- My name's Beryl.

This is my new puppy, Asha.

And this week we're looking at rice.

(laughs)

Why rice?

So after sugar cane and maize,

rice is the most important commodity on our planet.

And this grain is versatile, not only in preparation,

but in form.

There are so many different kinds of rice,

and they all taste different.

Here are a few examples.

In China, the world's leader in rice consumption,

the main type of rice, is jasmine rice.

It's sweet and nutty,

and tends to not stick together.

In North America, we have wild rice.

It's nutty and starchy and chewy.

It can be difficult to work with, but it tastes really good.

In India, they use Basmati rice,

which actually means fragrant in Hindi.

It has a floral and spiced aroma,

and is really common in dishes like biryani.

My last example is our Arborio rice from Italy.

This is the rice they use to make risotto.

It is a rounded rice grain,

and it is very creamy when cooked.

I had to change my shirt.

It got really hot while I was filming.

Anyway, one thing is clear.

Rice is a global staple, and how people prepare it

differs greatly from country to country.

So, maybe you know the drill.

I spoke to seven people

(whimsical music)

in seven countries to see different rice dishes

around the world.

So this is the rice episode.

In making this episode, I decided two things.

One, the rice needs to be a part of a more complex dish,

so I'm not looking at steamed or fried rice on its own.

And two, I want that dish to be a part

of a country's culinary identity.

Something that people care about.

And my normal disclaimer,

I could only film seven rice dishes.

So, of course, I missed a bunch.

My favorite, mango sticky rice, didn't even make the cut.

So in the comments, let me know where you're from,

what kind of rice you eat, and what a great rice dish is,

because I love reading the comments and learning more.

Except for the comments about my eyebrows.

What is up with that?

My eyebrows are fine.

Anyway, let's get this rice train going.

(woman speaking in foreign language)

(man speaking in foreign language)

(man speaking in foreign language)

(man speaking in foreign language)

(woman speaking in foreign language)

(woman speaking in foreign language)

(woman speaking in foreign language)

(whimsical music)

- [Beryl] We're starting in South Korea

where rice is the country's most valuable crop.

This dish is actually only found in Korea,

and it takes a simple grain of rice

and completely transforms it.

(light music)

(Kim speaking in foreign language)

(whimsical music)

- [Beryl] Rice has been grown in Africa

for over 3,500 years.

And Senegal is one of the largest consumers of rice

in all of Western Africa.

Traditionally they use a kind of grain called broken rice,

but this, their national dish, uses jasmine rice.

(light music) (birds chirping)

- Hello, guys.

Come in.

(speaking in foreign language)

- Yum, yum.

- Yum, yum. - Yum, yum.

(speaking in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

- [Beryl] In Iran, rice is a part of nearly every dish

in the cuisine, and fun fact,

it's not just the type of rice that's important in Iran,

but the age of the rice.

Many people there say that you should store your rice

for at least a year before cooking with it.

(bright music)

(Azadeh speaking in foreign language)

- [Beryl] In Finland, potatoes rule over rice.

However, this dish is a savory rice pie

that is recognized as a specialty of the country.

(bright music)

(Vuokko speaking in foreign language)

(laughing)

- [Beryl] Rice was introduced to Mexico in the 1500s

by European colonizers.

However, with that introduction came these rice-based drinks

that are now a staple in the country.

(bright music)

(blender whirring)

(Mauricio speaking in foreign language)

- [Beryl] Known for its beautiful wet rice patties,

Vietnam's Mekong and Red River deltas

are vital for rice production.

And this dish, which uses the natural color

of a magenta plant, wows not only in flavor,

but in design as well.

(bright music)

(Le speaking in foreign language)

- [Beryl] In Palestine, rice plays a major role

in the cuisine, including the specialty dish

that dates back to the 13th century.

(light music)

(Dalya speaking in foreign language)

- Within this one word, rice,

there's so much diversity.

If I say that I'm eating rice,

it can mean so many different things.

And you could never confuse one of these dishes for another.

They're all different in their own way.

But rice is a global food, for good or for bad,

and it's the basis of a lot of meals

that people gather around, friends, family.

It's a communal grain.

And even though that grain is simple,

people have found ways to make it spectacular.

(bright music)

(Tamsir speaking in foreign language)

(Vuokko speaking in foreign language)

(Dalya speaking in foreign language)

(Azadeh speaking in foreign language)

(Le speaking in foreign language)

(Mauricio speaking in foreign language)

(Kim speaking in foreign language)

(light music)