that can remain dormant in the ground for decades until they “sense” that a potential victim
is nearby. At that point, the seeds germinate and latch on to a host.

The UN identifies the parasitic witchweed plant as a major impediment to poverty alleviation in
Africa (photo by weisschr/iStock)
There have been attempts to fight this blight. Researchers are trying to develop witchweed-
resistant strains of cereal crops. There have also been experiments where empty fields are treated
with SLs to trigger “suicide germination” in the seeds contained in the soil, but SLs are
prohibitively expensive to make.
Progress is slow in part because the problem exists predominantly in underdeveloped countries
and because solutions won't necessarily be lucrative for the companies that could develop them.
Another hurdle is that experimenting with witchweed in a lab is challenging. Because it is a
parasite, there are strict regulations, permissions and protocols required to grow it. Also, because
it requires a host to survive, there’s the added challenge of parsing what’s going on with the
parasite and what’s going on with the host. Finally, researchers can’t manipulate witchweed
genes – a tool typical of any such investigation.
But a major breakthrough out of Lumba’s lab has circumvented the challenges associated with
witchweed experimentation.
The seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana – a member of the family that includes mustards and cabbages
– remain dormant because of proteins that suppress germination in the absence of adequate
moisture and warmth. When conditions are suitable, Arabidopsis seeds produce the hormone
gibberellins which breaks down repressors of germination.
As described in a recent paper in Nature Plants, Lumba and her collaborators have found a way
to introduce SL receptors from witchweed in Arabidopsis, thereby circumventing the gibberellins
requirement that normally kickstarts germination. The result is a strain of Arabidopsis which
respond to SLs like witchweed, thereby creating an effective model plant for their experiments.
With a growing understanding of how a seed responds to SLs on a molecular level, Lumba’s
research has the potential to lead to alternate strategies for combating the parasite. For example,
it could lead to the design of molecules that will trigger suicide germination, but that are cheaper
and easier to make than SLs.
It also opens up the possibility of other strategies such as the development of molecules that will
shut down the germination process entirely – even in the presence of SLs from a host.
“I’m hopeful the ‘bench-to-field' time won’t be too long,” says Lumba, “and that there will be
new strategies coming up soon based on this work.”
In addition to their research related to witchweed, Lumba and her colleagues are also
investigating another question with global ramifications: Why and how do fungi respond to SLs?
Eighty per cent of plants rely on this symbiotic relationship and enhancing the interaction with
beneficial fungi could lead to hardier crops and reduce the need for fertilizers, thus reducing
phosphate runoff into water systems and lowering the production of greenhouse gases.
What’s more, it could increase crop yields, the benefits of which Lumba witnessed as a child.
“I knew from my family’s experience how important agriculture is,” she says. “The potential
impact of research like this is huge and can improve the lives of so many. It’s about healthy soil
for a healthy planet.”
 
https://www.utoronto.ca/news/researcher-aims-alleviate-global-hunger-deciphering-molecular-
language-plants

Rounding up healthy rice choices

By Vanessa Caceres, American Heart Association News
        

   

(AlexandraFlorian/iStock via Getty Images)

Lea en español
Believe it or not, there are thousands of varieties of rice, with colors ranging from black to purple
to red and more.
Of course, the type of rice most of us know best is white rice. You may have heard some people
say rice isn't nutritious or it will lead you to gain weight. But is this inexpensive food that's a
staple for more than half the globe's population all that bad?
To get a closer look at the rice health debate, let's start with varieties and colors. The texture,
flavor and nutrition of each type of rice is a little different.
Rice is classified as short, medium or long grain. Short-grain rice is the type used in sushi and
has a chewy texture. Medium-grain rice like arborio and valencia tends to be more tender and
will stick together more easily than long-grain rice. Long-grain varieties like basmati, brown and
jasmine rice tend to stay separate and will be fluffy after you cook them.
Then there are the different colors, with white and brown rice the most common in the U.S.
Brown rice is considered a whole grain because it has three grain components: the bran,
endosperm and germ, said Nikki Nies, a dietitian for the Northwest Independent School District
in Justin, Texas. In contrast, white rice is stripped of its bran and germ, leaving the less healthy
endosperm.
Whole grains like brown rice are healthier than processed grains. They contain more fiber, which
helps you to feel full faster and keeps your digestive system running well. In fact, federal dietary
guidelines recommend eating at least 3 ounces of whole grains a day.
One cup of cooked long-grain brown rice has more than 3 grams of fiber versus less than 1 gram
from one cup of cooked long-grain white rice. Adults should aim for 22 to 34 grams of fiber a
day depending on their age and sex.
Brown rice also is richer in nutrients like magnesium and B vitamins compared with white rice,
Nies said. When comparing calories per cup of cooked rice, brown is slightly higher at 248
calories versus 205 for white.
Other less common types of rice, such as red and black, tend to have similar amounts of fiber as
brown rice, Nies said. But each variety contains different amounts of nutrients. Black rice, for
example, is rich in a type of antioxidant called anthocyanin. Anthocyanin may improve
cardiovascular health, according to research published in the journal Molecules in 2020.
Because rice is high in carbohydrates, Nies said people with diabetes may have to limit rice
consumption or eat lower-carb varieties such as wild rice.
In terms of weight, a 2016 study in Nutrition Journal found eating more whole grains, such as
brown rice, was associated with a healthier body weight in children and adults.
But white rice can still be part of a healthy diet.
"When white rice is paired with a lean protein source, vegetables and healthy fats, the differences
between brown and white rice are negligible," Nies said. So don't feel guilty about choosing it as
the base for a rice bowl as long as you choose a lean protein like chicken, fresh vegetables and a
healthy fat like avocado.
Plus, she said, white rice is typically enriched with nutrients like B vitamins and iron.
One well-known caution about rice is its level of arsenic, a toxic environmental pollutant found
in soil and groundwater. Rice plants readily absorb arsenic, but cooking rice like pasta – with lots
of extra water and then draining off the water – will reduce those levels by up to 60%, according
to the Food and Drug Administration. But people who eat a varied diet don't need to worry about
arsenic in rice, Nies said.
She recommended enjoying rice up to a couple of times a week, with whole grains like barley,
quinoa and buckwheat accompanying other meals throughout the week.
And feel free to experiment, Nies said. "There's no need to stick with a particular type (of rice) as
each one offers different nutrients and benefits."
If you have questions or comments about this story, please email editor@heart.org.

