Black rice, black japonica rice, or forbidden rice are all names for this unique black grain that transforms into purple-black when cooked. Black rice has a distinctive nutty flavor and dense nutritional content due to its processing that leaves the rice whole similar to brown rice. This rice has been cultivated for thousands of years and was traditionally reserved for the nobility due to its scarcity.
Uses: Black rice can be cooked by itself at a ratio to water of 1:1. The texture can be greatly softened by cooking black rice with white rice at a ratio of 1:3 (water ratio remaining at 1:1) while retaining its distinctive purple color.