{"product_id":"mappillai-samba-rice","title":"Mappillai Samba Rice – Traditional Red Rice","description":"\u003ch4 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eA rice that nearly disappeared\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eTamil Nadu once grew hundreds of native rice varieties. Most were pushed out over the last few decades by high-yield hybrids that grow faster, mill whiter and sell cheaper.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eMappillai samba survived because farmers kept planting it and families kept asking for it. It takes longer in the field, yields less per acre, and can't be polished into anything resembling supermarket rice. It stayed because it was worth keeping.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eWhat it's actually like to eat\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eFirm and chewy, with a distinct nutty flavour and a deep reddish-brown colour that comes from the bran. It doesn't go soft and fluffy the way polished white rice does, and it isn't trying to.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eIt's more filling than white rice — most people find they eat less of it and stay satisfied longer. Served with a strong kuzhambu or a good sambar, it holds its own instead of disappearing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eWhat unpolished means\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003ePolishing scrapes the reddish bran layer off the grain to make it white, quicker-cooking and longer-lasting. All the colour and most of the fibre go with it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eOurs isn't polished. That's why the grain is red, why it takes longer to cook, and why it doesn't look like the rice in most kitchens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eWhy customers choose ALAI\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUnpolished, bran intact.\u003c\/strong\u003e No polishing to lighten the grain.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA traditional native variety.\u003c\/strong\u003e Not a hybrid, not a blend.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCleaned and hand-sorted.\u003c\/strong\u003e Destoned and sieved before packing.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSourced from Tamil Nadu growers\u003c\/strong\u003e who still cultivate native paddy.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNothing added.\u003c\/strong\u003e No polish, no colour, no coating.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eHow to cook it\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eMappillai samba needs more soaking and more water than white rice. This is the whole game — get the soak right and it's excellent, skip it and it's hard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRinse and soak.\u003c\/strong\u003e Rinse twice, then soak for at least 2 hours. Overnight is better and makes a noticeable difference.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePressure cooker\u003c\/strong\u003e — 1 cup rice to 3.5 cups water, 5 to 6 whistles, natural release.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOpen pot\u003c\/strong\u003e — 1 cup to 4 cups water, boil 35–40 minutes until tender, then drain the excess. This is how it was traditionally cooked and it gives the best texture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFor kanji\u003c\/strong\u003e — 1 cup to 6 cups water, simmered until it breaks down. Mappillai samba kanji with a little buttermilk and salt is the classic preparation and still the best one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFor idli or dosai\u003c\/strong\u003e — replace the rice in your usual batter at the same ratio to urad dal. Soak the samba longer than you would white rice. The dosai comes out darker and nuttier.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSave the drained water.\u003c\/strong\u003e It's the traditional rice kanji water, drunk with salt and buttermilk. Don't throw it away.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eWhat to make with it\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eMappillai samba sadam with kuzhambu · Rice kanji · Puliyodarai · Curd rice · Idli and dosai · Sweet pongal · Mappillai samba adai · Rice flour for kozhukattai\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eProduct details\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"col\"\u003e\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"col\"\u003e\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBrand\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eALAI\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVariety\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMappillai samba (traditional Tamil red rice)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlso known as\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMapillai samba, maapillai samba, bridegroom's rice\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProcessing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDehusked, unpolished\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIngredients\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e100% mappillai samba rice. Nothing added.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvailable in\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e500 g \/ 1 kg \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePackaging\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFood-grade sealed pouch\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShelf life\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e12 months from packing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStorage\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAirtight container in a cool, dry place\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFSSAI Lic. No.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e22426306000092\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch4 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eA note on colour and shelf life\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThe red comes from the bran and varies between batches and harvests — that's the grain, not a defect. Because the bran carries natural oils, unpolished rice keeps for less time than polished white rice. Six months in an airtight container is realistic. Decant a 10 kg sack into smaller jars rather than opening it repeatedly.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Alai","offers":[{"title":"500 g","offer_id":52882370330936,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":false},{"title":"1 kg","offer_id":52882370363704,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1013\/0381\/2408\/files\/MappillaiSambaRice_TraditionalRedRice-500g.png?v=1788180488","url":"https:\/\/alaistore.in\/products\/mappillai-samba-rice","provider":"Alai","version":"1.0","type":"link"}