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Rice

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Rice in Asian cuisine

Rice is the staple food of most Asian countries. In fact 90% of rice is grown in Asia. China, India and Pakistan make up over 70% of the cultivating amount, and the remaining 30% is grown in Thailand, Japan and Indonesia.

In this blog by Yatabe sensei, she gives us a general introduction to rice in Japan.

Read this blog for Japanese learners, and listen to the video which is narrated by Yatabe sensei and watch the pictures, all drawn by Yatabe sensei, for a free Japanese learning tool !


Rice

yatabe

By YATABE Kumiko

japonica

日本人の主食は米です。普段の食事で食べる米は「うるち米」、もち材料になる米は「もち米」といいます。

世界で食べられているうるち米は、主に「インディカ米」と「ジャポニカ米」があります。インディカ米は細長い形で粘り気が少なく、ジャポニカ米は短くて丸い形で粘り気があります。

世界で最も多く栽培されているのはインディカ米で、世界の米の生産量の80%以上を占めているそうです。しかし、日本で売られている米は、ほとんどがジャポニカ米です。寿司やおにぎりはジャポニカ米でないと作るのが難しいでしょう。

日本中の各地域でいろいろな品種の米が栽培されています。スーパーに行くと、たくさんの銘柄の米が売られています。インディカ米は私の周りのスーパーでは見たことがなく、輸入食品店やオンラインショップでしか買えません。私はインド料理やタイ料理の米が好きなので、少しでもスーパーで売っていたらいいのになあと思います。

indica

To listen to this blog, please watch our Youtube video.

米(こめ)

日本人(にほんじん)の主食(しゅしょく)は米(こめ)です。普段(ふだん)の食事(しょくじ)で食(た)べる米(こめ)は「うるち米(まい)」、もち材料(ざいりょう)になる米は「もち米(ごめ)」といいます。

世界(せかい)で食べられているうるち米は、主(おも)に「インディカ米(まい)」と「ジャポニカ米(まい)」があります。インディカ米は細長(ほそなが)い形(かたち)で粘(ねば)り気(け)が少(すく)なく、ジャポニカ米は短(みじか)くて丸(まる)い形で粘り気があります。

世界で最(もっと)も多(おお)く栽培(さいばい)されているのはインディカ米で、世界の米の生産量(せいさんりょう)の80%以上を占(し)めているそうです。しかし、日本で売(う)られている米は、ほとんどがジャポニカ米です。寿司(すし)やおにぎりはジャポニカ米でないと作(つく)るのが難(むずか)しいでしょう。

日本中(にほんじゅう)の各地域(かくちいき)でいろいろな品種(ひんしゅ)の米が栽培されています。スーパーに行くと、たくさんの銘柄(めいがら)の米が売られています。インディカ米は私(わたし)の周(まわ)りのスーパーでは見(み)たことがなく、輸入食品店(ゆにゅうしょくひんてん)やオンラインショップでしか買(か)えません。私はインド料理(りょうり)やタイ料理の米が好(す)きなので、少(すこ)しでもスーパーで売(う)っていたらいいのになあと思(おも)います。

Rice

The staple food for Japanese people is rice. The type of rice that is commonly eaten with meals is known as Uruchimai, and the rice that makes up the ingredients in Mochi rice cakes is known as Mochi kome.

The types of Uruchimai that are eaten in the world are mainly Indica rice and Japonica rice. Indica rice is long and thin and lacks stickiness, whereas Japonica rice is short and fat and is quite sticky.

Indica rice is the most cultivated rice in the world and it accounts for over 80% of the world's production. However, the rice that is sold most in Japan is almost all Japonica rice. It would probably be difficult to make sushi or onigiri (Japanese rice balls) if you don't use Japonica rice.

In each area in Japan, various breeds of rice are cultivated. When you go into a supermarket, you find many brands of rice on sale. I've never seen Indica rice in any supermarkets around me, you can only by it at imported food shops or from online shops. I like to eat Indian and Thai cuisine, so I think it would be nice if they sold even a little Indica rice at the supermarket.

米(こめ) rice

主食(しゅしょく) staple food

普段(ふだん)の ordinary, regular

もち rice cake

材料(ざいりょう) ingredient

主(おも)に mainly, mostly

細長(ほそなが)い long and thin

粘(ねば)り気(け) stickiness

栽培(さいばい)する cultivate, grow

生産量(せいさんりょう) production volume

占(し)める account, cover

各地域(かくちいき) each area

品種(ひんしゅ) breed

銘柄(めいがら) brand

輸入食品店(ゆにゅうしょくひんてん) imported food shop

yatabe

Konnichiwa. My name is Kumiko Yatabe. I live in Saitama, just North of Tokyo.

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Guest 木, 28 3月 2024