Red rice is a long, grainy rice variety which gets its reddish tinge from the presence of anthocyanin – a water soluble pigment. Available in full hull or partially hulled varieties, red rice comes with a nutty flavour and is high in nutritional content when compared to polished rice. Red rice is botanically referred as Oryza longistaminata or Oryza punctata. It is known as Rakthashali in Ayurveda while in Kerala where it is mostly consumed, is widely referred as Matta rice or Kerala red rice, Palakkadan Matta rice.