Eating in China
Generated guide illustration of uncooked hulled purple rice with some pale milling marks.

Purple rice

紫米Zǐ mǐ

Rice with a naturally purple outer layer, used in colorful rice dishes.

Type
Flour & starch noodles

A CLOSER LOOK

How to recognize it

Uncooked hulled grains have dark purple to purplish-black outer layers and pale interiors. Grain shape and the amount of pale surface exposed vary with variety and milling.

In the kitchen

Used as an alternative to white glutinous rice in Yunnan pineapple rice, adding color and a chewy texture.

Purple rice includes glutinous and non-glutinous varieties; stickiness varies. It is not automatically interchangeable with white glutinous rice. Milling also changes its appearance.

Ask about this ingredient

这道菜里有紫米吗?

Does this dish contain Purple rice?

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