American Heart Association News Stories

American Heart Association News covers heart disease, stroke and related health issues. Not all
views expressed in American Heart Association News stories reflect the official position of the
American Heart Association. Statements, conclusions, accuracy and reliability of studies
published in American Heart Association scientific journals or presented at American Heart
Association scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily
reflect the American Heart Association’s official guidance, policies or positions.
Copyright is owned or held by the American Heart Association, Inc., and all rights are reserved.
Permission is granted, at no cost and without need for further request, for individuals, media
outlets, and non-commercial education and awareness efforts to link to, quote, excerpt or reprint
from these stories in any medium as long as no text is altered and proper attribution is made to
American Heart Association News.
Other uses, including educational products or services sold for profit, must comply with the
American Heart Association’s Copyright Permission Guidelines. See full terms of use. These
stories may not be used to promote or endorse a commercial product or service.
HEALTH CARE DISCLAIMER: This site and its services do not constitute the practice of
medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always talk to your health care provider for diagnosis
and treatment, including your specific medical needs. If you have or suspect that you have a
medical problem or condition, please contact a qualified health care professional immediately. If
you are in the United States and experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or call for
emergency medical help immediately.
https://www.heart.org/en/news/2022/03/29/rounding-up-healthy-rice-choices

Rounding up healthy rice choices

Vanessa Caceres, American Heart Association News
March 29, 2022
Believe it or not, there are thousands of varieties of rice, with colors ranging from black to purple
to red and more.
Of course, the type of rice most of us know best is white rice. You may have heard some people
say rice isn't nutritious or it will lead you to gain weight. But is this inexpensive food that's a
staple for more than half the globe's population all that bad?
To get a closer look at the rice health debate, let's start with varieties and colors. The texture,
flavor and nutrition of each type of rice is a little different.
Rice is classified as short, medium or long grain. Short-grain rice is the type used in sushi and
has a chewy texture. Medium-grain rice like arborio and valencia tends to be more tender and
will stick together more easily than long-grain rice. Long-grain varieties like basmati, brown and
jasmine rice tend to stay separate and will be fluffy after you cook them.
Then there are the different colors, with white and brown rice the most common in the U.S.
Brown rice is considered a whole grain because it has three grain components: the bran,
endosperm and germ, said Nikki Nies, a dietitian for the Northwest Independent School District
in Justin, Texas. In contrast, white rice is stripped of its bran and germ, leaving the less healthy
endosperm.
Whole grains like brown rice are healthier than processed grains. They contain more fiber, which
helps you to feel full faster and keeps your digestive system running well. In fact, federal dietary
guidelines recommend eating at least 3 ounces of whole grains a day.
One cup of cooked long-grain brown rice has more than 3 grams of fiber versus less than 1 gram
from one cup of cooked long-grain white rice. Adults should aim for 22 to 34 grams of fiber a
day depending on their age and sex.
Brown rice also is richer in nutrients like magnesium and B vitamins compared with white rice,
Nies said. When comparing calories per cup of cooked rice, brown is slightly higher at 248
calories versus 205 for white.
Other less common types of rice, such as red and black, tend to have similar amounts of fiber as
brown rice, Nies said. But each variety contains different amounts of nutrients. Black rice, for
example, is rich in a type of antioxidant called anthocyanin. Anthocyanin may improve
cardiovascular health, according to research published in the journal Molecules in 2020.
Because rice is high in carbohydrates, Nies said people with diabetes may have to limit rice
consumption or eat lower-carb varieties such as wild rice.
In terms of weight, a 2016 study in Nutrition Journal found eating more whole grains, such as
brown rice, was associated with a healthier body weight in children and adults.
But white rice can still be part of a healthy diet.
"When white rice is paired with a lean protein source, vegetables and healthy fats, the differences
between brown and white rice are negligible," Nies said. So don't feel guilty about choosing it as
the base for a rice bowl as long as you choose a lean protein like chicken, fresh vegetables and a
healthy fat like avocado.
Plus, she said, white rice is typically enriched with nutrients like B vitamins and iron.
One well-known caution about rice is its level of arsenic, a toxic environmental pollutant found
in soil and groundwater. Rice plants readily absorb arsenic, but cooking rice like pasta – with lots
of extra water and then draining off the water – will reduce those levels by up to 60%, according
to the Food and Drug Administration. But people who eat a varied diet don't need to worry about
arsenic in rice, Nies said.
She recommended enjoying rice up to a couple of times a week, with whole grains like barley,
quinoa and buckwheat accompanying other meals throughout the week.
And feel free to experiment, Nies said. "There's no need to stick with a particular type (of rice) as
each one offers different nutrients and benefits."
If you have questions or comments about this story, please email editor@heart.org.
Copyright is owned or held by the American Heart Association, Inc., and all rights are reserved.
Permission is granted, at no cost and without need for further request, for individuals, media
outlets, and non-commercial education and awareness efforts to link to, quote, excerpt or reprint
from these stories in any medium as long as no text is altered and proper attribution is made to
American Heart Association News.
Other uses, including educational products or services sold for profit, must comply with the
American Heart Association’s Copyright Permission Guidelines. See full terms of use. These
stories may not be used to promote or endorse a commercial product or service.
HEALTH CARE DISCLAIMER: This site and its services do not constitute the practice of
medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always talk to your health care provider for diagnosis
and treatment, including your specific medical needs. If you have or suspect that you have a
medical problem or condition, please contact a qualified health care professional immediately. If
you are in the United States and experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or call for
emergency medical help immediately.
https://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Rounding-up-healthy-rice-choices-17036159.php
Study: Southeast Asia must close yield gap to remain
major rice bowl

