Many inhabitants associate sea rice with a variety of cereals. Seeing in the picture a product with large or small grains (2-5 millimeters long), they order it, boil it and then leave negative reviews about Indian sea rice. This stems from confusion in terminology. We will try to tell in detail about such a strange rice, its origin and recipes.
What is sea rice?
In another way, Indian rice is called zoogley. In appearance, it is somewhat similar to the white cereal culture familiar to us or grains of ice, but in fact it is a sticky, adhesive substance of animal origin. It is formed during the life of water bacteria from the genus of zoogley (zoogloea ramigera), these are small mucous capsules (they are just compared with rice). This mass also contains the bacteria themselves, which stick together.
Mucus is necessary for microorganisms to absorb micronutrients from water. Therefore, they contain a lot of nitrogen compounds, polysaccharides. Indian sea rice is not the only form of zoogley. Tea, Tibetan, kefir mushrooms are also distinguished. And although these forms look different, the result of their vital activity is the same. People get a healing drink.
Therefore, this rice is also called sea mushroom. Although he has a lot of names: Mexicans call him Chibi, the Romans - Poska. The Chinese, Japanese, Slavs nicknamed this form of zoogley rice: only for some it is Chinese, for others - Japanese, and for others - marine Indian.
Where did zoogley come from?
But now these microorganisms are more often called rice or sea fungus. The rice name among the Slavs was fixed with its import in the nineteenth century from India. Although for the first time mankind learned about the properties of sea fungus in ancient China and India.
But how zooglea appeared on Earth, scientists still argue. The biologist L. Bachinskaya claims that the fungus appeared naturally in the process of fermentation of drinks. Its development is similar to the formation of mucus. And spores are transmitted by insects that carry microorganisms to drinks.
But there is another hypothesis of Bolshich Yu., Which appeared in 1978. The scientist talks about the artificial spread of rice mushroom. That is, according to this view, these bacteria came to the present day from ancient civilizations. But then the question remains of how the fungus appeared in ancient civilizations. Therefore, most scientists are inclined to the first theory - the natural origin of the rice mushroom.
Indian sea rice: beneficial properties
It is believed that this mushroom has a lot of healing properties. Drink from it drink from obesity, colds, aging, hypertension, headaches, with intestinal, pulmonary and heart diseases, arthritis. Although many doctors believe that the stories of miraculous cure by sea rice are nothing more than a manifestation of the placebo effect.
However, homeopathy offers a mushroom drink in order to prevent a particular disease. This is due to the chemical composition of microorganisms. In it, researchers found gluconic, lactic, acetic, folic, oxalic, citric acids, caffeine, alcohol, alkaloids, polysaccharides, choline, vitamin C, glucosides, tannins, aldehydes.
Women, elderly people use Indian sea rice to prolong the beauty, youth, slow down the aging process of the skin. Many clients noticed an improvement in their general condition, a decrease in colds after drinking a medicinal sea drink.
People drink it in order to lower pressure, get rid of joint pain and extra pounds by normalizing the metabolic process, slowing down the growth of tumor cells, curing an ulcer of the digestive system, and restoring the memory and working capacity of the brain. Those who have been drinking for several years are less sick, more relaxed in stressful situations, and sleep well. They feel energetic, active, efficient.
Very many, using mushrooms, lose weight. This is due to the lipase in its composition, which accelerates the metabolism, burns already accumulated fat reserves. Losing weight prefer to combine the drink with seafood (for example, prepare a sea salad with rice), but on the recommendation they drink it before meals, and not during it.
Through research it was proved that infusions from this fungus can be used for cosmetic purposes. Thanks to him, the number of wrinkles on the skin decreases, acne disappears, the hair becomes shiny, and a concentrated infusion can even whiten the face.
