'Uttar Pradesh's Kala Namak rice to be served in restaurants in Japan soon'

Known for its aroma and taste, Kala Namak variety of rice of eastern Uttar Pradesh will soon be served in restaurants in Japan, according to an official of Uttar Pradesh Development Forum.

A native of Gorakhpur, Ganesh Yadav who runs a chain of Indian restaurants in Japan has already sowed Kala Namak rice at Tsukuba in Japan.

Internationalist cyclist Hiralal Yadav said that during his visit to Japan last year he suggested Ganesh Yadav to introduce Kala Namak rice of Maharajganj in his restaurant chain, The New Meera Indian Resturant, to promote Indian food variety.

"He liked my idea as he is from Gorakhpur and knows the taste and aroma of the rice," Hiralal said.

Uttar Pradesh Development Forum General Secretary Pankaj Jaiswal helped send the seeds of the rice variety to Japan which have been sowed over three-acre land in Tsukuba in Japan, said Hiralal.

"If the rice will be appreciated in Japan, Kala Namak rice seeds will not only be cultivated in Japan but it will also be imported from India. The dream of PM (Narendra) Modi of making Indian products global will come true. I want to appeal to the Government to make rice as Maharajganj district's products under one district one product scheme,” Jaiswal said.

Hiralal said that he liked Japanese rise too which he finds suitable for Khichdi and kheer. "I'm planning to sow seeds of Japanese rice here in India,” he told.