What is Magic rice? What is special about this rice that it got GI tag

Imagine preparing rice without even cooking it? This may sound like a bluff, but this is what makes Assam’s Chokuwa rice so magical. Here’s an insight on the most unique possession of Assam’s Ahom dynasty, which recently earned a GI (Geographical Indication) tag for its exquisiteness.

Magic rice also known as Chokuwa rice is a part of Assam culinary heritage, this unique rice has been a staple of the troops of the mighty Ahom dynasty. This unique and healthy rice is cultivated around the Brahmaputra area and is cultivated in several parts of Assam like Tinsukia, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Nagaon, Morigaon to name a few.

Chokuwa rice is basically a semi-glutinous winter rice, known as Sali rice. The sticky and glutinous variety is categorized as Bora and Chokuwa based on their amylose concentration. The low amylose Chokuwa rice variants are used to make soft rice, which is known as Komal Chaul or soft rice. This whole grain can be consumed after soaking the rice in the cold or lukewarm water. For the uninitated, this rice is pre-boiled, dried, then stored and soaked right before consumption. This rice variety is widely consumed for its convenience of preparation and nutritional value.

This unique rice variety is consumed with curd, sugar, jaggery, bananas to name a few. This rice is also used in making several Assamese delights like Pithe and other local dishes.