The effectiveness of the fungal drink based on reviews
You can buy a tablespoon of sea rice at a price of 50 rubles. This price attracts scammers who can sell the layman a dry substance of gray color. When you make a drink, you will immediately realize that this is not Indian sea rice. The properties of the resulting liquid will be completely different: a cloudy color, a pungent smell of fermentation and an unpleasant taste. Real rice has white grains, the taste is softer, the smell is barely noticeable, and in color it resembles unbroken birch sap. And most importantly, a low-quality fungus does not even multiply in a month.
A properly prepared drink allows you to get rid of the symptoms of thrush, food allergies, fatigue, nervousness, and normalizes blood pressure. Even unsystematic drinking allows you to normalize the intestines, activates the metabolism, relieves heartburn. A two-day solution (meaning Indian sea rice, the beneficial properties of which increase on the second day) rinses the nose, so the runny nose disappears in a day.
The result of external use of rice
Judging by the reviews, the infusion is used for cosmetic purposes, especially if it lasts 4-10 days. If you systematically rinse your hair with rice infusion, then soon you will see the shine of the hair, you will feel their softness, silkiness. After washing every morning, you can cleanse the skin of acne, get rid of wrinkles. A ten-day liquid can whiten your face.
But most people do it not for the purpose of rejuvenating, improving their health, but just to drink a tasty drink that reminds champagne, kvass, pop, beer. Dried fruits, crackers, which are added to rice, give it flavoring shades. The drink perfectly removes thirst in extreme heat.
Negative reviews are more often associated with poor-quality rice or improper cooking. There are individuals who cook it, fry it ... But even rice with seaweed cannot be made from this mushroom. People just confuse it with ordinary Indian croup. Someone makes dressing from ordinary water without dried fruits, some “feed” the mushroom with anything (confectionery baking, tea leaves), and therefore get a mash or an unpleasant infusion.
The right recipe for cooking sea rice
For a drink you will need water, sugar, dried fruits, crackers if desired. Water can be distilled, spring, but not raw (from the tap), not boiled. You need to insist the mushroom only in a glass jar, the top of which is covered with gauze (not a lid). Rice loves warmth and light, but not direct sunlight.
Dried fruits also give their own shade, you need to experiment with them to find your recipe. For tincture, you need to take a few pieces of raisins, dried apricots, prunes, apples, pears, figs or fruit juice. The variety of flavors of the drink resembles rice with a sea cocktail, the recipe of which contains several types of seafood.
Almost everyone takes regular sugar for the drink. But some "culinary experts" noticed that the drink, infused with brown, cane sugar, has a mild and sweet taste. Rusks are used to feed the mushroom, which gives the drink the taste of rye bread kvass. Although this is not necessary - for rice to regain its strength, it is enough to put it in the refrigerator for a week without sugar solution.
Products and infusion time change the taste of the drink, making it sharp or soft. In different ways, you can insist on sea rice, recipes suggest using various ingredients. Prepare several options in different banks. This will become possible when the fungus multiplies.
So, we make the infusion:
- pour water;
- put 90 grams of sugar per liter of water;
- dissolve sugar;
- rinse the fungus;
- put 90 grams of sea rice per liter of sugar solution;
- pour 10 pieces of dark washed pitted raisins (per liter);
- close with gauze;
- put in a bright place (not in the sun) sea rice (the properties of microorganisms depend on light, heat, humidity);
- insist on at least 2 days;
- remove the cheesecloth;
- collect from the top floating dried fruits, dead microorganisms;
- drain the resulting solution through a sieve;
- strain it separately through cheesecloth;
- keep the drink in the refrigerator for three days;
- rinse Indian sea rice with water at room temperature in a colander (whose properties depend on the thoroughness of this process);
- clean the jar where the mushroom “lives” in hot water without detergents;
- prepare a new sugar solution.
A liter of liquid is enough for one person for two days.
How to care for sea mushroom?
A mushroom is a living microorganism. For its effective reproduction, plus temperature is required - from twenty-three degrees. Reducing it by three degrees already leads to a halt in reproductive function. And if the temperature is eighteen degrees Celsius, then the mushroom may die. Those who grow sea mushrooms keep them near a gas stove or electric kettle during a heating outage.
