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As you know, rice first presents inside raw paddy which consists of various layers including husk and bran. Nature has kept vital nutrients in husk and bran which offer various health benefits for consumers, but they’re removed during the preparation of white/regular rice, resulting in loss of nutrients.
Making of Sella rice involves hydro-thermal operation where the nutrients present in bran and husk are transferred into the rice grain which are beneficial for consumers who use sella/ parboiled rice for cooking purposes.
Complete Method Of Making Sella Processed Rice
The method of making Sella has four major steps:
1. Pre-steaming
2. Soaking
3. Post streaming
4. Drying
Now, let’s take a closer look at each stage of the Sella rice processing method, understanding how every step, from pre-steaming to drying, contributes to enhancing the quality, texture, and nutritional value of the final product.
1. Pre-steaming process:
Now first the pre-cleaned paddy travelled through the elevator conveyor and fed into the storage bin,
Then the paddy is transferred to the steel container for pre-steaming. In this process, the moisture level of paddy is around 16 to 18%.
The duration of the pre-steaming depends on the type of steam cooker but generally as soon as the steam starts coming out of the cooker, the pre-steaming process must be concluded.
Generally the time of giving pre- steam is 1 to 3 minutes but if your figure is very big then you can give more time to it.
The biggest benefit of pre-steaming in sella process is it loosens the paddy from the inside and takes less time for soaking process.
2. Soaking Process:
After pre-steaming, the paddy is moved into the soaking tank, where it is dipped in water for around 8 to 12 hours. However, if the paddy is soaked beyond the usual duration, it can develop a kind of bad smell, which is not acceptable in the market. More on the bad smell issue at the end of this blog.
3. Final Steaming Process:
After soaking, the paddy is then discharged and transferred into the pakki system for final steaming. In this process, the paddy is also called “gelatinized paddy”. Subsequently, the duration of post-steaming is approximately equal to that of pre-steaming, and the moisture level of the paddy is significantly reduced.
4. Drying Process:
After final streaming, paddy is discharged from the cooker and fed into the drier tower for air treatment. Here the moisture level is reduced down to 12- 13%. The paddy is then sent for tempering to cool down to room temperature so that it can be transferred to milling operation.
From here, the parboiled paddy is sent to the husking and processing unit, after being processed, sella will look like this:
Important things to consider for making sella processed rice
The following things are crucial to maintain the quality of sella rice.
1. Bad smell.
2. Must have good cooking qualities.
3. The color should be uniform.
4. The broken grain should be less- to achieve higher rice yield.
Now let’s look into the main reasons behind bad smell issue
A. Soaking time more than usual:
Friends, as I told you, eight to 12 hours are suitable for soaking, but if you do too much soaking if soaking goes on for 24 hours, then after that there is a risk of bringing a bad smell in the water and from the paddy.
B. Un-cleaned water:
Using unclean water can affect the rice quality. Always utilize clean water for parboiling operation.
Economical and market benefits of parboiled/sella rice:
One advantage is that, if you’ve purchased cracked paddy by mistake, you can make a higher yield, breakage losses are reduced and quality of rice can be maintained.
Some other key advantages of paddy parboiling are as follows:
1. The rice kernel gains extra strength and can withstand heavy milling processes compared to raw paddy. Therefore, Parboiled-milled rice yields more output with
minimum breakage.
2. Better cooking quality- Parboiled rice are non-sticky while its cooked
3. Longer storability with less infestation.
4. Bran from parboiled rice contains more oil with low fatty acid content and therefore costs more than the bran from raw rice.
Related blog: Benefits of paddy parboiling dryer.
Conclusion
The technology and machinery used in the parboiling paddy process ensure stable rice quality, reduced grain breakage, higher rice yield after the milling operation. For more information or queries regarding the paddy processing plant unit, contact SKF Elixer here.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q1. Is Sella Rice the same as Parboiled Rice?
A. Sella Rice is a type of Parboiled Rice. The term “Sella” is often used in South Asian markets to refer to parboiled rice, which undergoes a hydrothermal process where paddy is partially boiled in its husk before milling. However, different types of parboiling processes exist, and the color of Sella Rice can vary (golden, white, or creamy) based on the steaming and drying methods.
Q2. How is sella rice different from regular rice?
A. The key differences between Sella Rice and Regular Rice are:
- Processing: Sella Rice is parboiled before milling, whereas regular rice is milled directly from raw paddy.
- Nutrient Retention: The parboiling process pushes nutrients from the husk into the grain, making Sella Rice more nutritious.
- Texture: Sella Rice has a firmer texture and does not stick together after cooking, unlike regular rice, which can be softer and more starchy.
- Color: Sella Rice has a slight yellow or golden tint due to the parboiling process, whereas regular white rice is completely white.
Q3. What are the benefits of eating Sella Rice?
A. Sella Rice offers several health and economic benefits including:
- Higher Nutritional Value – It retains more vitamins and minerals, especially B vitamins, compared to regular white rice.
- Easier Digestion – The parboiling process makes the rice easier to digest.
- Non-Sticky Texture – Unlike regular rice, Sella Rice remains firm and separate after cooking, making it ideal for biryanis and pulao.
- Longer Shelf Life – It has better storage stability with less risk of insect infestation.
- Higher Cooking Yield – Sella Rice absorbs more water during cooking, which increases the quantity of cooked rice per serving.
- Lower Glycemic Index – Parboiled rice has a slower digestion rate, which can help maintain stable blood sugar levels.
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