What is Basmati Rice?

Basmati is a long grain fragrant rice harvested in the particular topographical territory in india and Pakistan that is at Himalyan lower regions of india mainly in haryana and punjab. The term Basmati comes from a Sanskrit word and starts as ‘BAS’ which signifies “smell” and ‘Mati’ ‘Loaded with’ hence the word Basmati i.e.”full of smell or aroma”.Basmati rice is ‘One of a Kind’ in the different types of rice among other sweet-smelling long grain rice varieties of rice. The grain is blessed with characteristics like extra long grain,soft and slim texture that elongate at minimum 2.5x times the original size of the pre cook rice with delicate and fluffy texture after cooking, delicious taste,superior fragrance and particular flavor. One can without much of a stretch consider it with wine as the saying goes older the wine better the taste. The main thing to look at in the rice is the elongation that is lamba after cooking and not before cooking that is the asli pehchan or true check of basmati rice grain.

• History and Development of Basmati Rice
  

Basmati rice is accepted to have been developed in the Indian subcontinent for quite a long time hundreds of years ago probably around 1700 century. We should not also ignore the fact that the seed grain of basmati rice has evolved over the years and with biotechnology coming in the grain has become extra long slender grain and cooking goes as long as 24-25 mm post cooking.

The grain has developed over time and Download Notified Basmati Varieties (upload a downloadable pdf) source from Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority of India in short form also called APEDA.

• High Water usage during cultivation of Basmati rice
  

The main areas of cultivation of basmati rice is mainly some areas of Pakistan and northern regions of India at the foothills of Himalyan range namely Jammu, Punjab, Haryana and some parts of Dehradun which is in Uttarakhand. It takes nearly about 4000 to 5000 liters of water to produce one kilogram (kg) of rice which makes it a kharif crop as the crop is highly dependable on monsoon season. The crop is sown in the month of June/July to be harvested around indian festival Diwali which is in october/November that makes the crop growing period of around 80-130 days. There are other varieties of rice which are grown twice 2 times a year. Those varieties of rice are known as non basmati rice, as basmati due to climatic factors is grown only one crop around the year which makes basmati rice an expensive crop as well. Now you know how much water it requires to grow one kg of rice. Also check how much water is required to make one cup of basmati rice. The yield of the crop is considnered to be around 1.7 tonnes per hectare.