Red Cargo rice

This type of non-glutinous long grain rice is similar to brown rice in that it is unpolished rice, only the colour of the bran is red, purple or maroon. Only the husks of the rice grains are removed during the milling process, retaining all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals intact in the bran layer and in the germ.

Red rice is is a good source of Thiamin (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), fibre, iron and calcium.

The flavour of cooked red cargo rice is generally more sweet nutty, and the rice is more chewy than standard white polished rice.

Red rice takes longer to cook than white rice, but not as long as brown rice. For easier cooking and a softer texture, it is best to soak the rice in water for at least 30 mins first before cooking.

The term "cargo" originates from the idea that this type of rice is exported/transported by ship/sea in bulk to the importers/distributors who then package the rice in small 1 kg bags for the market, unlike white rice which is usually pre-packed by exporters into 5, 10 or 25 kg bags.

Sources

* http://grocerythai.com/milled-cargo-rice-p-139.html
* http://importfood.com/nrct0501.html

* http://www.hlgkrice.com.sg/prod_rice.htm