Rice: Nature’s Blessing

India has been blessed with variety of food culture. Each region of India has its own authentic

traditional recipes. I am from Konkan region of Maharashtra where Rice and Fish is the staple

food being a coastal region. Rice is an integral part of cooking and there are many delicious and

healthy recipes made out of rice in Konkan.

Rice has always been pictured as a “bad guy” and labeled as a causative factor behind obesity

and diabetes. “Avoid rice to lose weight and control diabetes” has been a most common advice

given. But we tend to overlook the fact that since hundreds of years rice has been the staple

grain of coastal regions of India and South Indian states.

Rice comes from Cereal family and has similar properties like wheat, jowar , bajra except rice

has less dietary fiber compared to others. To fulfill deficiency of dietary fiber and proteins, rice

has been always paired with dal, sambar, pulses, fish, chicken and curd to make it a wholesome

meal. Excluding rice from food plate is NOT an answer. We need to learn to eat rice along with

high protein and high fiber dishes.

On my plate: Amboli along with black pea usal and delicious red coconut chutney

Amboli is typical Konkani dish made from soaking rice and urad dal overnight to ferment;

blending them together in a mixer and making circular sized amboli (like dosa but thicker) on an

iron tawa. Amboli is usually served with Black peas usal which is again authentic Konkani dish

rich in protein and fiber and coconut chutney providing good quality fats.

P.S. Everything on my plate made by my MOM from scratch which makes this dish very special

and closest to my heart.