Shutterstock
At least 40% of global rice exports come from Southeast Asia, and worldwide demand is steadily
growing. Recent research by a global team including Nebraska's Patricio Grassini and recently
published in Nature: Food indicates there is potential for rice producers to increase yields on
existing agricultural land with improved management.
At least 40% of global rice exports come from Southeast Asia, making the region a major rice
bowl. The region helps feed other parts of the world, such as Africa and the Middle East.
Projections show that global rice demand is set to increase 30% by 2050. With the continuing
rice trade and limited scope available for other main rice-producing countries like China and
India to generate a rice surplus, Southeast Asia faces a challenge in stepping up to ensure
adequate global rice supply.
But crop yields stagnate, land allotted for agriculture does not increase, and climate change
remains a looming threat, raising concerns about the capacity of the region to remain a large
net exporter.
In a recent study published in Nature Food, an international team of researchers, including those
from the major rice-producing nations in Southeast Asia, estimated the difference between yield
potential and average farmer yield across six countries — Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar,
Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
The initiative was led by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the International Rice
Research Institute in the Philippines and included researchers from Huazhong Agricultural
University in China, the International Fertilizer Association in France, the Institute of Policy and
Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development in Vietnam, Field Crops Research Institute in
Vietnam, Thailand’s Rice Department, Thailand Rice Science Institute, Mawlamyine University
in Myanmar, IRRI-Myanmar Office, the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine
Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, IRRI-Cambodia Office,
the General Directorate of Agriculture in Cambodia and the Indonesian Agency for Agricultural
Research and Development.
Results from the project are available via the Global Yield Gap Atlas, a collaboration between
the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Wageningen University designed to estimate the
difference between actual and potential yields for major food crops worldwide.
“Over the past decades, through renewed efforts, countries in Southeast Asia were able to
increase rice yields, and the region as a whole has continued to produce a large amount of rice
that exceeded regional demand, allowing a rice surplus to be exported to other countries,” said
lead author Shen Yuan, a postdoctoral research associate at Huazhong Agricultural University.
“The issue is whether the region will be able to retain its title as a major global rice supplier in
the context of increasing global and regional rice demand, yield stagnation and limited room for
cropland expansion.”
Through a data-intensive approach, the researchers determined that the region has the potential to
increase production on existing cropland and remain a major global rice supplier, but changes in
production and management techniques will be key, and producers could stress natural resources
in the process.
Researchers found that the average yield gap represents nearly half of the yield potential
estimated for the region, but it is not the same for every country. Yield gaps are larger in
Cambodia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Thailand but comparably smaller in Indonesia
and Vietnam.

Patricio Grassini
“We used an approach that consists of a combination of crop
modeling, spatial analysis and use of detailed databases on weather,
soil and cropping system data,” said Patricio Grassini, associate
professor of agronomy and horticulture at Nebraska. “The regional
extent of the study together with the level of detail in relation to
spatial and temporal variation in yield gaps and specificity in terms
of cropping systems is unique, providing a basis for prioritizing
agricultural research and development and investments at regional,
national and sub-national levels.”
According to the study, the region needs to close the existing yield
gap substantially to reduce the need for rice imports, allowing for
an aggregated rice surplus of 54 million tons available for exports.
“Our analysis shows that Southeast Asia will not be able to produce a large rice surplus in the
future without acceleration of current rates of yield gains,” Grassini said. “Failure to increase
yield on existing cropland areas will drastically reduce the rice exports to other regions and the
capacity of many countries in the region to achieve or sustain rice self-sufficiency. It will also
put additional pressure on land and water resources, risking further encroachment into natural
ecosystems such as forests and wetlands.”
Researchers suggest a number of interventions needed to close the gap, including improvement
of crop management practices, such as the use of fertilizer and irrigation, nutrients, water and
pest management, as well as mitigation of production risks in lowland rainfed environments.
“The challenge is how to increase yield while minimizing the negative environmental impact
associated with intensive rice production,” said IRRI Senor Scientist Alice Laborte. “For
example, tailoring nutrient management to each environment will help increase yield and farmer
profits while reducing nutrient losses. Likewise, integrated pest management is a knowledge-
intensive but valuable approach if applied correctly and holistically to reduce yield losses to
weeds, pests and diseases while minimizing excessive use of pesticides and associated risks to
the environment and people.
“Closing the rice yield gaps requires the concerted effort of policymakers, researchers and
extension services to facilitate farmers’ access to technologies, information and markets.
Continued investment in rice research is crucial.”
The study received support from Closing Rice Yield Gaps in Asia with Reduced Environmental
Footprint, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. The project also
received complementary funding from the Global Water for Food Institute, as well as the Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation through the CGIAR Excellence in Agronomy 2030
https://news.unl.edu/newsrooms/today/article/study-southeast-asia-must-close-yield-gap-to-
remain-major-rice-bowl/

