I have been searching around for information, but I couldn’t find the scientific name for this red rice (beras merah or boras biriah), but the grain is blood red in color-thus the title!, and have a very fine sweet fragrance.
This is one of the type of rice my mother home-grown herself. Other types are big grain/small grain white rice, and red/black glutinous rice (pulut merah/hitam).
Normally my parents will plant paddy for the consumption of at least 1-2 years (count head of 6). In the old days, older generation used to have paddy reserved for at least 2-3 years in case of bad crops. These paddy will be kept in a ‘pitak’ which is actually a wooden box measuring about 2.5mx1.5mx1m height.
These rice are planted at the hills. We have long abandoned the traditional method of slash-and-burn plantation. My parents are trying their best not to use pesticide to kill the weeds. Instead, they use a back-breaking manual ritual which is by using sickles, or pull it out by hands. Just imagine they need to do it at least twice for the whole process of planting until harvesting, for an area of no less than 2 acres!
Below is the photo of the uncooked rice.
Close-up..
The cooked red rice.
The red rice is soft, with sweet faint fragrance and it’s very fulfilling, thus enable you to reduce rice intake (carbohydrate). For 2 cups of normal white rice you normally consume, 1 cup of this red rice shall be sufficient.
Hmmm.. I feel hungry just by looking at the pictures.
The first batch of the rice harvested is also normally served to the guest for the first time during Gawai celebration. The tradition which is known in Bidayuh as ‘man boras bauh’ (consumption of the ‘new rice’) marked the celebration for the harvest of the year. This coincides with the purpose of Gawai festival, which is a prayer of thanks to the Ghost and Spirit for their good harvest in that year, and for the years to come.
Eventhough we have been discouraging our parents not to continue this activity anymore, we have no choice because it is what they do to keep themselves occupied and healthy. Since there is a global crisis on rice and economy at the moment, it is actually a good way for them to self-sustain in a way.
Come and visit us to try this rice yourself!
Editor's note : If you are interested to order the red rice, you may contact us at sumukeyes@gmail.com. It is sold in per kg. Price RM 8.50/kg and not inclusive of delivery.
