Venere rice is distinct from other rices due to its aroma and taste, as well as its high iron content and the presence of anthocyanins (hence its dark color), which cause it to be extremely nutritious. A Chinese hybridizer adapted this rice to our climate in the Po plain after a complex process of cross-fertilization. This rice has an ebony black grain, and its colour is natural. It is fragrant in the same way as other varieties of oriental rice, and its distinct aroma of freshly baked bread makes it a perfect accompaniment to seafood and meat.
The cooking time for this whole grain (about 40 minutes) can be reduced by soaking it in water or by using a pressure cooker. In Piedmont, Italy, this rice is grown, but it has long been used in China as well as enjoyed only by the ruling class at the Imperial court.