USA Rice Members Deliver to Ukraine

By Jesica Kincaid

ARLINGTON, VA – Last week, several USA Rice members worked together to deliver a
shipment of U.S.-grown rice to help feed the people of Ukraine. The extraordinary effort came
together as the industry saw the urgent need facing Ukrainian people, who are experiencing
unprecedented food insecurity as a result of the Russian invasion that began on February 24.

Taking advantage of rice already on the European continent, three USA Rice members – Sun
Valley Rice, Farmers’ Rice Cooperative, and Kennedy Rice Mill – generously gifted 20 metric
tons of U.S. Calrose rice. In partnership with freight forwarders in the United Kingdom and the
European Union, and Megasnab, an importer in Ukraine, that rice is now on its way to help feed
the Ukrainian people.

Click the image to see this coordinated special delivery effort in action
Since the war began more than 10 million Ukrainians have been displaced, and millions more
continue living in cities under constant bombardment. According to Reuters, property damage is
estimated to exceed $565 billion, including a great deal of infrastructure that has been destroyed,
cutting off supply lines, making food and water scarce in many parts of the country. As a result,
the need for direct food assistance will only continue to grow.

“We could not in good conscience watch as innocent people were being killed, starved, and
driven from their homes. We had rice in position, and though it was destined for other customers,
we agreed it was urgently needed in Ukraine. And we are thankful our customers understood and
agreed,” said Ken LaGrande, CEO of Sun Valley Rice; Meryl Kennedy, CEO of Kennedy Rice
Mill; and Rick Rhody, CEO of Farmers’ Rice Cooperative, in a joint statement.

“The U.S. rice industry has always been proud of our long record of helping those in need
through international food assistance,” said USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward. “What is
taking place in Ukraine is unprecedented, and we stand ready to further assist and continue to be
in contact with our U.S. government and private voluntary organization (PVO) partners to find
the best ways to do so.”

Ward added that working with the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) is an
excellent way to ensure needed supplies are getting to the people who need them and she
encouraged additional rice companies to register as goods and services providers with WFP’s
supply chain division.

USA Rice Daily

Arkansas Rice Reps

Arkansas Rice Reps Program
M is s ion: To empow er a new generation w ith lifelong know ledge while
developing a genuine commitmen t to agricultur e, community
s ervice and leaders hip.

O bjective : To educate young people across the s tate of Arkans as w ith the
tools and know ledge to repres ent A rkans as Rice. This includes the benefits ,
importanc e, and economic impact our s tate’s number one crop provides its
natives and mill ions around the world.
About
F rom A pril through S eptember, Reps actively participat e in a program
des igned to teach them about rice farming and the importanc e of this crop
around the w orld through education and volunteeris m. They are als o invited
to attend four different, on-s ite experiences during the program, to better
unders tand the reach of rice in A rkans as .
2022 Rice Reps
2022 Rice Reps Informational Flyer

RICE GIVES BACK

From May th rou gh S ep temb er, R eps actively p articip ate in a p rogram
d es ign ed to teach th em ab ou t rice farmin g an d th e imp ortan ce of th is crop
arou nd th e w orld th rou gh ed u cation and volu n teeris m. Th ey are als o
in vited to attend fou r d ifferen t, on -s ite exp erien ces d u rin g th e p rogram,
to b etter un d ers tan d th e reach of rice in A rk ans as
https://www.arkansasrice.org/rice-reps

To fertilize or not to fertilize: A delicate balance between

chalky rice grains and excessive protein content

MARCH 28, 2022

by Kaine Korzekwa, American Society of Agronomy

These three rice grains show examples of undamaged (left side), basal-white (center), and white-
back grains (right side) sampled in this study. In recent years rice plants have been exposed to
higher air temperatures during the ripening stage, which directly impacts rice grain quality.
Credit: Hiroshi Nakano
There's a widespread problem in rice growing that you've probably never heard of. Rice plants
that face elevated temperatures can produce "chalky grains" that are easily crushed during the
milling process. This leads to lost profits because the price is lower for chalky grains than
undamaged grains.
Nitrogen fertilizer can reduce the production of chalky grains. However, too much nitrogen can
cause an increase in rice protein levels. Too much protein affects the quality of rice in an
undesirable way because of its lower viscosity when cooked.
This means that applying nitrogen fertilizer is a delicate balance between preventing chalky
grains and keeping protein at an acceptable level. Hiroshi Nakano, a researcher at the Kyushu
Okinawa Agricultural Research Center, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization in
Japan, and collaborators are researching one potential solution.
This study was recently published in the Agronomy Journal, a publication of the American
Society of Agronomy.
The group studied tools that farmers can use to predict the chalky grain percentage and protein
content in the field. This will allow them to assess how much nitrogen fertilizer they need in real-
time. "Our goal is to facilitate the stable production of rice in a changing climate," Nakano says.
"It is important to establish an ideal nitrogen application rate using growth diagnosis. In this
study, we identified useful factors to regulate white-back grains (one type of chalky grain) and
protein content."
He adds that in Southwestern Japan, rice seedlings are transplanted from mid to late June. The
rice grains develop through processes that occur in July, August, and October. There are slight
differences in weather and growth each year. This means the exact needs for nitrogen are not
always the same. The result is the nitrogen application needs to be adjusted based on growth
conditions.

