Alter Eco's Black Jasmine and Purple Rice

From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen

A few weeks ago I received several products from Alter Eco Fair Trade. If you can tell, I received 4 different types of rice, 4 different types of chocolate, and some olive oil. I have not been able to find the time to make some rice, but this past week I was able to try the Black Jasmine Rice and the Purple Jasmine Rice. Sounds exotic right? It is!

While Alter Eco is located in San Francisco, they offer certified fair trade coffee, rice, olive oil, quinoa, and chocolate. Their rice is on special right now, FYI!

I have never personally tried Black and Purple Jasmine Rice, but I know I like regular brown jasmine. Alter Eco describes the black jasmine rice as

"a rare black grain cultivated by the Chiang Mai Organic Agriculture Cooperative, which promotes sustainable farming and the preservation of natural resources in the Golden Triangle area of Northern Thailand."

From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen

I made the rice as instructed: 1cup of rice to 2 cups of water. I left it cooking for 25 minutes but found out it took 45 minutes instead. I might have disrupted something with the pressure. I served it with some roasted garlic broccoli and some vegan "beef" and I have to say that the flavor was delicious! It had a nutty flavor and it was so filling! It almost reminded me of the wild rice variety but this was quicker to prepare.

From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen

Earlier in the week I made the Purple Jasmine rice that ended up being more of a stickier rice. Alter Eco describes this rice
"is a unique purple grain that is glutinous when cooked and has a delicate, sweet palate. Due to its rich taste and aesthetic appeal, this traditional rice is used by local communities for feasts and celebrations. It is grown exclusively in the fertile soil of the Esan Plateau, in the East of Thailand, situated close to the Cambodian border. This particular region has the ideal combination of soil and climatic conditions to produce nutritious and flavorful rice."
I felt like making beans and rice for a Sunday dinner, something that was nice and quick. I prepared the purple rice as instructed and then warmed some black beans and added a can of Rotel and some seasonings. It was super tasty and even more delicious than most rice I have tasted.

From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen

Please make sure to visit Alter Eco's website and try out some of their products! It supports farmers and their foods from all over the world! They DO have STORE LOCATOR on their website, so if you are wondering whether they carry it at Whole Foods, it looks like they do!!
Make sure to visit Tanya's website for a great Le Creuset giveaway:
@http://tanyascooking.blogspot.com/2010/04/my-first-giveaway.html