Soak the Ajara Ghansal rice for 2-3 hours before cooking. Cook it in the ratio of 1:4 (For 1 cup rice, add 4 cups water). Please adjust the water ratio according to your preference.
WELCOME TO SPIRIT OF THE EARTH
The Earth is an undiluted upsurge,
always ready to create and purge,
time and again, she is patient, fertile, nurturing, stable, steady and secure.
In subtle forms, she instils these characteristics in all living beings;
It is easy for us to connect with her, and learn from her; yet we seldom do so.
At ‘Spirit of the Earth‘ – an initiative by AIM for Seva – we want to give back to earth; our carefully crafted products leave a positive impact and create a sustainable future.
ARTISANAL RICE
Even 70 years ago, over 100,000 heritage rice varieties were being cultivated across India. Each variety was indigenous to a particular region and had a very unique shape, taste and fragrance. They were adaptable to a range of climatic conditions and suited the India environ.
At our farm, we hand select the purest line of heirloom seeds from our farmer network across the country. We follow a traditional cultivation pattern, with only two harvests in a year. It is a culmination of age-old experience, time and minimal technology. We farm using sustainable practices, use our resources responsibly and let the soil rest and replenish between harvests. Hence, we are able to produce artisanal heritage rice varieties. The rice produced at our farm is in short supply – these semi-milled grains have beautiful colour, flavor and are loaded with immense nutritional benefits.
SINGLE SOURCE FARM
It is our farm and we are the farmers
PRODUCED IN SMALL BATCHES
Freshly milled on order
NATURAL FARMING METHODS
Non-GMO – Absolutely Nothing Artificial
OUR RICE VARIETIES
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Ajara Ghansal
₹140.00Per KgMaharashtra
Ajara Ghansal grown in Kolhapur district is an aromatic grain, which has been cultivated over many generations in Ajara Taluk – some families of farmers have been cultivating Ghansal rice for more than 100 years. Known for its taste and aroma, Ghansal rice is tender and non-sticky.
Cooking Instructions
Tags: Brown Rice, Fragrant, Non Sticky, Special Occasions, Aromatic -
Ambe Mohar
₹140.00Per KgMaharashtra
“Pej/ Kanji (rice gruel) makes for a great health drink because it allows for better assimilation of Vit D & calcium,” explains nutritionist and fitness expert Rujuta Diwekar. And Ambemohar was the rice used by people in Maharashtra (particularly the Mulshi region in Pune) to prepare this nutritious dish, and it was relished by children and adults.
This short and low yielding grain has the aroma of mango blossoms, hence the name( Ambe means mango, mohar means flowers). It was extensively used in Maharashtra for religious ceremonies and during festivals; the rice was also used to make puffed rice called murmure; the bran from this grain has been used for oil extraction and mushroom cultivation. However since the yield was low, a hybrid variant called Indrayani with ambemohar parentage was developed by the Rice Research Centre near Lonavala. Due to this, farmers gave up this traditional grain in the late 1980s. Awarded a GI tag in 2016, Mulshi Ambemohar rice is believed to have been a favourite of the Peshwa rulers.
Cooking Instructions
Soak the Ambe Mohar rice for 2-3 hours before cooking. Cook it in the ratio of 1:4 (For 1 cup rice, add 4 cups water). Please adjust the water ratio according to your preference.
Soak the Ambe Mohar polished rice for 1/2 hour before cooking. Cook it in the ratio of 1:2.5 (For 1 cup rice, add 2.5 cups water). Please adjust the water ratio according to your preference.
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Bakul Phool
₹140.00Per KgWest Bengal
Bakul Phool is one of those heritage rice varieties with a heavy panicle – so when the rice is milled, you would notice that it is large in size. Many have even mistaken it for wheat! But, it is heritage rice, and our sources at the farm have explained that since the grain emits a gracious, yet deep and rich fragrance, similar to the bakul flowers, it was given that name. Some others have told us that the rice flowers resemble the bakul flowers, hence the name.
In his book, ‘ Seeds of Tradition, Seeds of Future’ Dr.Debal Deb writes that the yield potential of Bakul phool was realized when a farmer-volunteer grew it in his farm in Bankura with appropriate supply of organic nutrients and crop spacing. Many heritage rice varieties have greater mean panicle density and grain weight than most high yielding varieties –in short this means that even when grown with zero agrochemical inputs rice varieties, like Bakul Phool can often out-perform most HYVs in terms of grain output.
Cooking Instructions
Soak the rice for 2-3 hours before cooking. Cook it in the ratio of 1:4 (For 1 cup rice, add 4 cups water). Please adjust the water ratio according to your preference.
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Bora
₹140.00Per KgAssam
In Assam it is common to serve the glutinous Bora rice at social and religious gatherings. The rice is paired with milk or curd along with a liberal spoon of sugar or jaggery. However, people in Assam use the Bora rice extensively to make ‘everyday specials’ like rice beer, pithas (biscuit like confectionaries), chira (flaked rice), sunga chaol (roasted rice inside bamboo internode), hurum (expanded waxy rice), and sandoh guri (roasted parboiled rice powder) all through the year.
