‘Grain’ revolution: How lost varieties of rice are coming back

Biryani made with Kaima instead of Basmati, payesh made with Badshahbhog, risotto made with Assam’s Bora. With heirloom rice vanishing from Indian kitchens faster than they could be documented, this seemed, until not very long ago, nothing more than nostalgia.
The Green Revolution’s push for high-yield monoculture had, over the years, pushed out many old types of rice. But now, several of those varieties, thought long gone, are staging a comeback — thanks to the efforts of farmers, conservationists, NGOs, restaurateurs and a bit of help from some state governments.