Nei Choru (Ghee Rice)

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…

Ghee Rice1
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Nei Choru (Ghee Rice)

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Course: Main
Cuisine: Indian, Kerala
Servings: 2 -3
Author: Maria Jose

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

Kaima rice is a short grain rice, which is commonly used in Malabar area for making biriyani and ghee rice. You can use Basmati rice instead. The ideal qty of water to cook the rice is double the qty of rice. However kaima rice tends to cook faster, so I added only 1 3/4 cup of boiling water. If you want the rice to be separate and non sticky, I suggest you add 1 3/4 cup water first and add more boiling water, if required. Also, in some places people add mint and coriander leaves, lemon juice etc to ghee rice. You can add the leaves either at the end for garnishing or along with the onions. If you are using lemon juice, you can add around 1 tbsp of lemon juice along with salt and water.
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35 thoughts on “Nei Choru (Ghee Rice)”

  1. 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

    Reply
    • 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

      Reply
  2. 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.

    Reply
  3. 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.

    Reply
    • 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 :)

      Reply
    • 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 :)

      Reply
  4. 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.

    Reply
  5. 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….. :)

    Reply
  6. 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….. :)

    Reply
  7. 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 !!:)

    Reply
    • 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

      Reply
    • 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

      Reply
  8. 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 !!:)

    Reply

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