What Is Sella Basmati Rice? 1121, Golden Sella and How to Cook It

Sella basmati rice is basmati that has been parboiled: soaked, steamed and dried while still in its husk, then milled. Parboiling firms up the grain, so sella cooks into long, separate grains that are less likely to break, turn sticky or overcook, which suits biryani, kabsa, mandi and pilau. Here is how it is made, how it differs from ordinary basmati, and how to cook and store it.

What is sella basmati rice?

Sella is another name for parboiled rice, so sella basmati is simply parboiled basmati. Two of our sella product pages describe it as basmati "steamed while still in its husk, then dried and milled", giving firmer grains that hold their shape in biryani, kabsa and pilau. In the UK, parboiled rice is often sold as easy cook: the Rice Association says easy cook rice is "steamed under pressure before milling", which "hardens the grain, reducing the possibility of over-cooking and helping to keep the grains separate". Easy cook basmati, which the Rice Association also lists, is parboiled basmati too.

How parboiling works

A 2023 scientific review of parboiling in the journal Agriculture sums it up: "Before milling, parboiled rice is made by soaking, steaming, and drying the rice." In more detail:

1. Soak: the paddy (rice still in its husk) is soaked until the grains have absorbed water.
2. Steam: the heat gelatinises the starch, which seals the tiny cracks that grains naturally have and makes them harder.
3. Dry: the rice is dried to about 12–14% moisture, the right level for milling.
4. Mill: the husk and then the bran are removed, as with any white rice.

The review lists reduced breakage during milling as one of the main benefits, and parboiled rice cooks up less sticky. The Rice Association adds that easy cook rice has a "slightly fuller flavour than regular white rice".

Golden sella vs white sella

Golden sella is parboiled basmati named for the colour of the raw grain. During processing, colour from the husk spreads into the grain in a browning reaction and turns it amber, the 2023 review explains, and more intense processing affects the colour more. Several UK brands sell golden sella: Tilda describes its Golden Sella as basmati parboiled "in its husk", with "improved holding ability and resilience to over cooking". You may also see "white" or "creamy" sella, mostly in exporters' listings; we found no official definition of these names, so treat them as a rough guide to colour, not quality. Raw easy cook rice "has a golden colour, but turns white upon cooking", the Rice Association notes, so expect sella to look paler once cooked.

What is 1121 basmati?

1121 is Pusa Basmati 1121, a basmati variety bred at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-IARI) in New Delhi. In a 2018 paper in the journal Rice, IARI scientists describe its "extra-long slender milled grains", which cook to about 21–22 mm long, more than double their raw length. It was released for farming around Delhi in 2003, and in 2018 the paper put its share at about 70% of India's basmati-growing area.

The number names the variety; "sella" says how it was processed. Our Alwazah Swan 1121 Sella Basmati Rice 10kg is parboiled 1121 from Pakistan, whose extra-long grains cook to a fluffy finish and stay separate. The resealable bag carries both names: Alwazah Rice (أرز الوزة) and Swan.

Sella vs ordinary basmati

Neither is better; they behave differently in the pan.

Choose sella when rice cooks with meat and spices and must stay separate, as in kabsa, where "all the ingredients are cooked or pressure-cooked in one pot" (Saudipedia). Choose ordinary basmati for a softer grain with curry and dal. Both suit biryani; it comes down to the bite you like.

How to cook sella basmati rice

This is the general method on our three sella product pages. Cooking times vary between crops, so the instructions printed on your bag come first.

1. Measure: allow about 60g of uncooked rice per person (Tilda's portion guide).
2. Rinse: rinse the rice 2–3 times in cold water, until the water runs almost clear.
3. Soak (optional): soak it for 20–30 minutes for longer, more separate grains, then drain.
4. Add water: as a guide, about 2–2½ cups of water per cup of rice, with a pinch of salt; use the same cup for both.
5. Simmer: bring to the boil, then cover and simmer on a low heat for about 15–20 minutes, until the water is absorbed.
6. Rest: turn off the heat, keep the lid on for 5 minutes, then fluff gently with a fork.

