Buyers new to Indian rice often choose a variety and stop there. In practice the processing form matters just as much, and it is where most of the disappointment comes from when a container lands and the rice does not behave the way the kitchen expected.
Raw
Milled straight from paddy with no parboiling. It carries the most aroma and the whitest grain, and it is the least forgiving — softer, more prone to breakage in transit, and unhappy if it is held hot for long.
Steam
Steamed and dried before milling. It keeps most of the aroma, cooks firm and separate, and breaks far less than raw. For most retail packs this is the sensible default.
Creamy sella
Parboiled in the husk, then milled. The grain turns ivory and becomes very firm. This is what catering kitchens ask for, because it survives being held on a buffet line without collapsing.
Golden sella
A longer parboil, giving a deep amber grain. The firmest of the four, the lowest breakage, and the best yield per kilo once cooked. If your customer measures cost per portion rather than cost per kilo, this is usually the answer.
Ask us for a sample of two forms of the same variety side by side. It is the fastest way to settle the question.