Thai Hom Mali (Jasmine) Rice

Jasmine Rice is a popular accompaniment for stir-fries, stews and curries, jasmine rice is a long-grain fragrant rice
primarily grown in Thailand. It is known for its pleasant, popcorn-like aroma, and has a light, fluffy texture with a slightly sweet taste.
Jasmine rice, also known as ‘fragrant rice’ and hom mali, was developed in Thailand in the 1950s, where it forms a staple part of the diet, as well as being one of the country’s biggest exports. It is a long grain rice with a distinctive aroma, thought locally to be similar to that of the pandan plant, although Westerners may associate it more closely with popcorn. It gets its name, not from its fragrance, but from it’s colour, which is similar to that of the jasmine flower.
Jasmine Rice is known for its sweet, nutty flavour, and light, delicate texture, jasmine rice is available as either a white rice, or a brown rice. Brown jasmine rice, as a wholegrain, is higher in fibre and nutrients, while white jasmine rice has a softer, slightly sticky texture when cooked.
While nowadays different rice varieties are being cultivated around the world, jasmine rice and basmati rice both have their origins in the East. Jasmine Rice is traditionally grown in the humid climate of Thailand and other Eastern Asian countries where it is often used in pad thai and fried rice dishes.
Thai Jasmine rice is officially known as Thai Hom Mali rice. Hom Mali local landrace varieties were widely distributed throughout Thailand under a variety of names including ‘Khao Hom’, ‘Hom Mali’, and ‘Khao Mali’.
The superb cooking quality of Thai Jasmine Rice is characterized by its soft-texture, aromatic, long-slender white rice. Low amylose content, a low degree of gelatinization, and soft gel consistency are biochemical characteristics of the cooked Thai Jasmine rice. When grown in its optimal environment, the physical appearance of polished grains is pearly, clear, very long and slender, with a glossy exterior.
It is also a good source of iron and vitamins B1 and B3, with some calcium and potassium. It contains folic acid, which may help promote healthy pregnancy, and is high in fibre for a healthy digestive system.
It is important to note that these health benefits apply to wholegrain brown jasmine rice only. White jasmine rice has been processed to remove both the bran and the germ, stripping it of much of its fibre and nutrients, and also meaning that what remains is higher in both calories and carbohydrates, gram for gram.
There are also red, purple and black varieties of jasmine rice. In wholegrain form, these types of jasmine rice contain beneficial plant compounds with antioxidant properties that help protect your cells from damage.