What’s Special About Joha - the Aromatic Rice of Northeast India

Native to the North-eastern regions of India, the scented rice locally known as Joha is an exclusive type under Sali rice. Joha rice is also known by the name of winter rice, Jaha rice or mi Jaha. It also relishes the entitlement of being a Geographical Indication (GI) tag that is given to Assam. Because of its innate scent, Joha has a special place among all kinds of rice and is extremely valued, generally known for its scent, essence and exemplary taste. The characteristic scent of Joha rice is classified as 2-acetyl-1- pyrroline, which is absolutely different when compared to the famous basmati rice, another type of the aromatic rice.

This home grown rice of Assam, with its high fat and proteins namely albumin, globulin etc. makes for a handy nutritious cereal. Alongside its fragile surface, it is wealthy in amino acids, proteins, calcium, iron and is high on starch. Alongside its nutritious worth, it is known for its sweet fragrance, superfine bit, great cooking characteristics, and brilliant agreeability and taste. With its small grain size and highly aromatic values, Joha rice is most appropriate for making fragrant pulao, and tasty sweets like kheer or rice pudding. It is likewise devoured as Plain Boiled Rice or seasoned seared rice, giving out an outlandish food and is the ideal counterpart for various ethnic delights.

The area under cultivation for Joha rice is however very less because of its poor yielding ability. The low efficiency and yield of this class of rice make it less good among the makers. Moreover, due to its scent, attacks from insects are frequent, inclined to lodging and takes around 120 to160 days to mature which is comparatively much longer than its counterparts. Joha rice is developed in peripheral terrains, uplands or on Sali seed beds subsequent to removing the seedlings, late in the season. 

Scent in Joha rice: 

The trademark smell in scented rice was distinguished as a compound named 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline. It is supposed to be 'popcorn like fragrant compound' having higher intensity than some other unpredictable parts of rice.  

What's So Special about Joha Rice: 

• Joha rice is just developed in the Northeast locale of India. An extraordinary class of scented rice, it is totally not the same as the popular Basmati rice. It has a sensitive texture and contains high quantities of antioxidants. 

• At the point when the constituents of Joha rice were separated with ethanol, it was found to contain proteins, phenolic mixes, flavonoids, sugars and oils. The rice has elevated levels of acetyl and pyrroline, which gives it the sweet fragrance. It additionally has a bigger number of multivitamins than some other assortment of rice. 

Health Benefits of Joha Rice: 

• As a result of the polyphenolic and flavonoids constituent of this rice, it kills free radicals and fights aging along with other numerous illnesses. 

• It contains fundamental amino acids or proteins that go about as an astounding substitute and plant-based protein for veggie lovers or vegetarians. 

• Starch substance of Joha rice is high, which makes it rich in carbohydrates. The carbohydrates powers your mind and body with vitality and warmth. 

• Flavonoids present in joha rice have a wide scope of pharmacological advantages and protect against diseases, for example, cardiovascular illness, cancer, aggravation and hypersensitivity. It is additionally said that eating food wealthy in flavonoid substance decreases the danger of specific cancer growth. 

• It also contains high power of volatile oil segments which gives the rice its multi-vitamin properties. 

Bottom line: 

Just try Joha rice once and enjoy the whiff of this fragrant rice, as it leaves a waiting path of popcorn like aroma.