To improve the taste of sea rice, it is initially divided into two parts: the first is placed in a sugar solution, and the second in a refrigerator, "gain strength." Then the spent mushroom is removed "to rest", and taken out of the refrigerator put in water. Before cleaning, wash the rice, wring it dry from the water. And then put it in a glass container on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, covering it with a lid.
Many write that rice is stored for five days in the refrigerator. However, in this form it can stand for a month (this is in case you need to leave). And in order for the properties of the fungus to work, it must be washed and seasoned with a sugar solution.
Some to maintain strength "feed" sea rice breadcrumbs. To do this, a slice of white and black bread is dried in the oven until black and immersed in a jar of mushroom. If you bought rice, then you must first increase it, insist longer in the solution. As soon as it multiplies, carry out the above steps to prepare the drink (and use a strong infusion for washing). Healthy microorganisms multiply rapidly, but a lack of attention to them can lead to death. That is why many people notice that kind words affect the growth of the fungus and its taste.
Application and contraindications for the use of sea infusion
One person is enough for two days of a liter capacity. The properties of the drink will then be curative if you drink it daily in a glass (150 milliliters) no more than three times a day, before eating (20 minutes). You will feel the action of the fungus on yourself in a month. People drink a drink for the purpose of healing.
Despite the safety of the fungus, there are certain restrictions on its use:
- adult daily allowance is at least 300 ml and not more than 500 ml;
- children over three years old are allowed to drink 100-200 ml per day;
- kids up to three years old can drink 100 ml per day.
You should not drink mushroom through force. Sea rice has a diuretic effect, so at first do not exceed the daily intake of 150 ml, monitor your well-being and increase the dose gradually (after a week).
For the purpose of treatment, make leaven from dark raisins, figs and dried apricots. The remaining dried fruits inhibit the therapeutic effect of the fungus.
Doctors prohibit the use of sea infusion for diabetics. Sometimes the infusion can cause diarrhea or constipation, but this also indicates the "inclusion" of the fungus in the work.
Cosmetic recipes
The beneficial properties of sea rice even act through masks, making the skin smooth, supple, and shiny hair. For washing, wiping and preparing masks you need a special solution. Therefore, it is better to breed mushrooms in two banks - for drinking and for cosmetic procedures. For masks, insist rice from 7 days or more. Then it is decanted, mixed with other ingredients.
For the face, the following recipes are suitable:
- mix one hundred grams of honey with half a glass of rice infusion;
- mix a glass of cream with a raw egg, half a glass of rice infusion and water, a teaspoon of glycerin.
Apply these masks for about fifteen minutes, and then rinse with water. Rice mushroom masks can also be applied to the neckline. Girls who grow sea rice do not make special masks, but simply wipe their skin daily with infusion. It becomes smooth, fresh, supple.
Sea mushroom drink can be used for hands. To this end, mix half a glass of zoogley infusion, fifteen grams of honey, ninety grams of glycerin. This mixture can be stored for five days in the refrigerator, and shake well before use.
Brief conclusions
Indian rice is not a grain crop. So do not try to make, for example, a sea tongue with rice, because zooglea is a living microorganism. It belongs to the same genus as Kombucha, which is more familiar to Russians. It is easy to care for him, with proper storage, he can maintain his useful qualities for a month if you are absent. The fungus has so many useful and healing properties that it is drunk by children, adults, elderly people (except for diabetics).
Thanks to the variety of ingredients, you can prepare a wide variety of drinks from apples, prunes, raisins, pears, figs, rye crackers, cane sugar, and if you put just a little bit, you get a kind of rice with a "sea" cocktail. The recipe for a healing infusion involves the use of dark raisins, dried apricots or figs. All other dried fruits drown out the healing properties of the fungus, but it turns out a cool, thirst-quenching drink.
Zoogley infusion is used to restore the shine of hair, cleanse the skin, get rid of acne. The mushroom has a lot of positive beneficial properties, suitable for all people except diabetics. However, official medicine does not use rice to treat any disease. Therefore, draw your own conclusions.