Sivasagar a town located in Assam was once the seat of the Ahom kings and is, thus, historically important. The palace in this town referred to as the Kareng Ghar was initiated in 1698 CE. It was originally built on brick and bamboo, and during the reign of Rajehswar Singha, ‘unusual’ binding ingredients, such as a paste made from bora rice and duck eggs were used, to hold different components together. Today, though the palace is in dilapidated condition, the structure is still intact!
Cooking Instructions
Soak the Bora rice for 2 hours before cooking. Cook it in the ratio of 1:4 (For 1 cup rice, add 4 cups water). Please adjust the water ratio according to your preference.
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Chak Hao Amubi
₹350.00Per KgManipur
In a paper titled ‘The Deep Purple Colour and the Scent are the Two Great Qualities of the Black Scented Rice of Manipur’ authors Ibemhal Devi Asem, Rajkumar Imotomba and Pranab B Mazumdar state that one serving of black rice even though it contains some calories, offers a high amount of flavanoid phytonutrients, important fibre, mineral content such as iron, copper and is a good source of plant-based protein. This is why the West now classifies the black rice, as a super food.
Some of the purple coloured Chak Hao rice varieties include Poireiton, Amubi, Wairi,Khurlkul Chak Hao, Pong Chak Hao and more. The deep colour and sweet fragrance are what make these, specialty rices.
In Manipur, these varieties were reserved for community feasts and ceremonial purposes. In some parts, a special snack called ‘Uton Chak’(rice cooked in bamboo tubes) is still served using the Chak Hao grain. The royal chronicles mention that from very early times onwards, Kings, Queens, and noblemen used to go out to eat Utong-chak. Bamboo tubes, about 60 cms long, cut from a very small variety of bamboo, were stuffed with washed rice and covered on both ends. The bamboo tube was then grilled on fire; the charred outer layer is first removed and the rice is enjoyed, with a bit of the bamboo pulp.
Today, across the globe these varieties are being used to make desserts, breads and beverages.
Cooking Instructions
Soak the Chak Hao Amubi rice for 8 hours before cooking. Cook it in the ratio of 1:5 (For 1 cup rice, add 5 cups water). Please adjust the water ratio according to your preference.
Tags: Black Rice -
Chak Hao Angangba
₹160.00Per KgManipur
Chak Hao Angangba is a red rice from Manipur. The literal meaning of Chak Hao is ‘delicious rice’ (Chak – rice; Hao-delicious).
Cooking Instructions
Soak the Chak Hao Angangba rice for 8 hours before cooking. Cook it in the ratio of 1:5 (For 1 cup rice, add 5 cups water). Please adjust the water ratio according to your preference.
Tags: Red Rice -
Chak Hao Poireiton
₹350.00Per KgManipur
Chak Hao Poireiton is a black rice from Manipur. The literal meaning of Chak Hao is ‘delicious rice’ (Chak – rice; Hao-delicious). This sticky textured rice is rich in fibre and it usually turns deep purple when cooked due to its anthocuanin content. This grain has disease fighting antioxidants and prevents diabetes, cancer and heart disease. One serving of black rice offers a high amount of flavanoid phytonutrients, mineral content such as iron and copper and. It is a good source of plant-based protein.
Cooking Instructions
Soak the Chakhao Poireiton rice for 8 hours before cooking. Cook it in the ratio of 1:5 (For 1 cup rice, add 5 cups water). Please adjust the water ratio according to your preference.
Tags: Black Rice, Sticky Rice, Diabetic Friendly, Cancer, Heart Diseases, Plant Based Protein, Minerals -
Dayala Modina Poha
₹140.00Per KgWest Bengal
Cooking Instructions
Soak the Dayala Modina Poha for 10 minutes before cooking.
Tags: Poha
OUR STORY
We have a small farm, located in a village called Manjakkudi in Tiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu. The primary activity on our farm, is seed conservation and cultivation. As of date, we have been able to collect 213 heritage rice seeds from farmers across the country. After every harvest, we share the seeds with other farmers and also conduct farmer training programmes. Our mission is to get 100 farmers to grow heritage rice varieties using organic practices. The grains we retail at Spirit of the Earth are grown by us on our farm. From seed selection, planting, harvesting, milling, packaging – we do all the work. Most of the information we have one heritage rice varieties have been handed down from farmers. Each grain comes with such beautiful stories and have immense nutritional benefit. We recommend you try a new variety of heritage rice every month; though the grains look similar, each one has an unqiue taste, aroma and texture. As you explore these grains, you will find the one (or many) that you would want to stock in your pantry.
SUBSCRIPTION BOX
Heritage Rice of India Subscription Box
Possibly one of the first in India, Spirit of the Earth’s Heritage Rice of India subscription boxes are an experience – one that allows customers to appreciate and rediscover the indigenous grains of India.
The curated box will present heritage rice varieties from across India; it could be a fragrant grain like a sukhdas (Uttar Pradesh); or Kalajeera a.k.a baby basmati (Orissa), the mildly sweet Kala Bhat (west Bengal); the bold and beautiful red hued Thavalai Kanna Matta (Kerala); or it could be the high in calcium Kuzhiyadichan (Tamil Nadu). Every month will be a delightful surprise!
Click here to learn more.