Black rice

Black rice is a range of rice types of the species Oryza sativa, some of which are glutinous rice. Black rice is also known as 'Forbidden Rice' in ancient China since only those belonging to the upper class could afford to eat it.[1]

Black rice

Black rice as sold in China

There are several varieties of black rice available today. These include Indonesian black rice, Philippine balatinaw rice,[2] and Thai jasmine black rice. Black rice is known as chak-hao in Manipur, where desserts made from black rice are served at major feasts.

In Bangladesh it is known as kalo dhaner chaal (black paddy rice) and used to make polao or rice-based desserts. The bran hull (outermost layer) of black rice contains one of the highest levels of anthocyanins found in food.[3] The grain has a similar amount of fiber to brown rice and, like brown rice, has a mild, nutty taste.[4]

Black rice has a deep black color and usually turns deep purple when cooked. Its dark purple color is primarily due to its anthocyanin content,[5] which is higher by weight than that of other colored grains.[6][7] It is suitable for creating porridge, dessert, traditional Chinese black rice cake, bread, and noodles.