Basmati’s Got Company

November 14, 2008
By amreekandesi

Readers might rewind their brains to many years ago, when there was this huge outcry about an American company acquiring patent rights over Basmati rice.

Yes, the very same Basmati rice that we Indians have been cultivating for, for, forever.  How dare they? Basmati is India, spelt in seven letters.

Well, they were told to stick it, and after a big campaign, most of the patents were revoked. More importantly, Ricetec lost the right to claim the Basmati brand.

Trust American ingenuity to come up with alternatives.

Presenting, for our very own readers, for the first time, here’s Basmati’s American cousins.

Big brothers Kasmati and Texmati.

Kasmati is Indian Style Basmati. Texmati is Long Grain American Basmati

Jasmati is the little Long Grain American Jasmine sister. Sweet like Jasmine, white like milk, and with a mati of her own.

Available at a grocery store near you!

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6 Responses to “ Basmati’s Got Company ”

  1. amlistening on November 14, 2008 at 8:39 pm

    Sometime back when a senior colleague of mine and I went for a tea to the break room, she asked me to try the Darjeeling tea. I then told her that this is what I have usually in India. Darjeeling is in India and that’s where is the Darjeeling tea from. She (a native from US) was not aware and thought that it was from England. BTW this discussion happened in a office in California.
    Be it Basmati rice, Darjeeling tea, our spices or our culture, India sure needs to market itself a bit more.

  2. amreekandesi on November 15, 2008 at 11:13 am

    Well said, amlistening!

  3. amit on November 15, 2008 at 12:39 pm

    You are giving me heart attacks today! First that Tide post and now this! :)
    Thanks for the info. I hope nothing like “Raasmati” comes out. It would be blasphemous!

  4. amreekandesi on November 15, 2008 at 1:15 pm

    @amit

    haha…will hope to keep doing so in the future ;)
    If and when Raasmati comes out, amreekandesi will be there with a cameraphone!

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  6. Dinesh on November 16, 2008 at 12:18 pm

    Yeah, I have seen this in the Grocery stores here. Cheesy!