Indian scientists claim to have developed a rice variety that
requires no cooking, only soaking in water. The rice variety
developed at the government-run Central Rice Research Institute
(CRRI) at Cuttack in Orissa is characterized by low amylase
content and becomes soft on soaking in water, institute director
Tapan Kumar Adhya said in an interview. Production of rice in
India is extensive and last year’s production figure stands at
98.5 million tonnes. The present variety, he said, can serve
specific niche consumers and make rice cooking a hassle-free
affair. The new variety, named Aghanibora, tested by the
institute is of 145 days duration with a yield of 4-4.5 tonnes
per hectare and is at par with the currently grown rice
varieties in the country, he said. “One can get ready to eat
rice after soaking it for about 45 minutes in ordinary water,
and 15 minutes if soaked in lukewarm water, whereas other rice
varieties need cooking,” Mr. Adhya said. The rice is a local,
improved land variety of Assam under the