Kerala matta rice (Kerala Red rice, or Red parboiled rice)Is an indigenous variety of rice grown in Palakkad District of Kerala. It is different from brown rice.

 

During the ancient times Palghat District was part of Tamil Nadu. Rice in the days of Chera/Chola Kingdoms was considered as a royal food. The commoners were happy with ‘Chama’ (an inferior variety of cereal). One adventurous farmer chanced upon this unique rice variety in the king’s farm and carried it away in a “Matta” meaning “Areca Leaf’. The rice variety fell into the public domain and was sown by the farmer and soon became a regular rice crop in Palakkad. This rice was popularly referred to as “Matta” and exclusively cultivated in Palakkad and later came to be known as the Kerala Matta Rice.