Organic Food Products


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Grains

 

I RICES

1. Raw rice (ponni)

2. Kullakkar red rice (unpolished, for puttu and meals)

3. Kullakkar red rice (semi-polished)

grains imageRices with a red bran layer are called red rices. Though the colour is confined to the bran layer, a tinge of red remains even after a high degree of milling. Traditional red rice varieties possess natural resistance to drought, flood, submergence, alkalinity, salinity, and resistance to pests and diseases.

Medicinal Properties: According to the ancient Indian texts on Ayurveda, nivara rice has the unique medicinal property of redressing any imbalances in the tridosha. Red rice varieties possess antioxidant properties, and have 2-3 times higher zinc and iron content than white rices do. They also have the rare capability to enrich the body elements, to exclude toxic metabolites, to strengthen, regenerate, and energize the body, to regulate blood pressure, and to prevent skin diseases and premature aging.

Uses: Kullakkar Red Rice is parboiled rice and is suited to make idli, dosa as well as eaten as cooked rice.


4. Parboiled rice (for meals)

Parboiled rice is ‘par’-tially ‘boiled’ (i.e. partially cooked rice) within the husk. Paddy is first hydrated, then heated to cook the rice and finally dried. Parboiling rice drives nutrients, especially thiamine, from the bran into the grain, and is hence, nutritionally superior than polished raw rice. Since it gets harder from the parboiling process, there is less breakage of grains, and hence less wastage, in the process of dehusking. This is also the reason why parboiled rice costs less than raw rice even in the regular market.

5. Idly rice

6. Sona masuri rice (aromatic, medium grain, semi-polished, easily digestible)

Sona masuri is a traditional variety of rice grown largely in the Indian states of Andra Pradesh and Karnataka. It is lightweight and aromatic and considered to be of premium quality. Sona Masuri is considered to be more healthy, since it contains less starch and is easily digestible. Ideal for preparing dishes like sweet pongal, biryani, fried rice etc.
Our Sona Masuri rice is brown, the colour coming from the nutrient-rich bran coat that is retained unpolished. The bran layer is rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre and amino acids, and lends the rice a unique flavour and taste, all of which is lost in the process of polishing it into white rice. Rice bran also contains an oil that helps lower cholesterol.

Keep that coat on!
All grains have a shell like outer covering called the husk (umi) and several layers of protective and nutrient- and fibre-rich coating called the bran (thavidu). The present practice of polishing grains like rice to remove the bran and make it white is a very wasteful one. Unpolished, whole grains are more wholesome, healthy and tastier than the polished redriceones.

(For rice flour see under Flours)

See Rice Recipes>>



II WHEAT

1. Wheat rava

2. Wheat rava fine

(For wheat flour see under Flours)

See Wheat Rava Recipes>>



III MILLETS

1. Thinai (Foxtail millet)
Telugu – Korralu;  Kannada - Navane

Thinai is a traditional food of hill tribes in South India. The dehusked grain is translucent yellow. Thinai has heating properties.
 
2. Samai (Little millet)

These look very similar to foxtail millet but are white in colour. It has a cooling effect on the body.
Cooking Method for Thinai and Samai: Clean 1 cup of samai / thinai grains in water to remove residual sand particles. Bring 2.5 cups of water to boil. Add the cleaned grains to the water and let it boil for another 3 minutes. Turn off the stove and keep the container covered for 10 minutes.  
Samai and thinai rices cooked in the above manner can be used in all food preparations which use paddy (ordinary) rice. They can also replace rice in idli and dosa preparations.

3. Bajra (Pearl millet)
Hindi – Bajra, Bajri, Lahra; Telugu - Gantilu

Kambu is said to have been brought to India about 2000 years ago. These yellow, grey or light blue grains are consumed after dehusking. Bajra rotis are very popular in rural areas in North India. These are especially had in winter, since the grain has heating properties. Kambu plants are a very good fodder. The straw and stalk are used for bedding, thatching, fencing and fuel.  

4. Jowar (Great millet, Sorghum)jowar-small
Hindi – Jowar, Jowari, Jundri; Telugu – Jonna, Jonnalu;
Kannada – Jola; Malayalam - Cholam

Cholam is believed to have been brought to India about 1,000 years ago. The name ‘Cholam’ is usually mistaken for maize, the yellow corn. The millet ‘Cholam’ grains are white in colour, and the size of pepper. They are one of the most drought-resistant crops known.

5. Ragi  (Finger millet)
Hindi – Mandua, Madua, Maruya, Nagli, Kodu, Koda; Telugu – Ragulu;
Malayalam – Koovaragu

Ragi is the most popular millet in India and ranges from orange to dark brown in colour. It is called finger millet since its earheads are made of a whorl of finger-like spikes. Karnataka accounts for 40% of the total area under ragi in India, and 50% of the country’s production. Ragi is one of the richest sources of calcium, and has been an important weaning food in South India. Though there are hybrid varieties of ragi which give higher yields, traditional varieties are known to be tastier and more nutritious.  Ragi can be stored for many years without any damage from pests, and is hence an excellent famine insurance food.

(For millet flours see under Flours)

See Millet Recipes>>

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