Black (forbidden) rice
Oryza sativa · Grain
Top 10 pairings
Black rice — long romanticised in China as "forbidden" or "emperor's" rice — is a group of wholegrain rice varieties whose bran is stained deep purple-black by anthocyanin pigments. Dehulled but unpolished, it cooks to a glossy violet-black, with a chewy bite and a nutty, faintly floral, earthy flavour.
Picking a good onedrag
Sound dry grain, fragrant or cleanly neutralRancid crayon, or holed and webbed
Pantry standardEveryday bestRice takes up arsenic you can't see. Rinse it, cook it in plenty of water, then drain.
Smell at the open bagAlmost nothing, as white rice is
White or brown, whole or milledBrown, red or black: buy small
The grains themselvesA few chalky grains, broken tips
A handful through your fingersA little starchy powder, normal
These cues are Rice's, and hold across its varieties; where this one differs, its own page says so.