Technician Chiemi Nagamatsu analyzes rice grain appearance to determine the effect of nitrogen
application rates during the vegetative and reproductive stages of the growth cycle. Nitrogen
fertilizer can reduce the production of chalky grains. However, too much nitrogen can cause an
increase in rice protein levels, and too much protein can make rice unfit to eat. Credit: Hiroshi
Nakano

"Our mission is to develop ways to protect rice from global climate change," Nakano says. "In
Japan, rice production areas account for approximately 36% of all farming land. In recent years,
rice plants have been exposed to higher air temperatures during the ripening stage. This can
result in white-back grains." In their study, the researchers tested two types of measurements
using two devices. One looked at the concentration of nitrogen in the leaves of the rice plants.
The other measure how much of a plant can uptake nitrogen. The team also determined the best
times to take these measurements.

Their findings point to the usefulness of the readings for allowing farmers to make real-time
adjustments to nitrogen application at an important time during rice production.
Heading is the stage of rice growth before flowering. Timing the measurements at the correct
time in the plants' development helped reduce the amount of some chalky grains and regulate the
grain protein content.

"We recommend that farmers conduct the growth diagnosis by using handheld meters," Nakano
says. "These meters are not expensive, and getting this information will allow them to harvest
rice grains with high quality."

However, it can be difficult for farmers to get enough data if they have lots of rice fields. The
researchers hope to develop a way to take these measurements using an unmanned aerial vehicle.
Nakano adds that being able to help farmers enhance their rice yields while maintaining high
quality is important for solving food security issues. A growing global population and rising
temperatures are causing these food security issues.

"This research is broadly important as the global average temperature is predicted to increase due
to global warming," Nakano says. "The occurrence of white-back grains increases when rice
plants ripen under high air temperatures. Rice is a staple food of approximately 50% of the
global population. Therefore, this issue is important for farmers but also for consumers."
https://phys.org/news/2022-03-fertilize-delicate-chalky-rice-grains.html

Benefiting 800 Million people: India Extends   Free Grain

Distribution program for 6 Months
 by Ahmed Moamar
 
 11:41 PM March 28, 2022
The Indian Cabinet decided to extend the work of the rice and wheat distribution program again
for a period of six months, to people included in the Indian Food Program, according to a
statement by the press information office, according to the German news agency.
Bloomberg, a US news agency, reported that the statement said the Indian government would
spend 800 billion rupees ($5.10 billion) between next April and September to distribute
subsidized cereals to about 800 million people.
The statement added that the beneficiaries will receive an additional 5 kilograms of rice and
wheat per person every month, in addition to the same previously planned amount of subsided
cereals.
https://see.news/benefiting-800-million-people-india-extends-free-grain-distribution-program-
for-6-months/

Laos farmers turn to game theory in bid to outsmart rats

Experts say approach, in which villagers come together to hunt the pests, could have
applications far beyond rat-catching.
Rice farmers in Laos are trying unusual ways to tackle the rats that destroy their crop, a staple
food in the southeast Asian nation [File: Rungroj Yongrit/EPA]
By Ian Neubauer
Published On 29 Mar 202229 Mar 2022
For more than a decade, Laos has been confronted with an escalating rat problem as the rodents
chomp their way through rice, the country’s main cash crop and staple food.
Described by farmers as a “sea of rats,” the vermin chew through at least 20 percent of the
country’s annual rice harvest, placing added stress on household finances and food security in
what is already one of Southeast Asia’s poorest nations. According to the United Nations World
Food Programme, one in five Laotians were already experiencing food insecurity even before the
COVID-19 pandemic, while one in three children is chronically malnourished.
In wealthier countries, rodenticides like bromadiolone that prevent blood from clotting are used
to combat plagues of rats and mice. But they also poison non-target species, soil, water and
sometimes the farmers who apply them, and can be prohibitively expensive.
But a team of researchers from the National University of Laos and Australia’s Monash
University have discovered a much simpler, cheaper and environmentally friendly solution that
utilises existing indigenous rodent hunting tools and know-how: an economic game that pools
together the efforts of villagers, and rewards those who kill or capture the most rats.
“If one farmer was killing rats and the others weren’t, the rats would just continue to populate
neighbouring farms, but we knew we could get better results if they worked together,” said Paulo
Santos, a senior lecturer of economics at Monash University. “So the game was designed to
inspire collective action and framed as a pest management activity, the effectiveness of which
depended on the decisions of others.”
More rice, more protein
Based on game theory – a branch of mathematics that looks at strategies for dealing with
competitive situations that has been applied in fields as diverse as business and war – the concept
was trialled in 2018 and 2019 at 36 villages in Luang Prabang Province, one of the most rat-
affected areas of northern Laos.

