【Reading】いんでぃかしゅ

【English Name】Indica rice

Indica is one of the two major subspecies of rice, with the scientific name Oryza sativa subsp. indica. Its share of total world rice production is said to reach roughly 80%, and it has a vast cultivation range distributed across hot, humid climate zones such as India, South and Southeast Asia, central and southern China, and Latin America.

The grain shape is long and slender, and because of its high amylose content it has the property of remaining non-sticky even after heating. It pairs well with dishes such as pilaf and curry, cooked together with spices and ingredients, and even in production areas the custom of eating it plain as white rice is said to be not very common. In contrast to the japonica rice used for sushi, which is short-grain and highly sticky and easy to finish into vinegared rice, indica is regarded as unsuitable as a material for nigirizushi.

In Japan it has a history of being recognized since ancient times by names such as "Nankin-mai," "Taito-gome," and "Tai-mai" (Thai rice). Triggered by the major domestic rice crop failure caused by the cool summer of 1993, emergency imports from Thailand, China and elsewhere surged. However, due to poor compatibility with Japan's rice-cooking culture and texture preferences, domestic adoption did not advance as expected. In current domestic distribution, in addition to demand as an ingredient for Thai and Indian restaurants, raw-material use in processed foods such as miso, awamori, mirin and senbei (rice crackers) makes up its main applications.

It is one term worth grasping as basic knowledge for understanding the difference from japonica when comprehending the properties of the rice that supports the establishment of sushi.