Post by Please Delete on Sept 17, 2005 17:53:12 GMT -5
Found something interesting: Many people have suggested to me that I ought to use 'wild rice' as it would be 'more period' because it isn't as processed. A little research just lead me to this, and I thought I would pass it on, as others may find it useful.
Wild Rice (makomo, '^ŒÔ', Zizania latifolia of the Gramineae family) is actually a different genus from 'true' rice (genus Oryza). The former is the only species of its genus in Asia--there are three other species native to the US, where it is also known as 'Indian rice'.
Now I'm going to have to pay attention to the rice I get from the stores. I do know that the rice of pre-Edo Japan wasn't as processed as it is today. In fact, it is thought by some that cases of 'beri-beri' in Edo was actually caused by too much polished rice ('beri-beri' was once known as the 'Edo disease'). The 'cure' was to go out to the countryside--where rice wasn't as fully polished. Apparently it was the lack of the rice bran, a dark layer("The History and Culture of Japanese Food", Ishige Naomichi, ISBN 0-7103-0657-1)
Ishige goes on to mention that 'brown rice' or 'unpolished rice' sold in stores is not appropriate, either, as it is not processed at all: the traditional method of hulling actually removed the hull and the bran together, but did not fully polish the rice (that is, it left some of the bran). So, whereas white rice, where the bran has been completely removed, might be 90 percent of the original, the older method of removing the hull with a mallet left about 95 percent of the original: that extra 5% contained the bran and B1 vitamins.
Ishige goes on to mention that this mallet-hulled rice is darker and slightly inferior in taste, but it prevents beri-beri and it can soak up enough water to allow it to be steamed (whereas truly 'unpolished brown rice' is much more difficult to cook and digest).
Okay, enough on rice. Time for dinner.
-Ii
Wild Rice (makomo, '^ŒÔ', Zizania latifolia of the Gramineae family) is actually a different genus from 'true' rice (genus Oryza). The former is the only species of its genus in Asia--there are three other species native to the US, where it is also known as 'Indian rice'.
Now I'm going to have to pay attention to the rice I get from the stores. I do know that the rice of pre-Edo Japan wasn't as processed as it is today. In fact, it is thought by some that cases of 'beri-beri' in Edo was actually caused by too much polished rice ('beri-beri' was once known as the 'Edo disease'). The 'cure' was to go out to the countryside--where rice wasn't as fully polished. Apparently it was the lack of the rice bran, a dark layer("The History and Culture of Japanese Food", Ishige Naomichi, ISBN 0-7103-0657-1)
Ishige goes on to mention that 'brown rice' or 'unpolished rice' sold in stores is not appropriate, either, as it is not processed at all: the traditional method of hulling actually removed the hull and the bran together, but did not fully polish the rice (that is, it left some of the bran). So, whereas white rice, where the bran has been completely removed, might be 90 percent of the original, the older method of removing the hull with a mallet left about 95 percent of the original: that extra 5% contained the bran and B1 vitamins.
Ishige goes on to mention that this mallet-hulled rice is darker and slightly inferior in taste, but it prevents beri-beri and it can soak up enough water to allow it to be steamed (whereas truly 'unpolished brown rice' is much more difficult to cook and digest).
Okay, enough on rice. Time for dinner.
-Ii