Tradition dictates that wedding guests should throw rice at the newlyweds but who said that it had to be white? Colored rice is also popular to create the Indian colorful design of Rangoli. It's much more attractive to use different colored rice and to do so, we just have to dye it following a simple procedure. It's worth mentioning that this rice doesn't stain clothes, so we can throw it without fear if necessary. Discover two very quick methods on how to dye rice with food coloring and other methods.
- Parboiled rice
- Water
- Food colouring/crepe paper
- Pan
- Bowl
- Sieve or colander
- Absorbent Paper
One of the simplest methods of dying rice is with liquid food coloring. To do this, pre-wash the parboiled rice so the dye soaks in better and then boil it in water with a few drops of food coloring, as if you were cooking it. You can mix several dyes to make new colors.
Leave the rice in the colorful water for a few minutes and then drain it with a sieve or colander. Wash it again with cold water, without worrying about the color fading, and let the dyed rice dry on absorbent paper.
Another method for dying wedding rice is with the help of crepe paper, the kind with a wrinkled texture that is often used for crafts. With this method, add the paper with your chosen color to a pan of boiling water or in a bowl of hot water. The more crepe paper you use, the more intense the color will be.
Next, add the rice to the bowl or pan, wherever you've put the crepe paper, and leave it for about 10 minutes. We suggest stirring it so the paper releases its dye to be soaked up by the rice. Finally, as before, drain and wash it before leaving the dyed rice to dry.
It is important to note that this dyed rice does not stain clothes, so we can throw it at the newlyweds without any problems. If you've dyed the rice with food coloring, it won't be a problem if a child puts it in their mouth or any animal eats the remainders left scattered on the floor.
If you want to read similar articles to How To Dye Rice - Different Methods, we recommend you visit our Weddings & Parties category.
- If you want multicolored rice, get different colored crepe paper or food coloring and separate the rice in different bowls. Wait until all the rice is totally dry and carefully mix them. Keep them in a dry place.