Tracing the origins and fight for Basmati

India and Pakistan might be divided over a lot of issues but the slendergrained aromatic Basmati rice seems to be bringing them on the same page err plate After a heated tussle over claiming the Protected Geographical Indication PGI tag for the rice variety in the European Union EU market the neighbours are expected to make peace with joint ownership The EU is a major market for export of Basmati with India and Pakistan being the two key players A PGI tag would give the country a nearmonopoly statusDr Mohsina MukadamHot demandThis is not the first time that the premium rice grain has been at the centre of a controversy In the 1990s India had fought a USbased companyrsquos bid to patent their rice varieties which were similar to Basmati What is it then that makes Basmati so popular Ramesh Khemchand Chawla owner of the Zaveri Bazaarbased K Bhagat Tarachand points to the defining characteristics of the grain ldquoThe unique feature of Basmati is that itrsquos an extralong slender grain that elongates to at least twice its original size when cooked with a soft texture that has a superior aroma and a distinct flavour The rice does not stick to one another It also has a high nutritional value as itrsquos low in fat and cholesterolrdquo he assertsIn fact the word Basmati too means one which has aroma shares Dr Mohsina Mukadam food historian and associate professor at Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College Another reason for its vast popularity she notes is the fact that the rice grain is associated with special occasions and elite households ldquoItrsquos a show of upward mobility considering itrsquos quite expensive costing Rs 200pluskg So therersquos an aura surrounding it which is possibly the reason for its demand Thatrsquos why producers want to control itrdquo she reasonsPoetic originsThe origins of this variety date back to 7 AD when Chinese scholar Hiuen Tsang visited India and was residing with emperor Harshavardhana reveals Dr Mukadam Tsang in his records mentions a type of rice from that time mdash Mahashali ldquoHe writes that this rice variety is long and fragrant when cooked it becomes the size of beans He mentions that it is not meant for consumption by common folk It is exclusively for emperors or gifted by them to sages and esteemed guests Tsang being such a guest was given this rice for consumption daily So that Mahashali could be the origin of Basmatirdquo she informs us Basmati is in fact a part of Indiarsquos intangible cultural legacy states Vishal V Sharma AmbassadorPermanent Representative of India to UNESCO in a tweet recently adding that itrsquos reference can be found in the poem Heer Ranjha 1766 by Waris ShahRamesh Khemchand ChawlaMeanwhile Chawla informs us that Basmati is a cultivar developed by farmers of India and Pakistan over 250 years ago and originated in the foothills of the Himalayas in the Doon Valley ldquoThe Doon Valley has fresh water supply from the mountains which was the source of enhancing the quality and length of the grain In modern India itrsquos widely grown in Himachal Pradesh Punjab Haryana Delhi Uttarakhand western Uttar Pradesh and the Doon Valley Of late farmers have also moved to Madhya Pradesh to grow Basmati owing to the large rice production area preferential soil and climate conditions thererdquo Chawla tells usDum biryaniIngredientsFor the gravygtgt 2 bay leaves gtgt 1inch cinnamon stickgtgt 1 big cardamom black gtgt 2 small cardamoms green gtgt 24 clovesgtgt 1 star anise gtgt frac14 tsp whole black pepper gtgt 1 medium onion finely chopped gtgt 1 small onion fried later to put on the rice gtgt 2 medium tomatoes finely chopped or pureacuteedFor the biryanigtgt Veggies like carrots capsicum cauliflower beans and peas gtgt 23strands of saffron soaked in water gtgt frac12 tsp haldi cooked in frac14 cup water gtgt Salt to tastegtgt 1 cup Basmati soaked for 20 minutes aged for two yearsMethodPrepare the gravy by sauteacuteing the spices along with the onions and the finely chopped or pureacuteed tomatoes Next cook a mix of the vegetables in the gravy Cook the Basmati rice with haldi and saffron Spread a layer of the sauce at the bottom of a large vessel Layer it with the cooked vegetables Add a layer of rice Keep on layering in this sequence Top it with fried onions mint leaves and some saffron Shut the lid and seal the container with atta so that none of the steam escapes Place the handi in a tandoor or gas burner and allow it to simmer for 15 minutes The dum flavour comes from being cooked in the tandoor Garnish with a few cashews Serve it hot with raita and papad Ramesh Khemchand ChawlaGrain of truthThere are several varieties of Basmati rice mdash the key ones include Sharbati Basmati rice Sugandha Basmati rice Pusa Basmati rice and 1509 Basmati rice shares Chawla There are two prominent varieties based on quality mdash one is the original traditional variety and the other is the 1121 variety that has been modified genetically for longer grain You can tell real Basmati from the fake by smelling it he reveals ldquoMoreover the fake grains are all consistent of the same shape and sizerdquo he adds