What IS Wild Rice?

Discover The Grass We Call Wild Rice

When adding rice to our diet, we may first turn to the rice that's most familiar to us. That is most often a fast cooking enriched white rice or a slow cooking long grain brown rice.

With a variety of rice from which to choose, there is never a shortage of interesting flavors and textures to try. There seems to be a rice for all occasions and taste preferences.

But one rice is in a class by itself. This is partly due to the fact that, although we call it rice, it's not a rice at all. This rice is called 'wild rice.'

Wild rice, or "manoomin," an Ojibwe word roughly translated to mean "good seed," is actually not rice at all, but is a grass.  Native to lakes and rivers in North America, the seeds from this grass have been harvested since before written history of the region existed.

Most of the wild rice we see today is gathered by hand in the exact way it was centuries ago. Pushing a canoe or small boat through the wild rice patches on a lake, the tall grass is bent over the boat and struck with a stick to dislodge the ripe kernels. A team may return to the same wild rice patch in a few days to gather the kernels that have since ripened.

Several steps are used to processing the kernels once they are harvested. The "parching" refers to the drying of the moist kernels. This may be done in a large kettle over a fire. The hulls are then removed from the parched kernels by "thrashing" which is done by shaking, jiggling, or even stomping on the wild rice kernels to loosen the hulls. Once loosened, the kernels are separated from the hulls by "winnowing" which is done by tossing the wild rice in a tray and allowing the wind to blow the brittle bits of hull away from the kernels.

Of course, modern methods of planting, cultivating, and harvesting have become popular. Wild rice is an ancient grain native to North America, but has only recently entered agricultural crop status. We all can appreciate the improved yield that this new technology has brought about.

The distinctive color of wild rice will range from very dark charcoal to dark brown. This difference is due to the treatment during curing and the ripeness of the wild rice kernels when harvested. There is very little difference in the appearance or flavor of rice from lakes and rivers or farms.

Aside from the color, the taste and texture is what truly attracts most wild rice fans. Even though wild rice is typically priced higher than other rice products, adding even a small amount to a rice dish is often enough to make a real impact. With its nutty flavor and 'toothy' texture, wild rice gives a delightful twist to any recipe, turning an ordinary rice dish into a culinary adventure!