Other brands differ: Tilda's Golden Sella is boiled in a large pan of water for 15 minutes and drained, while Asli's instructions simmer 225g of rice in 425ml of water, covered, for 12–15 minutes (as printed on their UK supermarket listings). For a layered biryani, follow your recipe's timing for part-cooking the rice.

Our sella and basmati rice

• Abu Kass Mazza Sella Basmati Rice 4kg: Indian parboiled basmati from a Saudi rice brand whose story began in 1958; long, slender grains that cook up fluffy and non-sticky.
• Khyber Sella Basmati Rice 5kg: long-grain sella from Pakistan for biryani, pilau, zarda and fried rice; simmer it in a pan or cook it in the microwave.
• Unique Super Kernel Basmati Rice 5kg: Super Kernel, a Pakistani basmati variety with long grains and a light, fragrant flavour; it cooks up soft yet separate.
• Valley Extra Long Basmati Rice 10kg: extra-long-grain basmati from India with a lingering aroma, which cooks up light and fluffy.

All five bags, including the Alwazah, are in our pulses, rice and grains range, and the 5kg and 10kg bags are also bulk buys. Rice is not one of the 14 major allergens, but check the bag label for any "may contain" warning. Store uncooked rice in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight; once it is open, keep the bag sealed or use an airtight container.

Our Abido whole green cardamom pods page suggests adding 4–5 pods to the pot with the rice, a bay leaf and a cinnamon stick (Abido's pack says it may contain traces of wheat (gluten), sesame and mustard); our cinnamon sticks can go into the oil at the start of a biryani or pilau, removed before serving. Our 7 spice guide includes Lebanese rice with spiced mince and our chicken shawarma guide serves the chicken on sella; for dal on the side, see our guide to lentils and red split lentils (masoor dal).

How to cool, store and reheat cooked rice safely

The Food Standards Agency explains that "uncooked rice can contain spores of a bacterium called Bacillus cereus", which "can survive being cooked", and that "it's not the reheating that causes the problem, but the way the rice has been stored before it's reheated". Its advice on rice:

• Cool it fast: "chill it as quickly as possible, ideally within one hour". "Dividing it into smaller portions can help with this", and "don't leave rice in the rice cooker, steamer or pan to cool down".
• Fridge: "Keep rice in the fridge for no more than one day until reheating." "Rice may be eaten cold if it is cooled down quickly. Put the rice in the fridge and consume within 24 hours."
• Reheat once: "you should never reheat rice more than once", and check the dish is "steaming hot all the way through".
• Freeze: cool it quickly and make sure it "goes in the freezer within an hour of cooking"; then "defrost your rice in the fridge and then reheat it until it is steaming hot before eating immediately".

Frequently asked questions

Is sella rice the same as parboiled rice?

Yes. Sella, parboiled and easy cook all describe rice soaked, steamed and dried in its husk before milling; sella is the word on many basmati bags, and easy cook a common UK supermarket name. Despite the name, it is not ready-cooked: it still needs cooking in full, usually a little longer than ordinary basmati.

Do you need to soak sella basmati rice?

No, but it can help. Our sella product pages make soaking optional: rinse the rice, then soak it for 20–30 minutes "for longer, more separate grains" and drain. Tilda's and Asli's golden sella instructions have no soaking step, so check your bag and follow its water and timing either way.

How long does sella rice take to cook?

As a guide, our sella product pages suggest about 15–20 minutes of covered simmering with 2–2½ cups of water per cup of rice, then 5 minutes' rest. They add that sella usually needs a little more water and time than white basmati. Some golden sella packs say 12–15 minutes, so follow your bag.

Is sella rice good for biryani?

Yes. Our product pages say sella's firm grains hold their shape well in biryani and are less likely to break or turn sticky, and Tilda says its golden sella can be cooked and stirred "without losing the texture". Basmati not described as sella works too: our Unique and Valley pages both suggest biryani.

Why is sella rice yellow?

The colour comes from parboiling. Colour from the husk spreads into the grain during processing and turns it amber, a 2023 review of parboiling explains, and more intense processing affects the colour more, so the shade can vary with how it was processed. The Rice Association notes that raw easy cook rice is golden but turns white when cooked.