Thank you all for helping me to figure out what is Pachari..
From all your comments, this is what I understand.
1. Pachari ie the one I am familiar with..tiny grains of rice that is white in colour is only available in Kerala.
2. All grains except parboiled ie Kuthari is classified as pachari.
Now that we have sorted that.. What is Chakkari?
I grew up during IR8 nellu season. There were only four types of rice available then.
1. Mesha Ari = Basmati. ( Some of the old Kerala recipe books in English actually uses the term table rice for Basmati and I have always wanted to know, why basmati is called Mesha/table rice. If you know, please leave a comment.)
2.Kuthari = parboiled rice
3.Pachari = not parboiled rice
4. Chakkari ???????
I am away the next two days. Back on Wednesday.
It seems north keralites call Puzhukal ari as Chakkuari!
MS: I am so confused with all these rice names. 🙂
I am assuming it is Chaakkari – ari from chaakku (sack)..so could be ration ari…which is cheap and has a distinctive odour. Aano?
Vandhana: Kochey, I can’t remember.. I only remember those names. Pachari I remember very well..cause I used to eat handful of the rice amma was soaking to make dosai mavu..
Chakkari is Rice stored in chakk , specifically the ones distributed thru ration shops in kerala.
Sham: But what kind of rice is it?
Its boiled rice, if you are referring to the ones sold through ration shops.
Sham: Thanks
Pachari is Pacha ari which means Raw rice is completely untreated by heat.
Kuthari or Parboiled rice has been partially boiled when you buy it. While dehusking it, part of the rice bran is left behind
Chakkari is Puzhukalari which is the Boiled rice and it is mostly dehusked completely
Iamindian: You explained it well. Thank you.