The rice plant belongs to the genus of annual grasses. It has to be replanted every season and needs a warm, humid climate. The individual culms can grow up to 160 centimeters high. 10 to 20 panicles grow on them, which in turn carry up to 100 small single-flowered spikes. Inside are the grains of rice. Around 3000 grains of rice thrive on one panicle.
Today, 80% of rice cultivation is carried out using the so-called wet cultivation method, because it is more productive than dry cultivation. Rice terraces are created for this. This allows the water to spread evenly over the flat fields.
After harvesting, the rice – when raw it is called paddy – is polished. Valuable minerals and vitamins are lost in the process. The healthiest option is therefore parboiled processing. For this, rice is first soaked or steamed and then dried again. The advantage of the process is that the vitamins migrate from the outer layers to the interior of the rice grain and survive the polishing.
We at LOTAO are looking for special types of rice. To do this, we go to markets and drive to remote regions. Because there is rice in almost all shades: there are almost transparent grains, white and colored. They can be yellow, pink, purple or black. Every rice has its story. We encourage you to try our selected specialties. You not only discover a new world of taste, but a different culture.
Originally, only Chinese ruling dynasties were allowed to enjoy this black wholegrain rice, because it released forces that should only have an effect on the emperor. This type of rice is ideal as an accompaniment to hearty game dishes and spicy fish combinations. However, it can also be used on its own, served cold as a salad, for example. Oriental Sensation Smoked - With smoked beechwood aroma
In Oriental Sensation Smoked, LOTAO combines an Indian basmati specialty with a Persian tradition. The gentle smoking over beech wood gives the rice its extraordinary touch. However, the appearance of the rice remains unchanged. He is loose and rich. Because of its aroma, Oriental Sensation Smoked is a harmonious accompaniment to tofu or vegetables. But smoked fish and meat also find a surprising flavor enrichment in it.
The most eye-catching LOTAO creation is reminiscent of a colorful Bollywood wedding. This rice is famous for its fine fruity scent, which it owes to aromatic organic essences from orange blossom and Chinese sea buckthorn. As an accompaniment to fish and fine vegetables, it brings a lot of color to the plate, but it is also perfect for a particularly aromatic risotto.
Curcuma Sun, an organic basmati rice from northern India, is enriched with the finest grated turmeric. After cooking, they give it an intensely bright yellow and a finely tart note. A taste experience that already fascinated the discoverer Marco Polo. Because of its oriental aroma, Curcuma Sun is particularly suitable for pilafs. It also goes wonderfully with grilled meat and fish and in salads.
The Indian rice specialty from West Bengal with the typical scent of basmati does not stick when cooked and remains loose and grainy. This baby basmati is grown and harvested independently of seed companies in only small quantities by a village community using traditional methods.
This rice discovery by LOTAO is as rare as an Indian Bengal tiger. Only a few families stick to its tradition: cultivation is difficult, the yield is low. The soil, rich in clay, gives the rice grain its red color. Its interior remains white during cooking. Its two-tone color and hearty flavor make Indian Tiger Umber the star of pilafs or rice salads. He takes on dark meat like a tiger.
Rice Facts
