What's your favorite side dish for Nei Choru (Ghee rice)? Let me guess… it's a non veg dish, right?. Have you tried ghee rice with Parippu Curry (Dal Curry)? I've read in some books, that Dal and Ghee Rice combo is very common in Malabar side. That combo sounded a bit strange to me at first, since I always associated nei choru with non veg side dishes. But I happened to try this combo and I was pleasantly surprised! It paired so well, not to mention the added taste of pappad and some pickle on the side. It was a beautiful and satisfying meal.
This is the kind of dish that you can cook during a weekend for your family. It guarantees you a very special treat with not much effort. Sounds tempting, right?
I've given the simplest form of ghee rice recipe which I got from my friend Sheena. Thank you Sheena :)
So here's my take on the side dishes for ghee rice…
Veg options: Parippu Curry, Dal Palak, Dal Makhani, Mushroom Peas Masala
Non Veg options: Butter chicken, Restaurant Style Chicken, Tomato Chicken Roast, Easter Chicken, Spicy Mutton Curry, Mutton Pepper Fry
Here is the recipe…
Heat ghee in a wide and deep pan. Add crushed masala and fry for a min or two. Add chopped onion and fry till it becomes pink in colour…
Add the washed rice and fry for 5-7 mins on low flame. Stir in between. Add salt and boiling water…
Cover and cook on low flame till the water is dried completely and rice is cooked. Garnish the cooked rice with fried onions, cashew and raisins…
Nei Choru (Ghee Rice)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Kaima / Jeerakasala rice (refer notes for substitution)
- 1 small Onion (chopped finely)
- 3 Cloves
- 3 Cardamom
- A small piece Cinnamon
- 1 Bay leaf
- Salt
- 1 3/4 – 2 cups Boiling water (refer notes)
- 2 tbsp Ghee
For Garnishing
- 1 small Onion (sliced finely)
- 5 – 10 Cashews & raisins (each)
- Oil / Ghee
Instructions
- Wash the rice well. Crush together cloves, cinnamon and cardamom. Heat ghee in a wide and deep pan. Add crushed masala and fry for a min or two. Add chopped onion and fry till it becomes pink in colour. Add the washed rice and fry for 5-7 mins on low flame. Stir in between. Add salt and boiling water. Cover and cook on low flame till the water is dried completely and rice is cooked.
- Heat oil/ghee in a pan and fry the cashews and raisins till it turns golden brown. In the same oil, fry the sliced onion, till it becomes golden brown.
- Garnish the cooked rice with fried onions, cashew and raisins.
- Serve with Parippu Curry (dal curry) or any veg or non veg curry of your choice and pappad. Curries that has a thick and rich gravy pairs well with ghee rice.
Notes
Hi maria
Can I use pressure cooker to cook the rice if so does the water measurement remain the same .
Hi Vinita,
You can do that. In the pressure cooker, the qty of rice and water is the same, 1:1.
Cheers
Maria
Made neychoru with this recipe just now and tuned out great. The combination with parippu curry was new.. and different. With some sweet mango pickle and pappadam by the side.. it was a treat.
Thanks Maria
Hi Neethu,
Thank you so much for your comment :) Really happy to know that this recipe worked out for you. Hope you liked the combination of nei choru and parippu curry :)
Cheers
Maria
Hi, have a doubt. Can I use Jeerakasala rice for makinf normal oonu? Or is it good only for Pulavu/Biriyani/Neychoru? I know it’s totally an out of the topic question, but would like to know. Thanks a lot in advance for your time.
Hi Joi,
I guess you can use that, I’ve seen some of my friends using it.
Cheers
Maria
You are welcome Saira :) Nice to know that your kids also enjoyed this.
Cheers
Maria
Thanks maria
You are welcome :)
Wow, Parippu curry with neichor is a classic combo, but if its parippu curry, simple chicken fry is a must here. Now, I dont have to think what I am making for lunch tomorrow:). Another classic combo is the chicken/mutton stew with ghee rice, apart form red coloured gravy that is usually served with it.
