Question

What is the staple food of the people of Karnataka?
A) Bajri
B) Jowar
C) Rice
D) Millets

Answer 1

Hint: A food staple is referred to as a food that makes up the dominant portion of a population’s diet. Food staples are eaten on a regular basis—even daily—and provide a major proportion of a person’s energy and nutritional needs.

Complete answer:
Option A Bajri: Popularly known as ‘pearl millet’, Bajra is regarded as the poor man’s staple nourishment. The chapattis made of bajrI are an important part of Indian cuisine in Rajasthan, Haryana and other parts of North India. It is not a staple food of Karnataka and therefore is an incorrect option.
Option B Jowar: Rotis made of Jowar are widely consumed in the northern districts of Karnataka, but it is not their staple food. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option C Rice: It the staple food of the people of Karnataka, and is cooked in a number of ways. There are red grain rice, sannas (idli fluffed with toddy or yeast), rice rotis and even rice pancakes. Some of the richest varieties of rice-based delicacies are seen in Mangalore.
Option D Millets: They were once a staple in India, but with time they fell out of favour as the government popularised the cultivation of other cereal grains. The major reason behind this is lack of awareness about the nutritional gains, the not-so-sumptuous taste and the label of “a poor man’s food”. Hence, this option is also incorrect.

Thus, the correct answer is Option ‘C’ i.e, Rice.

Note: Rice is a staple food for more than 3.5 billion people throughout the world, especially in Asia, Latin America, and parts of Africa. China, India, and Indonesia the world’s largest rice producers, while Brazil is the largest rice producer outside of Asia.