Odisha
Did you know that Odisha is home to over 100 varieties of scented rices? “Odisha produces rice similar to the famous Basmati rice and have qualities like pleasant fragrance, with small and round grains, white colour and softness without much elongation on cooking,” explains rice scientist S R Das in an interview to a leading newspaper.
Short grain aromatic rices from Odisha, like Likitimachi hold significance over traditional Basmati rice; they are treated as sacred among the locals and reserved for special occasions. Also, they have a varied and intense aroma with a longer retention – meaning the aromas linger in the space much longer. We find this medium-sized grain to have a slightly woody aroma, almost comforting.