The rice plant appears to have originated in southern India, spread to the north of the country and into China, where 8,000 year old sealed pots of rice were uncovered. It later spread from the East to the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and Africa. Today rice is a staple for more than half the world’s population.

Sometime in the mid 1680’s, a ship from Madagascar carrying a cargo of rice, arrived in Charles Towne. Captain John Thurber gave, as a gift, a small amount of “Golde Seede Rice” to Dr. Henry Woodward, a local planter and one of the most notable early settlers.
 
However, the first colonial rice crops languished in the hands of the inexperienced farmers despite ideal growing conditions. West African slaves, who had cultivated rice in their homeland, were assigned to prepare the soil, plant, harvest and thresh the rice. Rice fields were carved out of tidal swamps along coastal rivers with primitive tools, and canals, dikes, and floodgates were built. Without the knowledge of the slaves, the cultivation of rice and the cuisine that became known as the “Carolina rice kitchen,” would not have been possible.

Production quickly expanded to hundreds of plantations from North Carolina to north Florida. With time the name “Carolina Golde” became known in Europe as the finest rice in the world. By 1726, rice was a major crop in South Carolina and the port of Charleston was exporting over 20 million pounds to England.

Rice remained a dominant commodity in South Carolina until the end of the Civil War, when rice production started to decline due to several factors: the departure of skilled slaves; rice cultivation moved west to Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, and California; hurricanes; and competition from other crops.

By 1911, when the last serious harvest of Carolina Gold was blown down by a hurricane, it could no longer compete in the commercial market, and ceased as an economic force in the Carolinas. 

Today, small amounts are still grown and sold. The unique flavor and appeal of heirloom rice has rekindled a lot of interest, especially for people who are preparing authentic low-country foods, such as Hoppin’ John or Charleston red rice.

Red rice is known by many names—pilau, perlo, perloo, purloo (all are pronounced PER-low)—the word pilau is Turkish and is related to the Persian polaou (boiled rice).
The recipe given here is basically red rice with shrimp.

Shrimp Purloo   (4 Servings)

• 4 slices bacon, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup long grain rice
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 small bay leaf
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• salt and pepper

1. In a heavy casserole, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon bits with a slotted spoon, leaving drippings in the pan. Add onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic. Cook until onions are transparent. Add rice and stir until rice is coated with fat.

2. Stir in tomatoes, cayenne, chicken stock and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover the casserole and let simmer 15 minutes. Add shrimp and dried basil. Cover and let simmer for another 5 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.

3. Add butter and fluff rice. Discard bay leaf and stir in the bacon bits, add salt and pepper to taste.