BASMATI RICE / BIRIYANI RICE / 1121

The areas of basmati rice production in India are in the states of Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Himanchal Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi, Uttarakhand and western Uttar Pradesh. India's total basmati production for the year 2010 was 6.5 million tons.[1] In Pakistan, 95% of the basmati rice cultivation takes place in the province of Punjab, where total production was 2.47 million tons in 2010. In India, Haryana is the major basmati rice cultivating state, producing more than 60% of the total basmati rice produced in India.

Flavour

Basmati rice has a typical pandan-like (Pandanus amaryllifolius leaf) flavour caused by the aroma compound 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline.

Varieties and hybrids

There are several varieties of basmati rice. Traditional Indian types include basmati 370, basmati 385, and basmati Ranbirsinghpura (R.S.Pura). Pakistani varieties of basmati rice are PK 385, 1121 Extra Long Grain Rice, Super Kernel Basmati Rice and D-98.

Scientists at Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Delhi, genetically modified basmati to produce a hybrid semi-dwarf plant which had most of the good features of traditional basmati (grain elongation, fragrance, alkali content). This hybrid was called Pusa Basmati-1 (PB1; also called "Todal", because the flower has awns); crop yield is up to twice as high as traditional varieties. Fragrant rices that are derived from basmati stock but are not true basmati varieties include PB2 (also called sugandh-2), PB3, and RH-10.