Farmers and officials at a meeting over rat problems in Laos [Courtesy of Monash University]
“Rats are the pests that cause the most damage in Luang Prabang because they attack the whole
chain of agricultural production, from planting, to harvesting, to storage,” said Fue Yang, a
researcher at the National University of Laos who led the field team that supervised the trial.
“Normally farmers use a combination of pesticides, sticks and homemade traps inside which
food is placed to lure rodents. But these methods have not been effective in reducing rodent
populations.”
Farmers in villages come together for one day a month throughout the trial to eradicate rodents in
a particular area. This mimics the behaviour of killer whales and other wildlife species that work
together to isolate, tire out and immobilise their prey, and builds from an older ‘red tail’ initiative
in which NGOs paid hunters for every rat tail they produced.
Every member of the hunting group benefitted from an increased supply of protein as rats are
also a food source in Laos, while every farmer benefitted by having more rice to eat or sell. But
the most successful hunters in each village benefitted even more by making a name for
themselves in the community and receiving small cash prizes donated by the Australian Centre
for International Agricultural Research.
Published in PNAS, the journal of the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC,, the
trial resulted in 30 percent more rice being produced than in previous seasons and 20 percent
more rice than was grown in control villages. This added an average of 80kg of unmilled rice per
household per year – the equivalent of two weeks’ supply of the key carbohydrate.
“The game showed that if farmers contribute collectively to rodent control, it benefits them in the
long term,” Fue says.

Villag
ers are usually paid to catch rats with money given out according to the number of tails produced
[Courtesy of Monash University]
Adds Kun Sesophon, director of the agriculture and forestry office in the Viengkham district of
Luang Prabang: “Without this project, we would have experienced significant losses of rice due
to rodent damage.”
Replicating the game
The question now is whether the results can be sustained without the financial incentives
provided by NGOs, and whether the approach can be replicated in other parts of Laos and the
developing world.
Professor Silinthone Sacklokham, director of the SEAMEO Regional Centre for Community
Education Development in Laos, believes the game is sustainable. “The rodent hunting
competition is simple and inexpensive. It is uncomplicated and requires low financial
investment. We hope that in the future, villagers will continue these rodent hunting activities,”
she said.
But Chitpasong Kousonsavath, an educator in agricultural economics at the National University
of Laos who helped collect and collate data collection for the trial at villages rife with children
with bloated bellies, says red tape in Laos is likely to make replicating the trial challenging.
“Practically, I think it is scalable and modifiable in other provinces with rodent problems
because money does not have to be offered as a prize. Participants can be compensated with rice
or other foodstuffs that are available in the local context so that it is not too difficult for other
communities to adopt,” she said. “But things are never simple in Laos. It took us a really long
time, more than a year, just to get the permits for the trial. We started working on this back in
2015.”
Kousonsavath also questions assumptions made about connecting reducing rat populations to
larger rice yields and food security.
“You cannot directly translate economic improvement to food security as the latter is quite
complicated. Food security is influenced by many different variables like consumption patterns,
cultural nuances and connections with marketplaces. And what exactly is it? Are we talking
about security in carbohydrate intake? Security in protein? Or is it security in micronutrients that
are important for the development of kids?”
Nevertheless, Santon at Monash University believes the trial, regarded as the first of its kind in
the world, is scalable in agricultural communities around the world and not just in the control of
rats.
“This work is important because the game can be applied to any other region or issues where
cooperation is needed like water management, forest management, waste or garbage collection,”
he said.
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA

VIETNAM Q1 COFFEE EXPORTS SEEN UP 19.4%

Y/Y, RICE UP 24% -STATS OFFICE
3/28/2022
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HANOI, March 29 (Reuters) - Vietnam's coffee exports in the first three months of the year are
estimated to have risen 19.4% from a year earlier to 541,000 tonnes, while rice exports are seen
up 24%, government data released on Tuesday showed.
COFFEE
Coffee exports from Vietnam are estimated to have risen 19.4% in the first three months of this
year from a year earlier to 541,000 tonnes, the General Statistics Office (GSO) said.
Coffee export revenue for Vietnam, the world's biggest producer of robusta beans, is seen up
50.4% to $1.2 billion in the first quarter.
The country's coffee shipments in March are estimated at 170,000 tonnes, valued at $394
million.
RICE
Rice exports in January-March are estimated to have increased 24% from a year earlier to 1.475
million tonnes.
Revenue from rice exports in the period is expected to show a rise of 10.5% to $715 million.
March rice exports from Vietnam likely totalled 500,000 tonnes, worth $246 million.
ENERGY
Vietnam's January-March crude oil exports are estimated to have decreased 8.9% from the same
period last year to an estimated 747,000 tonnes.
Crude oil export revenue in January to March is expected to rise 50.3% from a year earlier to
$584 million.
https://www.agriculture.com/markets/newswire/grains-wheat-hesitant-after-slide-as-ukraine-war-
crop-outlook-assessed

NFA-Bulacan targets 64K bags of palay to buffer stocks

By Manny Balbin 
March 29, 2022, 9:35 pm

CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan – The National Food Authority (NFA) in this province has
started buying fresh palay under its buffer stocking program.

Sheryl Gamboa, NFA-Bulacan manager, said in a statement on Tuesday they are targetting to
procure 64,000 bags of palay for the current dry cropping season.

