Black glutinous rice, also called black sticky rice or, by legend, forbidden rice, is a short-grain rice low in amylose and high in amylopectin, the starch balance that makes glutinous rice sticky when cooked; its dark purple-black hull color comes from anthocyanin pigments. It's grown across Southeast Asia and southern China, and once cooked turns a deep purple with a soft, chewy, faintly sweet character. It's used mostly in sweet preparations, such as black rice pudding and porridge, though it also appears in savory rice bowls, stuffings, and salads. Legend holds that it was once reserved for Chinese emperors and nobility, earning it the 'forbidden rice' nickname, though that origin story isn't well documented.