“Vadan” means “dried”–not the look of the rice grains, but the capacity of the grain to survive poor-to-no irrigation, and for the “dried” rice to come to life with new rains and little other intervention. A smaller harvest may be the result of drought stress, but not a lost one. For this reason, the name “vadan samba” might attach to any red-husked samba (mid-July to mid-January seasonal) rice which exhibits similar behavior: A. Sathya [2014] notes two varieties from Thanjavur and North Arcot, for example. This rice is disease-resistant, easier to grow by organic farming methods. Finally, the grains are apparently brittle and break easily in milling, so although the crop duration is 160 days, harvesting takes place earlier, when the grains are yet green, to ensure less breakage. This trio of facts–drought resistance, pest resistance, and the need for early harvesting–comprise much of the stable knowledge about vadan samba.
Scroll down for nutritional details on vadan samba.
Description
THE CULTURAL & ECOLOGICAL LIFE OF THIS RICE
Namma Nellu/CIKS mentions somewhat tantalizingly in passing that this rice has the distinction of apparently having been named among 100-odd sen-nel or unique rice varieties in the Pazhani Cheppu Pattayam (Pazhani Copper Inscriptions) from 1528, published by the Tamil Nadu State Archaeology Department in 1995 [Indian Express, Madurai edition: 30th April, 1995 and The Hindu, Coimbatore edition: 16th July, 1995], lines 133-151. This inscription apparently tells of a meeting of Chera, the Chola, and Pandiya representatives discussing cultivation techniques, water management, harvesting methods, and the construction of a common place for free food supply (CIKS 2019). But it’s only வாலன் [Valan] listed (lines 133-138), at least in this version of the Pattayam [thanks Raghu of East Gaterr blog for helping us identify this]. Whether that old வாலன் [vaalan] became the rice variety we know today as வாலான் [vaalaan], or whether it’s in fact the old word for the present வாடன் [vaadan] is difficult to determine from this source alone.
NUTRITIONAL AND MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
- Menaka of Manvasanai in Chennai claims vadan samba is sleep inducing (and presumably soothing);
- many claim that the rice is easy to digest, and therefore used as a “first food” (along with Kuzhiadichan, another red-branned variety) as well as a food for jaundice (manja kamalai); and
- Folk understanding is that that this rice is an “immunity booster,” although the difference between vadan samba and many other raw, unpolished red-to-black branned varieties out there, similarly valued, is unclear.
- Vadan samba left in its cooking water forms a soft gel, as you can see from this video, suggesting higher amylopectin content. Its gelling properties may be some indicator of the higher levels ready starch it produces. This leads us to consider that this rice is probably a good choice for convalescence, or any situation in which a quick energy infusion is needed.
CULINARY USES
- Vadan samba is texturally softer but not unlike most other so-called “red rices” out there, cooking into an almost nutty texture and looking a little like a popped kernel.
- Taste-wise, however, it’s fairly bland–an observation which might support the notion that it’s easily digested, but also means that it gives itself over readily to whatever is served with it. It’s character is milder, overall.
- The fact that the rice produces a starchy gel when it is left in cooking water for some hours suggests it may be used to provide energy boosts. It is therefore suitable for rice kanji preparations, both lightly sweetened or salted.
WHO GROWS THIS RICE & WHERE CAN I BUY?
The vadan samba pictured here comes from Mrs Bhuvaneshwari Selvam in Madurai, with whom Priya Raghunathan and Deepa Reddy visited in November 2020, and spent the talking about cooking with musumusukai, kalyana murungai and other such less-used native ingredients alongside rice.
You can also try:
SOURCES & FURTHER READING
- A Sathya. 2014 “The Art of Naming Traditional Rice Varieties and Landraces by Ancient Tamils.” Asian Agri-History 18/1: 5-21
- CIKS, Traditional Rice Varieties of Tamil Nadu, 2019
Additional information
| Region of Origin | South |
|---|---|
| Grain Colour | Red |
| Grain Shape | medium |
| Fragrance | Nonscented |