Beside buying clean and dry palay with 14 percent moisture content, Gamboa said, "Bumibili din
po kami ng sariwang palay depende sa moisture content. May equivalent net weight factor po na
sinusunod at (We also buy fresh palay depending on the moisture content. We follow an
equivalent net weight factor and) within our drying capacity".

Gamboa said they also have trucks that can be used to pick up the farmers' palay produce.
Meanwhile, with the higher commercial palay prices against the government's rates, the regional
office of the NFA in Central Luzon is coordinating with local government units (LGUs) on their
palay procurement program as the peak of the harvest season nears.

The region is considered the rice granary of the country.

Jonathan Yazon, NFA-Central Luzon regional director, admitted that so far, they have only
procured a very minimal volume of palay for their buffer stocking program.

The reason for this, he said, is the higher prices offered by rice traders, which range from
PHP19.50 to PHP21 per kilo for clean and dry palay, compared to the NFA's PHP19.00 per kilo
for the same quality of rice crop.

To increase their buffer stocks during the peak of palay harvest season in April and May, Yazon
said, "We're coordinating with our LGUs if they are interested in adding incentives through our
Palay Marketing Assistance Program for Legislators and Local Government Units."

He said under this scheme, LGUs and legislators may enter into a marketing agreement with
NFA and provide a premium amount which shall be added to the existing NFA support price.

"They can procure their own buffer stocks and use our warehouses for storing the same," Yazon
added. (PNA)
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1170906

Simple spring-ish recipes to keep you going

Easy is the name of the game this week, says Emily Weinstein
(Getty)

E asy is the name of the game this week, as it’s still not quite feeling like spring –

though we’re close – and Covid is still hanging on. But a few recipes are keeping me going and
bringing some energy to my routine: Ali Slagle’s pork chops, coated in a sauce of mustard and
jam, and Eric Kim’s gochugaru salmon, glazed with a mixture of red pepper, maple syrup, butter
and rice vinegar. Also Naz Deravian’s sheveed polo – dill rice, from Iran – is a perfect teaser for
spring, a gorgeously green moment that will resonate with dill lovers (me!).
Pork chops with jammy-mustard glaze
 (Getty/iStock)
By: Ali Slagle
Fruit and mustard are two classic accompaniments to pork, and really, a juicy chop doesn’t need
much more than that for a sweet and tangy sauce. Mix together water, grainy mustard and any
fruit preserve that’s good with pork like cherry, fig, peach or apricot. Sear bone-in pork chops
mostly on one side to prevent overcooking, then pour the fruit-mustard mixture into the pan
while they rest. The pork will stay moist, and its juices will have time to mingle with the sauce.
Then just slice the pork and drape it in the velvety two-ingredient glaze. Eat with mashed or
roasted potatoes and a green salad.

Serves: 4
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tbsp cherry, fig, peach or apricot preserves, plus more if needed
2 tbsp wholegrain mustard, plus more if needed
4 (1.5-2cm-thick) pork rib chops (680-900g)
Salt and black pepper
2 tbsp neutral oil (such as canola or grapeseed)
Method:
1. In a small bowl, stir together ¼ cup (60ml) water, the preserves and the mustard. Set near the
stove. Pat the pork chops dry, and season all over with salt and pepper.
2. In a large (30cm) cast-iron frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the pork chops and
cook, occasionally pressing down to make good contact with the pan, until browned, 4 to 5
minutes. Reduce the heat to low, flip the chops and cook until opaque on the other side, 1 to 2
minutes. Pour in the jam-mustard mixture, turn off the heat, and let rest for 5 minutes.
3. Transfer the chops to plates, then return the pan to medium-low heat and simmer, scraping up
browned bits, until the sauce has thickened slightly, 1 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Every jam is different, so if it’s too sweet, add more mustard, salt or black pepper; if it’s too
salty, add a little more jam; if it’s too intense or thick, add a little more water; if it’s flat, add salt.
Spoon sauce over the pork chops.
Gochugaru salmon with crispy rice

