Tengchong Rice

Rice is the major staple of a Chinese diet. Any true meal involves a bowl of rice (as opposed to the morning snack and after-dinner snack which can consist of steamed buns, fried dough, or a bowl of noodles...made from rice flour). I read in a write-up of Tengchong that "Some of the most flavorful rice in Yunnan – or China for that matter – grows in the area around Tengchong." I'm skeptical of such claims, but I can almost believe this one. Having grown up eating mostly brown rice or occasionally basmati rice with Indian food, I was shocked to find that when I returned home this winter, my idea of what rice tastes like had changed. I was particularly surprised by the taste, texture, and look of basmati rice. Apparently this is something I've truly accustomed to here!