Dizziness is always fun. On the drive from Chettinad in Tamil Nadu to Pondicherry, I stopped on the outskirts of a village near Pudukkottai to shoot pictures of a charming Karuppasamy. These larger than life idols are usually at the entrance of a village and are considered to be the guardians of the village. It is here that I learned about the tradition of the Mappillai period or the Illavata period. You may have heard of competitions being held around swayamvara, but it is unlikely that you would know of this contest from Tamil Nadu where men had to lift a circular stone to win the hand of the bride.
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When the village headman told me that the weight of the stone is about 110 kg, I did not even try to lift the stone. This is definitely heavier than the weight training routine I used to lift at my gym. Raising the illuvata tomorrow is still a sport that you will find in some villages of Tamil Nadu during the Pongal festival in January. So, just as Popeye needed spinach for strength, what should potential suitors have been up to in their weightlifting game? The headman of the same village told me about the secret ingredient at the time – a red grain rice called mapillai (translates to groom) samba. Many of these suitors spent weeks on a special kanji (porridge) diet made from this heritage rice variety that is rich in minerals and nutrients.
The Cauvery delta region has long been considered the rice bowl of Tamil Nadu. It is one of the oldest regions for rice cultivation anywhere in the world and is steeped in legends that celebrate the prime of Tamil Nadu. Rice is more than just a crop here; It is held to honor and celebrate the farmers of the state in popular culture. A line of my father’s family was involved in rice cultivation in the delta region at Umbalapady near Thanjavur. On my last trip to Thanjavur, I sat down with Satish, general manager at Great Trails Resort, a retreat retreat located on the banks of the Vennar River, a tributary of the iconic Kaveri River. Our conversation moved towards the rich rice farming heritage of the region. He directed me to Nanban Farm Products, which rediscovers traditional ingredients and rice varieties from Tamil Nadu.
Nanban is one of several organizations across the state that have gone back to sustainable or organic farming. Several organizations such as Chennai-based Sempulan (CIKS) work with local farmers to grow and process traditional varieties of rice, which had disappeared from the state in the 1970s and 80s. It was in Nanban that I picked up my last batch of Mapillai Samba rice which has now become my favorite rice variety. Mapillai translates as groom while the samba suffix refers to the samba season (usually harvested in January).
The legends surrounding stone lifting competitions highlight the level of stamina provided by this rice. It is high in fiber content that aids in digestion and is also known to boost immunity, a wellness feature that we have all started to take seriously in the post-pandemic world. Mapillai samba boasts a lower glycemic index (typically 66–70) than polished white rice, making it more suitable for diabetics. In terms of minerals, it is high in potassium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus.
Apart from its many health benefits, this sticky red rice is a great substitute for white rice in idli or dosa batter. You can also use it in appam batter instead of white rice; Result: Appam with a gorgeous pink shade. You can also mix it with Poha (Aval in Tamil) for a nutritious aval appam. I substituted the standard ponni white rice with mapillai samba for cold curd rice—a great summer substitute, and the texture of this rice added a great dimension. You can try this easy recipe at home
Mapillai Samba Curd Rice
material:
- Mapillai Samba Rice: 2 cups
- Grated Cucumber: cup (optional)
- Coriander leaves (garnish)
- For seasoning / tempering:
- some cashew nuts broken into small pieces
- 1-2 red chilies
- Mustard : half tsp
- Urad dal: 1 tsp
- some curry leaves
- Finely chop ginger (as per taste)
method:
- After the first whistle in the cooker, cook the rice on low flame for 12 minutes. While some home cooks soak the rice for an hour or even overnight, I believe it is best not to soak it in order to retain the nutrients.
- Temper the ingredients with a small spoon of ghee.
- Mix with rice.
- Beat the curd with salt (as per taste) and add it to the rice.
- Mix well before adding coriander for garnish.
- You can add grated cucumber for extra crunch and extra coolness for summers.
About Ashwin RajagopalanI’m the proverbial slash – a content architect, author, speaker, and cultural intelligence coach. School lunch boxes are usually the beginning of our culinary discoveries. That curiosity hasn’t waned. It has only gotten stronger as I have discovered culinary cultures, street food and fine dining restaurants around the world. I have discovered cultures and destinations through cooking. I am equally fond of writing on consumer tech and travel.