How to Cook Kerala Matta Rice with step by step pictures. Kerala red rice is high in fibre and very good for health. Learn perfect method for cooking matta rice or Kerala red rice in pressure cooker, draining method and using instant pot. Cooked matta rice can be served with fish curry or over meen curry.
How to Cook Kerala Matta Rice
As a South Indian rice plays an important role in our diet. Choosing a healthy option of rice is very essential since we consume it almost daily. We have switched to thooyamalli rice variety recently. I always buy 5 kg pack of kerala matta rice during our monthly grocery shopping. We prefer to cook red rice whenever we make fish curry or meen curry.
About Kerala Matta Rice
Kerala matta rice or red rice is highly nutritious because it is unpolished. This rice is high in fibre and healthy compared to regular white rice. The rice is red in colour and also known as Rosematta rice, Palakkadan Matta rice, Kerala Red rice or Red Parboiled rice. The reddish brown colour comes from parboiling.
Even though the rice is healthy many people find it difficult to cook. The rice takes time to cook and taste so hearty and filling. Red rice takes an important place in onam sadya spread.
In this blog post, I have shared two ways to cook kerala red rice. Draining method take time to cook and you have to check often whether the rice is cooked or not. I prefer cooking red rice in pressure cooker, since it is faster and fool proof. Meanwhile check If you want to learn how to cook basmati rice, brown rice and sticky rice.
Watch Matta Rice Cooking Video
Kerala Red Rice | Red Rice
Healthy matta rice is high in fibre and very good for health. This rice can be served with fish curry. Cooking kerala red rice can be little technical but it is relatively easy to cook.
You can easily find red rice in super markets or online shops.
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Methods to Cook Matta Rice
Pressure Cooker Method
Cooking red rice in pressure cooker can be convenient and time saving. I prefer cooking rice in pressure cooker. Even though I cook rice in cooker, I like to drain the rice once cooked to remove excess starch. If you prefer non-draining method. You have to add correct amount of water and pressure cook. Once rice is cooked, you might need to heat the rice again to remove excess liquid.
Draining Method
This is an effective way to get perfectly cooked matta rice. The only draw back is, this method is time consuming and you have manually check the texture of rice.
Instant Pot Method
In case you own an Instant pot then this is the easy way to pick.
How to Cook Matta Rice (Stepwise Pictures)
Pressure cooker method
1)Take matta rice in a pressure cooker. You can use short grain or long grain red rice. Red rice is unpolished so there will be lots of starch content in the rice.
2)Rub it well using your hands and rinse it multiple times. The water should run clear. Drain the excess water, repeat this process at least 4 to 5 times.
3)Now rice is cleaned well.
4)Cover the rice with lots of water.
5)Close the lid of the pressure cooker. Pressure cook for 4 whistle. Turn off the flame and let the pressure release by itself.
6)Once the pressure is released, open the cooker and check whether the rice is cooked.
7)Drain the rice in a colander. Once rice is strained. Rinse it under cold water to remove excess starch content which makes rice fluffy.
8)Place the colander over the pressure cooker and let it strain for 10 to 15 minutes to remove all the excess water.
9)Red rice is cooked and looks fluffy. Serve with your favorite curry.
Draining method
1)Take red rice in a bowl.
2)Place it under water, rub it well to remove excess starch.
3)Drain the excess water, repeat this process at least 4 to 5 times.
4)Now rice is cleaned well. Since I am cooking this red rice using draining method it might take some time to cook. So it is better to soak for minimum 30 minutes to 1 hour.
5)This step is optional. if you don't soak in prior the cooking time might vary.
6)Now let's boil the rice. take lots of water in a big pot. I use my rice cooking pot. Bring the water to a full boil. You can add some salt if you want.
7)Add in the drained soaked rice into the boiling water. Reduce the flame and cook on medium heat till rice is cooked.
8)Stir often and continue cooking the rice for 15 to 20 minutes until the rice is cooked.
9)To check whether the rice is cooked or not, press the rice between your fingers to check whether it is soft.
10)Once the rice is cooked, strain it using a colander. If you want, you can rinse the cooked rice with water to stop the cooking process and it makes the rice fluffy.
11)Serve.
Instant pot method
- Wash matta rice at least 5 to 6 times.
- Soak rice in water for at least 30 mins.
- Take the rice in the instant pot. For every 1 cup of rice add 8 cups of water. Add salt to taste.
- Cover and set the instant pot to pressure cook mode and set timer to 8 minutes.
- Once the timer goes off. Let the pressure release by itself.
- Open the instant pot. Drain the rice in a colander.
- Let it cool before serving.
- Serve.
📖 Recipe Card
How to Cook Matta Rice | How to Cook Kerala Red Rice
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
- Cooking pot
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup Matta Rice | Kerala Red Rice
- Water
Instructions
How to Cook Kerala Matta Rice (Pressure cooker method)
- Take matta rice in a pressure cooker. You can use short grain or long grain red rice. Red rice is unpolished so there will be lots of starch content in the rice. Rub it well using your hands and rinse it multiple times. The water should run clear.
- Cover the rice with lots of water, there is no particular measurement for water, you can add extra because we are going to strain it anyway. Close the lid of the pressure cooker. Pressure cook for 4 whistle. Turn off the flame and let the pressure release by itself.
- Once the pressure is released, open the cooker and check whether the rice is cooked. Drain the rice in a colander. Once rice is strained. Rinse it under cold water to remove excess starch content which makes rice fluffy.
- Place the colander over the pressure cooker and let it strain for 10 to 15 minutes to remove all the excess water. Red rice is cooked and looks fluffy. Serve with your favorite curry.
How to Cook Kerala Matta Rice (Draining Method)
- Take red rice in a bowl. Place it under water, rub it well to remove excess starch. Drain the excess water, repeat this process at least 4 to 5 times.
- Now rice is cleaned well. Since I am cooking this red rice using draining method it might take some time to cook. So it is better to soak for minimum 30 minutes to 1 hour. This step is optional. if you don't soak in prior the cooking time might vary.
- Now let's boil the rice. take lots of water in a big pot. I use my rice cooking pot. Bring the water to a full boil. You can add some salt if you want. Add in the drained soaked rice into the boiling water. Reduce the flame and cook on medium heat till rice is cooked. Stir often and continue cooking the rice for 15 to 20 minutes until the rice is cooked. To check whether the rice is cooked or not, press the rice between your fingers to check whether it is soft.
- Once the rice is cooked, strain it using a colander. If you want, you can rinse the cooked rice with water to stop the cooking process and it makes the rice fluffy. Serve.
How to Cook Kerala Matta Rice (Instant pot)
- Wash matta rice at least 5 to 6 times. Soak rice in water for at least 30 mins. Take the rice in the instant pot.
- For every 1 cup of rice add 8 cups of water. Add salt to taste. Cover and set the instant pot to pressure cook mode and set timer to 8 minutes. Once the timer goes off. Let the pressure release by itself.
- Open the instant pot. Drain the rice in a colander. Let it cool before serving. Serve.
Video
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Could you plz explain the difference between red rice and matta rice? I believe red rice is unpolished, matta rice looks similar to red rice but is it completely unpolished too, or is it single polished/semi-polished variety of red rice?
Aarthi
Usually matta rice is referred to as kerala red rice. Depending upon the brand you use the variety may vary a little. It is actually unpolished rice.