Karuppu Kavuni

Description

THE CULTURAL AND ECOLOGICAL LIFE OF THIS RICE

Karuppu kavuni’s origin stories are mixed. Some say that it emerged from Kuruvikar rices and other local black-hulled grains, but the more likely story is that the Nattukottai Chettiar traders brought it back with them from Rangoon. Whether they received the seeds “as a gift,” as some stories go, or whether it was a grain collected otherwise from tenants in the “rich rice frontier of lower Burma” where “a broader spectrum of agriculturalists could offer good security for loans” and the returns were paid in crop (Rudner 1994: 4, 81) who mortgaged their lands to obtain loans—remains to be verified. Rudner’s 1994 study describes Nakarattar/nattukottai Chettiar involvements in Burmese trade thus:

“The bulk of Nakarattar investment went directly to loans for agriculturalists. Reports for 1929 indicate that in Lower Burma (where Nakarattars invested the bulk of their money) about Rs. 110–120 million was advanced in short-term loans to agriculturalists. Another Rs. 32–33 million was advanced in intermediate and long-term loans. In addition, Nakarattar investment in rice trading was also substantial. Nakarattars provided roughly two-thirds of all agricultural credit, and in many of Burma’s provinces Nakarattars provided nearly 100 percent of loans to rice cultivators. These loans frequently took the form of forward contracts which entitled the moneylender to receive the crop in repayment. It is not clear whether taking possession of such crops should be regarded as a return of interest on Nakarattar money-lending activities rather than as a profit from their investments in rice trading. But in any case, according to A. Savaranatha Pillai, Nakarattars used their advantageous position as both moneylenders and rice traders to control as much as 50 percent of Burma’s rice crop. From this point, their choices broadened. They could sell the rice to British traders, or they could compete with the British, either sending it directly to Madras and Ceylon or, from at least 1916 on, by first milling it in Nakarattar-owned mills in Burma. Besides these investments, a few elite Nakarattars were also involved in Burma timber and oil” [Rudner 1994: 82]

By the 1930s, the Chettiars had channeled more than 60-80% of their business assets into the Burmese trade. When the world depression resulted in dropping commodity prices, “Nakarattars foreclosed on mortgages and wound up owning over three million acres, roughly 30 percent of all Burmese rice-producing land” (Rudner 1994: 84).

These days, weddings are incomplete without Karuppu Kavuni payasam, and a “pudding” (called Rangoon puttu) is fed to adolescent girls for its iron-boosting properties—both legacies of those earlier trade and financial dealings. Black rices are staples in many parts of the world, but in India have historically been cultivated only in small family plots thanks to the rice’s low yield.

Other names: Karung kavuni, Burma Black

NUTRITIONAL AND MEDICAL PROPERTIES

• Karuppu kavuni, like other black rices, is rich in protein, fat, riboflavin, thiamine, zinc, tocopherols, and iron—in comparison to other white rices.
• It is thought to promote longevity
• Some general notes about black rices—which are better for you than any acai or blueberry “superfood”:
  • “[Black] rice contains an antioxidant, the anthocyanins which are also found in dark hued fruits such as acai berries, blueberries, blackberries, dark grapes and dark cherries” (Kushwaha 2016: 2).
  • “It is estimated that 50 g of black rice provides about 35 % of the recommended dietary allowance of Se, Cu, Zn, and Mn per day” (2016: 56)
  • Kushwaha (2016: 56) cites the American Chemical Society (ACS) as saying: “one spoonful of black rice bran contains more anthocyanin antioxidants than a spoonful of blueberries and better yet, black rice offers more fiber and vitamin E antioxidants, but less sugar.” 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS)
  • “The Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn concentration of the colored rice is higher than that of the white rice .. [and] Fe and Zn concentration of colored rice are affected by pigment content in pericarp of it”—which means that the pigmentation of karuppu kavuni is an indicator of (1) its anthocyanin content—up to 96% higher than other pigmented grains, and (2) its iron and zinc content (Kushwaha 2016: 56, 62).
• In Tamil Nadu, Karung kavuni is used to treat Elephantiasis and thought to reduce bad cholesterols in the body (Kalaivani et al., 2018: 86).
• Anti-diabetic/α-Amylase inhibitory activity: This means that there are “starch blockers” that prevent dietary starch from being absorbed or absorbed too fast by the body, lowering or regulating blood glucose levels. Hemamalini et al. (2018) report that the percentage inhibition of amylase by Kavuni extract is nearly on par with the drug Acarbose, making it an “effective anti-diabetic”

The antioxidant activity of all rice bran extracts indicates high antioxidant efficiency in the following order: red>black>white color rice brans (Muntana and Prasong 2010). The Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn concentration of the colored rice is higher than that of the white rice, and the four mineral concentrations in brown rice is Zn>Fe>Cu>Mn

CULINARY USES

• Karuppu kavuni is a glutinous rice, suggesting higher amylopectin than amylose content
• It needs to be soaked for several hours, and up to overnight, to cook easily, and even then often retains a slightly chewy texture (which is what is desired in Rangoon puttu)
• It is a naturally sweet, very flavorful but non-aromatic rice which turns a beautiful shade of purple on cooking.
• Two classic Chettinad recipes are:
  • Karuppu Kavuni payasam, the iconic Chettinad wedding sweet—which needs no additional flavoring to shine
  • Rangoon puttu, a “pudding” with a puttu-like texture, made with nothing more than cooked rice, sugar, and fresh coconut.
• Kavuni arisi also makes a perfect halva, with coconut milk and sugar.
• We have made idiappams with kavuni arisi flour, but the rice’s sticky texture prevents these from acquiring a classic idiappam texture. They are very visually striking preparations though, as you will see from our images.

FURTHER READING

1. Kushwaha U. K. S. 2016. Black Rice Research, History and Development. Berlin: Springer International Publishing
2. Lakshmi, Bakiya & Srinivasan, R.Kalaivani & Arulmozhi, P. (2019). International Journal of Food and Nutritional Science OPEN ACCESS A Study on Medicinal Properties of Traditional Rice Karung Kavuni and Neutraceutical Formulation. 10.15436/2377-0619.18.1954.
3. S, HEMA & Umamaheswari, S. & YA, DR.R.LAVAN & REDDY, DR. (2018). Exploring the therapeutic potential and nutritional properties of ‘karuppu kavuni’ variety rice of Tamil nadu. International Journal of Pharma and Bio Sciences. 9. 10.22376/ijpbs.2018.9.1.p88-96.
4. Muhammad Abdul Rahim et al. 2022. “Photochemistry, Functional Properties, Food Applications, and Health Prospective of Black Rice” Journal of Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/2755084
5. Rudner, David West. 1994. Caste and Capitalism in Colonial India: The Nattukottai Chettiars. Berkeley: University of California Press. http://ark.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft88700868/