How Sorochinsky millet united the northern fish pie and Tatar gubadia

Today marks International Rice Day! This holiday was initiated by the UN in 2004, the International Year of Rice, to draw attention to the crop that feeds more than half the world's population.

Rice was domesticated in the Yangtze River Valley in China over 9000 years ago. It arrived in Russia relatively late, in the 16th and 17th centuries, and for a long time was called Sorochinsky millet. The word comes from "Saracen," the term used in Rus' for all Muslims.

Today, rice is an important part of the Russian culinary landscape. Read the cards to learn how the same grain is prepared in different corners of our country—from northern fish dishes to Tatar gubadia.