Medium-grain Brown Rice

The Journey of a Medium-Grain Brown Rice from Farm to Plate

We often take for granted the food that ends up on our dinner plate. From the moment a crop is harvested to the delicious meal served at dinner, each ingredient goes through a remarkable journey before reaching its final destination. In this article we will look at the journey of medium-grain brown rice from farm to plate, examining the production, processing and distribution methods that are used to bring this staple food to our dinner table.

Making Rice – The Production of Medium-Grain Brown Rice

Rice is one of the most important and widely consumed staple foods in the world, providing an invaluable source of nutrition to countless people around the world. Medium-grain brown rice is a type of rice which has its outer husk and germ removed, but has both the bran and germ layers left in tact.

Rice is classified as an annual grass and is grown in flooded paddy fields. To prepare a paddy field for planting, the area must first be leveled to ensure good water drainage. The land is then prepared with a mixture of soil, fertilizer, and water in order to maximize the expected yield. Once the paddy field is ready, small rice seedlings are planted in the water-filled plots. Rice takes around 3–4 months to reach maturity and is then harvested manually.

It is important that rice is harvested at the right time to ensure it does look lose too much of its moisture content, making it difficult to process. Rice is traditionally harvested using a hand-held tool known as a header which looks similar to a kitchen knife. After harvesting, the rice plants are left on the ground for 1–2 days before being mechanically threshed. This removes the edible grain from the straw and leaves the rice in a raw, unprocessed form called “paddy”.

Processing Medium-Grain Brown Rice

Once the paddy has been harvested and threshed, it must now be processed in order to turn it into a usage-ready form of rice. Medium-grain brown rice is put through a series of processes to remove both the husk and germ layers. First, the paddy is passed through a “husking machine” which removes the outer, inedible husk. After removing the husk, the rice is passed through abrading cylinders in order to remove the germ layer. This process results in what is called “milled” rice, which is free of its outer hull and germ layers.

After the process of milling, the rice must be polished before being ready for sale to the consumer. During polishing, the rice is rubbed with a compound such as talc, starch or silicone oil in order to give the grains a glossy, uniform color and shine. The friction between the grains and polish also helps to preserve the rice and make it easier to cook.

Distributing Medium-Grain Brown Rice from Farm to Table

Once the milled and polished rice has been created, it must now be packaged and shipped to vendors and grocery stores for sale. Rice is generally packaged in two forms, either in its raw form as unprocessed grains or milled into flour.

In order to further preserve and protect the grains, they are often packaged in airtight containers with either a plastic or cardboard coating. This helps to protect the physical integrity of the grains and prevents them from being damaged in transit.

Generally, the packages of medium-grain brown rice are then shipped by boat, truck, or railcar to the final destination. While travelling, the only thing that needs to be taken into consideration is the temperature to ensure the quality or risk spoiling when in transit.

Finally, once the rice has arrived at the store, it must be examined carefully for any defects and is ready for sale to the consumer.

Preparing and Eating Medium-Grain Brown Rice

Medium-grain brown rice is a highly versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of recipes. The most common way to prepare it is by boiling the grains with twice as much liquid than rice (for example, 2 cups of liquid to 1 cup of rice). The rice should be brought to a boil before turning the heat down and simmering until all the liquid has been absorbed. The rice should then be fluffed with a fork before serving.

Medium-grain brown rice can be used to make dishes such as fried rice, paella, risotto, and stir-fries. It can also be ground into flour and used as an alternative to regular wheat flour in recipes.

Conclusion

Rice is a nutritious staple food consumed by billions of people around the world. Through the journey of medium-grain brown rice from farm to plate, we are able to appreciate and better understand the amount of work and dedication that goes into the production of this simple staple food. Rice is an amazing ingredient that can be used in countless recipes and is a great addition to any kitchen.