Final answer:
Rice is browned before cooking to help keep the kernels separated, which results in a fluffy texture when cooked. Browning rice is part of the larger process of rice preparation and has been practiced with skill in various cultures. So, the correct answer is option b.
Step-by-step explanation:
Rice is sometimes browned dry or in oil before cooking. This process helps keep the kernels separated. Browning rice is a method used to ensure that each grain remains distinct, and prevents the rice from sticking together. When rice is browned, especially with oil, it creates a barrier around each kernel, which helps to keep them separated after the rice is cooked, resulting in a fluffy texture.
Browning rice is just one step in the complex process of rice production and preparation. Rice, being the most important cultivated plant, has been through a series of methods to make it edible and palatable. From the traditional practices of African women using great skill to pound rice ensuring clean whole grains, to processing rice as a cash crop; from the threshing to remove rice grains from stalks to winnowing away the indigestible hulls or chafe; all these processes contribute to the quality and texture of the final product we consume.
So, the correct answer is option b.