Ambemohar is a fragrant

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...

variant grown in the foothills of the Western ghats region of the state of

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India and the second-most populous country subdi ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

History and etymology

The word Ambemohar means mango blossom in the

Marathi language Marathi (; ''Marāṭhī'', ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language predominantly spoken by Marathi people in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the official language of Maharashtra, and additional official language in the state o ...

, which is spoken in the state of Maharashtra where the cultivar originates. The rice has a strong aroma reminiscent of mango blossoms, and has been cultivated in the region for a long time. A century ago about 54,000 tons of the variety was produced in the Mulshi region of the

Pune district Pune district (Marathi pronunciation: uɳeː is the most populous district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The district's population was 9,429,408 in the 2011 census, making it the fourth most populous district amongst India's 640 district ...

Production and cultivation

The variety is grown in the foothills of the Western ghats region of the state of

. It is a low yielding rice (1.9 ton/ha). The grains are short (5.5 mm) and wide (2.2 mm) compared to the well known basmati rice. Both varieties have similar degree of fragrance. The variety is therefore included in the class of Aromatic rice such as

Basmati Basmati, , is a variety of long, slender-grained aromatic rice which is traditionally grown in India, Pakistan, and Nepal.

. The short cooked grains have a tendency to break easily and stick together.

Related varieties

Ambemohar is low-yielding compared to other varieties of rice, primarily because it is susceptible to diseases. The hybrid called Indrayani with ambemohar parentage was released in 1987. It was developed by Rice Research Centre near Lonavala. Indrayani has also been modified to form new varieties of rice such as Phule Maval and Phule Samrudhi.

Uses

Ambemohar rice is used to prepare a thick soup of rice and milk called ‘Bhatachi Pej’ locally, mainly for children, elderly people and patients. (Rice Kanji). The rice is also used in religious and wedding ceremonies. In

Mulshi Mulshi is a village and an administrative block in Pune district. There is also an informal bus stop with access to Pune Pune (; ; also known as Poona, ( the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most important industrial a ...

region of

, it is used for making ‘Vapholya’ - A traditional food item prepared during

Makar Sankranti Makar(a) Sankranti (), also referred to as Uttarayana, Maghi, or simply Sankranti, is a Hindu observance and a festival. Usually falling on the date of January 14 annually, this occasion marks the transition of the Sun from the zodiac of Sag ...

festival. The rice has been used for making soft

Idli Idli or idly () is a type of savoury rice cake, originating from the South India,popular as breakfast foods in Southern India and in Sri Lanka. The cakes are made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented black lentils (de-husked) and ric ...

and crispy

dosa Dosa may refer to: People * Bogoljub Mitić Đoša, Serbian actor * Csaba Dosa (born 1951), Romanian athlete * Dosa ben Harkinas * Dosa ben Saadia (935 - 1018), Talmudic scholar and philosopher * Dosa or Dossa Júnior * Edward Dosa-Wea Neufv ...

. It is also used for making puffed rice called Kurmure in the Marathi language. The bran from the rice is used for oil extraction or for Mushroom cultivation.

Geographical indication

Mulshi Taluka Mulshi taluka is a taluka in Maval subdivision of Pune district of state of Maharashtra in India. Mulshi consisted of Pune Metropolitan Region & Villages. Pune Metropolitan Region & Villages in Mulshi taluka * Adgaon (Mulshi) * Admal * Akole ( ...

sub-division of

in the eastern foothills of the Sahyadri range has been granted the

Geographical Indication A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g., a town, region, or country). The use of a geographical indication, as an indication of the product's source, ...

for Ambemohar.

Lookalikes

It is now rare to find farmers who grow Ambemohar regularly. Since the production cost is high, the retail cost in turn has to be high. So, retailers in Maharashtra, pass off lookalikes as original Ambemohar to gain higher profit margins. This has further discouraged the production of Ambemohar, since the farmers can earn more profit themselves by growing lookalikes. Jeera Sambhar rice from Andhra Pradesh and Jawaful from Madhya Pradesh are the most popular lookalikes sold by retailers.

References

{{Varieties of rice * Rice varieties * Agriculture in Maharashtra * Rice production in India * Geographical indications in Maharashtra