What is sella rice? Raw, steam, creamy and golden sella explained

When you order basmati from India, the variety (1121, 1509 and so on) is only half the specification. The other half is the process: raw, steam, creamy sella or golden sella. Each one changes the colour, the texture and how the rice behaves in the pot.

Sella means parboiled

"Sella" is the trade name for parboiled rice. Parboiling happens before milling, while the grain is still in its husk:

1. The paddy is soaked in water.
2. It's steamed, which gelatinises the starch inside the grain.
3. It's dried back down to a safe moisture level.
4. Only then is it hulled, milled and polished.

The heat drives nutrients from the bran into the grain and hardens it. That's why sella grains break less during milling and stay firm and separate when cooked, even when they're held hot for hours in a buffet or catering kitchen.

The four common forms

Raw (white)

No parboiling. The paddy is simply milled and polished. Raw basmati has the most aroma and the softest texture. It needs careful cooking and is usually aged before sale so the grains cook up separate.

Steam

The paddy is steamed lightly, without the full soak and cook of sella. The rice stays close to white, cooks a little firmer than raw and handles transport and storage well.

Creamy sella

Fully parboiled with gentler heat, giving an off-white, creamy colour. It turns white on cooking and is very forgiving in the pot.

Golden sella

Parboiled with more intense heat, which gives the raw grain a golden colour. After cooking it's a pale cream. Golden sella is the firmest of the four and a favourite in Gulf markets for mandi, kabsa and other dishes cooked in large batches.

Which markets prefer which?

• Gulf and Middle East: sella, especially golden and creamy, for food service and home cooking in large quantities.
• Europe, UK and North America: mostly raw and steam basmati for retail, with sella for food service.
• Africa: parboiled non-basmati such as IR-64 parboiled for value and durability.