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Wild Rice Wild Rice Major Growing Areas: North America; but has a similar plant grown in Asia that resembles the North American perennial grass.

Wild Rice Description: Wild rice, Zizania aquatica, is not a true rice. Rather, it is the hulled and unmilled grain of a"seedlinke" water plant. It is a cereal, but it is more similar to barley than to rice.

Wild Rice Historical Basis: Wild rice is from a North American perennial grass that bears flowers above and staminate below and also contains a grain that is used for food. It was especially used by the Indians and is not gathered and marked as wild rice.

Wild Rice Implications: It is used as a grain for carbohydrate content, usually along with long grain white rice, etc. to add variety and flavor.

DescriptionZizania aquatica



Origins This is really a aquatic grass which originated in the Great Lakes region. It use to be a stapel in the Chippewa and Sioux Indian diets.



Composition

Use/Sensory Qualities The strong strong woodsy flavor and chewy texture means it frequently used in combinations with other rices.

Functional Properties/Characteristics

Grades and Processes

"Select" contains short broken grains

"Extra-fancy" has uniform 1/2 inch-long grains.

"Giant" has grains uniformly about 1 inch long.

Source: http://food.oregonstate.edu/g/wildrice.html