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Adlai Rice in Australia

Adlai is Job's tears grain. Australian shops often label it coix seed.

Updated . Edited by: Ilyass Ben Hakim.

Where to buy

Asian grocers in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane may stock it. Look for coix seed or yi yi ren. Filipino stores may label it adlai.

Professional insight

Asian grocers in Australia shelve adlai under several names. Shoppers who search all of them find stock faster.

  • Search coix seed, yi yi ren, hatomugi and Job's tears.
  • Soft shelled cultivated grain cooks; hard glossy beads are ornamental.
  • Herbal shops sell polished coix in small packs.
  • Garden seed packets are not sold as food.

Check the label

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Adlai rice import rules in Australia

Australia has strict biosecurity rules for grains and seeds. Packaged food from a local shop has already cleared import checks.

Adlai grain facts

Botanical name
Coix lacryma-jobi
Food variety
var. ma-yuen
Soft shelled cultivated type
Tagalog name
Tigbi

How to use it

  1. 1Rinse the grain until the water runs clear.
  2. 2Soak it for a few hours to shorten cooking.
  3. 3Cook it like rice in a pot or rice cooker.
  4. 4Use more water than white rice needs.
  5. 5Serve it as a rice swap or in soups.

Storage

Keep adlai in an airtight jar in a cool pantry. Australian summers are humid in many cities, so watch for weevils.

Common questions

Is adlai actually rice?
No. It is a separate cereal grass, cooked much like rice.
Is Chinese pearl barley the same grain?
Yes, that name often means coix. True pearl barley is different.
Can I grow adlai in my Australian garden?
Planting seed has its own import rules. Check BICON first.