紫米 (zǐmǐ) · purple rice, black rice

Meanings

1 purple rice
2 black rice

About the ingredient

粮食 Grains and noodles

Unpolished rice with a purple-black bran, glutinous or not; shops do not clearly separate it from 黑米. It is cooked as rice, as sweet porridge with brown sugar and in steamed cakes.

Used in 2 dishes

菠萝饭 bōluófàn

紫米粥 zǐmǐzhōu

Characters

Examples

HSK 7-9

紫米饭团是早餐的新宠。

Zǐmǐ fàntuán shì zǎocān de xīnchǒng.

Purple-rice rice balls are the new breakfast favorite.

HSK 7-9

紫米富含花青素。

Zǐmǐ fùhán huāqīngsù.

Purple rice is rich in anthocyanins.

Tips

culture

Usually a sticky (glutinous) rice, sold apart from 黑米, which is not sticky, though the two names are often mixed up. Historically grown in Yunnan and Guangxi and once reserved for emperors as 贡米 ('tribute rice'). The deep purple comes from anthocyanins, which turn cooking water inky blue-purple - often paired with coconut milk in Southeast Asian desserts.