Mappillai Samba Rice / மாப்பிள்ளை சம்பா அரிசி

Mappillai Samba or also known as “Bride Groom Rice” is a native variety of rice, which is red in colour and is grown predominantly in Tamil Nadu. It’s well suited to organic farming because it requires hardly any fertilisers or pesticides.

It is a 160 days crop. Unfortunately, along with other native varieties of rice, mappillai samba has disappeared from our farms and markets, instead, people are going for highly processed, nutritionally inferior white rice. Very few passionate traditional farmers still grow such rice now. This rice comes from a place in Tamil Nadu in Thiruvannamalai.

Old Story

The origins of its name can be found in Tamil folklore. In olden days, it was essential for a man to show his bravery and physical strength through many traditional sports. Those sports were conducted to test their physical as well as their mental strength. One such game was to lift a heavy rock, in which, the newlywed bridegroom was asked to lift the rock in front of everyone to display his physical power.

In order to boost the energy and power of son-in-law, to lift the rock successfully, mother-in-law cooked and served this rice which was high in nutritional value. Mappillai samba is one such native rice which has got a high nutritional value that will help him to stay focused and give him the power to lift the rock. Hence, this thick red rice got its name as “Mappillai Samba” and was often cooked and served to newlywed bridegrooms.

Mappillai Samba Rice has high nutritional value:

1. Increases Haemoglobin Content
2. Increases Brain Strength
3. Reduces Body Heat
4. Good for Diabetic person
5. Fibrous in Nature
6. Fight against Cancer

Even though the name of the rice is “Bride Groom’s Rice”, it is meant for all who wants to get good energy and strength. Here are the benefits:

• a) The high fibre content present in the rice eases digestion.
• b) The vitamin B1 present in the rice aids in healing stomach and mouth ulcers.
• c) Improves immunity and stamina
• d) Strengthens muscles and nerves
• e) Makes the blood flow faster so that our body gets instant energy
• f) Increases Hemoglobin content
• g) Good for diabetics since it is has a low Glycemic Index.
• h) Children will achieve better growth

How to Cook 

It can be cooked like rice or made as Idli, Dosa, upma, Pongal, etc.

How to prepare a gluten-free mapillai samba rice
1. Rinse the rice in water & soak it for 90 minutes.
2. Keep a vessel on the stove and add water (quantity should be 3 times of the rice)

And let it boil
3. Add washed and soaked rice to boiling water, keep the stove in slow speed.
4. Optional – Add a pinch of salt
5. When all the water has absorbed, check whether the rice is cooked, if not add little quantity of water.
6. Repeat step 5 of adding a little quantity of water until the rice is cooked. Usually, it takes about 30 to 45 minutes for Mappillai samba rice to be cooked well, there will still be some water left over with the rice.
7. Drain the remaining water in a separate vessel and serve it.

For making Idly & Dosa

It is as similar to any other rice
1. Take a 4:1 ratio of rice & urad dhal, soak for 4 hrs.
2. Drain the water and Wet grid them individually to achieve a fine paste.
3. Mix the batters while adding 2 teaspoons of salt.
4. Allow it to ferment overnight.
Now you are ready to make idly/dosas out of it.