Ask a South Indian household what rice they cook and the answer is usually sona masoori. Lighter than basmati, softer when cooked, and priced so you can use it twice a day without thinking about it.

It soaks up flavour instead of resisting it.

Rinse it well, cook it soft, and pair it with sambar, rasam, or a spoonful of ghee and pickle when there is nothing else in the house. It also makes the best curd rice, which needs a grain that goes properly tender.

Find it with the rice at Curry Corner, North Melbourne.