South Indian rice online in Poland: ponni, matta, kaima and sona masoori

If you grew up on ponni or matta, a Polish supermarket rice aisle will not get you far, but you can order South Indian rice online from Little India and have it delivered to any address in Poland. The online shop sells ponni (raw and boiled), Kerala matta, kaima, seeraga samba, sona masoori and idli rice, in packs from 1 kg up to 20 kg sacks. This guide starts with how to order and what the Polish labels say, then compares the varieties for anyone cooking them for the first time.

Ordering South Indian rice online: Polish labels and pack sizes

Rice is a good thing to order online: a 10 or 20 kg sack is heavy to carry home on a tram. You can order ponni rice online in sizes from 1 kg to a 20 kg sack, and kaima rice online in the same parcel. Some examples from the shop:

• India Gate Thanjavur ponni boiled rice 5 kg, or a Cauvery Thanjavur ponni boiled rice 20 kg sack,
• India Gate Palakkadan matta rice 5 kg,
• India Gate kaima rice 5 kg,
• India Gate sona masoori 5 kg,
• India Gate idli rice 5 kg.

On a Polish label, rice is ryż: "ryż ponni", "ryż paraboliczny" (parboiled rice), "ryż do idli" (idli rice). A Polish supermarket rice labelled "ryż okrągłoziarnisty" is a round-grain rice for desserts and risotto; it is not idli rice, so do not use it for idli or dosa batter.

Orders go to any address in Poland by courier or post. The delivery options and their cost are shown in the cart before you pay, and you can pay by bank transfer, online payment or cash on delivery. Our guide to Indian grocery delivery in Poland explains the whole process, and Indian shop in Poland covers the six Little India shops in Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław and Gdańsk.

Keep an opened sack in a closed container in a dry, cool place.

South Indian rice varieties compared

North India eats mostly basmati. In the South the everyday rice is different: shorter grains, softer when cooked, and often parboiled ("boiled" on Indian packs: soaked and steamed in the husk before milling).

Ponni rice

Ponni is a medium-grain rice from Tamil Nadu and the everyday rice of Tamil homes. There is no other English name: ponni is ponni rice. The name is a Tamil name for the Kaveri river. Ponni comes in two forms. Ponni raw is white rice. Ponni boiled is parboiled, slightly cream-coloured, needs more water and longer cooking, and keeps the grains separate. The best known is Thanjavur ponni boiled rice from the Kaveri delta. Choose boiled for sambar, rasam and curd rice, and raw where you want softer rice. All versions are in the ponni rice category.

Matta rice (Kerala red rice)

Matta, also sold as Palakkadan matta or Kerala red rice, is a thick parboiled grain with a reddish bran layer. In Kerala it is eaten every day with curries, sambar and vegetables. It takes time: soak it for a few hours, then boil it in plenty of water and drain it like pasta. A pressure cooker is quicker. The cooked grains are large, firm and slightly nutty. All packs are in the matta rice category.

Kaima rice and seeraga samba

Kaima rice, also sold as jeerakasala, is a small, fragrant rice from northern Kerala, used for Malabar biryani such as Thalassery biryani. Seeraga samba is a similar small grain from Tamil Nadu, used for Tamil-style biryani. Cook both by absorption after a short rinse and soak. For a long-grain biryani, see our guide to basmati rice, and for Thai rice, jasmine vs basmati rice.

Sona masoori

Sona masoori is a light, medium-grain rice from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. It cooks quickly, is soft and has little aroma, so it suits everyday meals with dal, lemon rice and pongal.

Idli rice, the short-grain parboiled rice that is soaked and ground with urad dal for batter, is covered in our dosa and idli recipe.