Chinese Black Rice

A medium-grain variety of rice from China that has a covering of black bran. When cooked, the rice has a distinctive nutty flavor, a slightly chewy texture, and the color becomes dark purple. Chinese black rice, also known as China black rice, is occasionally referred to as Emperor’s rice or Forbidden rice because at one time it was the exclusive rice of the Chinese emperors. It is available in well-stocked food stores, specialty shops, Asian markets, and through mail order.