Few squirts of lemon juice is mostly added to boiling water to prevent rice from sticking to each other. Sometimes we also add just 3-4 curry leaves (for a cup of rice) just to give that earthy aroma without the overpowering smell of curry leaves. No mint leaves though.
Shabs dear,
Thanks for sharing your tips here. I’ll try adding curry leaves next time :) Recently my friend gave me nei choru with chicken stew and it was nice. It was the first time I was having stew with rice :)
Shabs dear,
Thanks for sharing your tips here. I’ll try adding curry leaves next time :) Recently my friend gave me nei choru with chicken stew and it was nice. It was the first time I was having stew with rice :)
Wow, Parippu curry with neichor is a classic combo, but if its parippu curry, simple chicken fry is a must here. Now, I dont have to think what I am making for lunch tomorrow:). Another classic combo is the chicken/mutton stew with ghee rice, apart form red coloured gravy that is usually served with it.
Few squirts of lemon juice is mostly added to boiling water to prevent rice from sticking to each other. Sometimes we also add just 3-4 curry leaves (for a cup of rice) just to give that earthy aroma without the overpowering smell of curry leaves. No mint leaves though.
i thought of trying this on some weekends, as you said, we prefer it with nonveg curries… then i thought i will give it a try with dal…. and my 3 yr old, just loved that combo, and he had more rice than usual….. thank you so much….. :)
Hi Deepthi,
I’m really happy that your son liked it so much :) It’s one of my fav combo…
Thanks for sharing your comment here.
Cheers
Maria
Hi Deepthi,
I’m really happy that your son liked it so much :) It’s one of my fav combo…
Thanks for sharing your comment here.
Cheers
Maria
i thought of trying this on some weekends, as you said, we prefer it with nonveg curries… then i thought i will give it a try with dal…. and my 3 yr old, just loved that combo, and he had more rice than usual….. thank you so much….. :)
Hiii Maria ,I tried the ghee rice….It came out too good… all credits goes to you… Do you have recipe for creamy vegatable korma or curry…My husband like that very much and wants the curry to be spicy and RED in colour…I tried you kerela style veg stew…he liked that as well but he wants without coconut milk…please help !!:)
Thanks Minu :) Really happy to know that you liked the ghee rice.
I have posted a mushroom peas masala recipe, that you can try with more veggies. You can skip the coconut milk to suit your requirements.
Cheers
Maria
Thanks Minu :) Really happy to know that you liked the ghee rice.
I have posted a mushroom peas masala recipe, that you can try with more veggies. You can skip the coconut milk to suit your requirements.
Cheers
Maria
Hiii Maria ,I tried the ghee rice….It came out too good… all credits goes to you… Do you have recipe for creamy vegatable korma or curry…My husband like that very much and wants the curry to be spicy and RED in colour…I tried you kerela style veg stew…he liked that as well but he wants without coconut milk…please help !!:)
Awesome Maria. love nei choru.
Thanks :)
Looks awesome Maria. Love nei choru and must say I tried meen vecichathu and it was just too good. Thank you Maria.
You are welcome :) Nice to know that you liked the fish recipe.
Thanks for the comment.
Cheers
Maria
That looks awesome Maria…..love nei choru.
Thank you!
Thank you!
That looks awesome Maria…..love nei choru.
Looks delicious :)
Thanks Subhash :)
Ohh, I never have had nei choru with veg side dish.. It was always non veg.. Maybe next time I will try with parippu curry :)
Hi Chitz,
Try it with dal sometime, I’m sure you wont be disappointed :)
Cheers
Maria
Hi Chitz,
Try it with dal sometime, I’m sure you wont be disappointed :)
Cheers
Maria
Ohh, I never have had nei choru with veg side dish.. It was always non veg.. Maybe next time I will try with parippu curry :)