(Getty)
By: Eric Kim
Gochugaru, a mild, fragrant red-pepper powder, bedazzles this quick salmon dinner. As a key
ingredient in Korean home cooking, gochugaru proves that some chillies provide not only heat
but fruity sweetness as well. Here, that’s especially true once it’s bloomed in maple syrup,
vinegar and butter. If you like shiny things, you may find great pleasure in watching this pan
sauce transform into a mirrored, crimson glaze. Try to get long centre-cut salmon fillets for
uniform thickness and even cooking. Their crispy skin tastes wonderful with white rice, which
toasts in the rendered salmon fat. To balance the richness of the fish, serve it with fresh, crunchy
things, like cucumbers or pickles, or a big green salad.
Serves: 4
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
4 skin-on salmon fillets 170g ounces each)
Salt and black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
700g cooked white rice, preferably leftovers
4 tsp gochugaru (see tip)
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp cold unsalted butter, kept whole
Sliced cucumbers or pickles, for serving (optional)
Method:
1. Season the salmon on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large cast iron or nonstick frying
pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and sear the salmon fillets skin side down until the
skin is browned and crispy, 2 to 5 minutes. The salmon’s orange flesh will begin to turn pale
coral as the heat slowly creeps up the sides of the fish; you want that coral colour to come up
about two-thirds of the way at this point for a nice medium-rare. Carefully flip the salmon and
cook the second side until the flesh feels firm, another 1 to 2 minutes. When you press it, it
should not feel wobbly. Transfer the salmon to a plate skin side down and keep the pan with the
rendered fat over the heat.
2. Add the rice to the fat in the pan and spread in an even layer, packing it down as if making a
rice pancake. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the bottom is lightly browned and
toasted, about 5 minutes. You should hear it crackle. Flip the rice like a pancake, using a spatula
if needed. You may not be able to flip it all in one piece, but that’s OK. Cook until lightly toasted
on the second side, another 1 to 2 minutes. Go longer if you want crispier rice, but the trifecta of
crispy-chewy-soft tastes wonderful.
3. While the rice is cooking, stir together the gochugaru, maple syrup, rice vinegar and 1
teaspoon salt in a small bowl. When the rice is done, divide it evenly among the plates. In the
now empty pan, add the gochugaru mixture and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat
until it bubbles up and reduces significantly, 15 seconds to 1 minute. It should look pretty sticky.
Turn off the heat and add the cold butter, stirring with a wooden spoon or tongs until fully
melted and incorporated into the gochugaru mixture. Pour this glaze over the salmon and serve
with cucumbers or pickles if you’d like.
Tip: You can find gochugaru, or red-pepper powder, at Korean or Asian supermarkets and at
most grocery stores, as well as online. It sometimes comes in larger bags, which is not a problem
because it freezes beautifully and tastes great dusted over just about anything.
Braised Ligurian chicken
(Getty/iStock)
Recipe from: Jamie Oliver
Adapted by: Amanda Hesser
This dish comes from a 2003 article about Jamie Oliver: “What I found quite interesting with this
dish, being English,” Oliver said, “is that when you eat this, it's quite delicately flavoured. It’s
perfumed with the wine and the rosemary. You get this kind of meaty kind of saltiness from the
olives, and what's really interesting is if an English housewife got hold of the recipe, she’d
probably stone the olives and have quite a lot of them. But in Italy, literally for eight people they
put that much and they leave the pits in.” In his hand, he cradled about two dozen olives.
Oliver continued: “When you cook olives whole like this, it's almost like an anchovy. The salt
comes out of the olives, and the olive becomes more like a vegetable. And the salt from the olive
flavours the chicken really wonderfully.” This is an adaptation of his recipe.
Serves: 4
Total time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
2 heaping tbsp flour
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1.8kg chicken, cut into 8 pieces
¼ cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil
4 to 5 fresh rosemary sprigs
6 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
350ml white wine
4 anchovy fillets (optional)
90g kalamata olives (with pits)
3 ripe plum tomatoes, halved, seeded and coarsely chopped
Method:
1. In a large bowl, combine flour with salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken pieces and toss until
evenly coated.
2. Place a large flameproof casserole dish over medium-high heat, and heat olive oil. Add
chicken pieces, and fry until golden underneath, about 5 minutes (fry in batches if your pan isn't
large enough to accommodate all of the chicken without crowding). Turn chicken, and add
rosemary and garlic. Continue to fry until garlic is softened but not colored, about 3 minutes.
Add wine. When it comes to a boil, add anchovies, olives and tomatoes.
3. Partly cover pan, and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer until chicken is cooked and tender,
and broth is reduced to a rich sauce, 15 to 20 minutes. To serve, discard rosemary sprigs, and
season well with salt and pepper to taste. Place a piece or two of chicken on each plate, and top
with a spoonful of sauce.
Sheveed polo (dill rice)

(Getty/iStock)
By: Naz Deravian
This dish is a simple way to make use of a whole bunch of dill and transform an ordinary pot of
plain rice. Naz Deravian, author of Bottom of the Pot: Persian Recipes and Stories (Flatiron
Books, 2018), uses a mix of fresh and dried dill here. The dried dill enhances the fragrance and
also draws out the humidity from the fresh dill so the rice doesn’t turn mushy when steaming.
This recipe uses a traditional Persian technique for cooking rice in which you boil the rice for
several minutes over high heat, wrap the lid in a kitchen towel to catch the condensation, then
steam the rice over low heat for several minutes more. Don't worry; it won’t be overcooked. It
will be fluffy perfection. Serve it with chicken or seafood, like roasted dill salmon.
Yield: 6 servings
Total time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
1 large bunch dill, trimmed and finely chopped
3 tbsp dried dill
350g white basmati rice, rinsed
2 tbsp unsalted butter or olive oil
2 tsp salt
Method:
1. Set aside half of the chopped fresh dill. In a bowl, combine the rest of the fresh dill with the
dried dill.
2. Place the rice, butter and salt in a medium pot. Add 830ml water and bring to a boil over high
heat. Give it a stir, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the water has been absorbed,
about 12 minutes (it’s OK to lift the lid to check).
3. Fold the dill mixture into the rice. Wrap the lid in a kitchen towel to catch the condensation,
ensuring that the kitchen towel is secured up top so it doesn’t catch fire. Firmly place the lid back
on the pot.
4. Cook until the rice is cooked through and fluffy, about 15 minutes more. Gently fluff with a
spoon, then transfer to a serving platter, scattering the reserved fresh dill in between spoonfuls of
rice.
TIPS: The dill can be washed and chopped up to 1 day in advance, and stored in a container lined
and covered on top with a paper towel to absorb any moisture. Leftovers can be stored in the
fridge (up to 3 days) or in the freezer (up to 3 months). Add a little water when reheating to bring
the rice back to life.
© The New York Times
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/simple-recipe-spring-pork-chop-
b2045558.html