It must be true. The Guinness Book of World Records says so. Kinmemai Premium Rice has been certified the most expensive rice on the planet. But I just have to ask… What makes this stuff so special? And why would I need it?
Renowned Japanese sushi chef Kenichi Fujimoto prepares to
take his first taste of the world’s most expensive rice…
“Only 1,000 boxes of the Japanese grains are made each year, selling for around (US)$73 each,” Keiji Saika (see photo, top of page), the 91-year-old President of Toyo Rice Corporation, told CNN Travel. “Top-class, award-winning rice varieties are selected for flavor and texture, before their enzyme levels are tested for vitality and ‘life force’.”
Kinmemai Premium is described, on its website, as, “a rinse-free rice that has a strong, rich flavour that you’ll feel in every corner of your mouth, superior to conventional white rice. It also boasts un-paralleled nutritious value, containing 6 times more lipopolysaccharides (LPS)—a natural immune system booster that helps maintain good health and fight illnesses.”
The grains that go into Kinmemai are hand-selected, “for its blending compatibility and superior vital energy.” When found, they’re, “purchased from their producers at a cost approximately eight times the usual price.”
Next comes the unique Kinmemai ‘maturing’ process, which involves aging for 6 months ‘to enhance texture, flavour and vital energy’.
Finally, the special rice goes through a proprietary polishing process, “retaining all its beneficial ele-ments as well as delicious, nutty flavour.”
It comes in three equally pricey varieties: Kinmemai Better White™, Kinmemai Better Brown™ and Kinmemai Premium™.
What DOES it taste like?
First and foremost… Kinmemai is a short-grained rice, with the claim, ‘Good for Sushi’ emblazoned on the box. So it’s at its best prepared as sticky rice. And that alone tells us something about its flavour.
“These things are often very commercial and not necessarily good,” notes Japanese chef Kenichi Fujimoto, owner of Sushi Fujimoto. But…
“Rice is Japan’s soul food,” Fujimoto explains. “For sushi, rice is the most important part — 80 percent of good sushi comes from the rice and 20 percent from the fish.”
An Amazon review describes Kinmemai thus: “This superior rice variety offers a slightly sweeter taste with rich umami notes, accompanied by subtle hints of butter and nuts in its fragrance. What sets Kinmemai apart is its indescribably light and airy texture, delivering an unparalleled culinary experience.”
Fujumoto tends to agree: “The flavor is well-balanced. The texture is good. It has nice moisture. This rice will appeal to everyone.”
But he won’t be serving it in his own restaurant. “No, no, no. It’s too expensive — we’d have to triple our prices.”
My take
I have to wonder how much of maker Toyo Rice Corporation’s Kinmemai promotion is pure theatre, designed to create a mystique that will to entice foodies and justify the stratospheric price.
It’s certainly not just to win coveted Guinness certification.
I suspect it’s simply a reflection of the undying passion Toyo founder Saika holds for rice. Even at $73 a box, Kinmemai costs much more to make than it’s sold for. That too, reflects on its production as a ‘labour of love’…
~ Maggie J.