Saraswat Red Rice

Short-grain Konkan red rice (ukda chawal or Kerala red variety) cooked in excess water, drained, and served as the starch foundation of the Saraswat meal. The red bran layer gives the rice a nutty earthiness and a slight chewiness that pairs exceptionally well with the coconut-based Saraswat curries; white polished rice is used for festivals, but red rice is the daily grain. Konkan red rice is grown in the coastal paddy fields of Ratnagiri, Goa, and coastal Karnataka; the Saraswat community's attachment to their traditional red rice varieties extends to maintaining specific heirloom strains passed down through farming families.