The aroma is unmistakable. Ghee at the forefront and not just ghee. Hot ghee that has toasted cashews and raisins, melding with the caramels of the natural sugar in the raisins. That’s the aroma that envelopes you when you are seated in front of this bejeweled rice dish from the Indian state of Kerala. Ghee Rice is an understated crowd pleaser that deserves a lot more attention. From being a showstopper on the dining table to a humble weeknight platter, Ghee Rice is that fragrant rice dish for your repertoire.
My first memories of eating ghee rice
I lived in a PG accommodation in Bangalore quite a while ago. This place had amazing food, an unheard-of thing when it came to hostels and PGs in India. But we were quite literally queens being served course after course on large platters. When I describe my PG life in Bangalore, I am met with surprise. Yet, this was my life.
Despite the grandeur in which I lived, I missed home and home-cooked food. Even a packet of Maggi made in the PG kitchen tasted divine when it was made by our very own hands. Needless to say, we craved home-cooked meals and pounced at every invite that came our way.
One of my friends who lived a few streets away invited us for lunch one day. My friend said he was making a simple ghee rice with egg curry. Wary of the bachelor stereotype, I decided to be encouraging and fake a reaction even if the dish was terrible.
I took one bite of this bejeweled dish and was completely blown away. My friend had not only shattered every ignorant stereotype I had in my mind about Indian bachelors but had also opened my culinary world to the subtler yet intense flavors of Keralan dishes. I was floored at the beautiful flavors that came out of this dish that looked quite unlike other fiery rice dishes from India.
As for my friend, he did not believe my compliments and refused to give me the recipe, saying I was just being nice to him. But little does he know that I wake up craving this dish from 18 years ago!
This “Bland” rice dish from India may be its best rice dish
Unlike other rice dishes from India, Ghee Rice is a sweet and savory rice dish with dulcet notes, making it ideal for pairing with any kind of curry you throw on its side. While the fandom of Biryani lovers lays the emphasis on stronger spices and aromatics, Ghee rice is that quietly confident dish where the flavors are not competing with each other. It manages to do this effortlessly by bringing in the right balance of flavors, making ghee the showstopping element of this dish.
Originating from Kerala, Ghee rice is commonly paired with Egg Curry or a Malabar Chicken Curry. Its reputation for being an elegant comfort food that allows ingredients to breathe makes it a dear choice where the goal is to allow every dish on the table shine equally. What’s great is how quick and easy it is to put the whole platter together. And for days when you don’t want spicy food, ghee rice is delicious on its own, making it worthy, if not the best rice dish coming out of India.
Does the variety of rice matter when making Ghee Rice?
Short answer – Yes. Two things that stand out when making ghee rice are 1) the aroma and 2) the grain. Each complements the other and becomes indispensable to the dish, that is, if authenticity is what you are going for. Can you make it with other fragrant rice varietals? Sure, but it’s just not the same. For example, the same dish when made with a Basmati Rice may end up tasting more like a fluffy pilaf than a chewy ghee rice. Texturally, this matters a lot when trying to perfect the authentic taste of Ghee rice.
Keralans traditionally use a rice varietal known as Jeerakasala Rice, a fragrant variety from South India. It is short-grained rice that resembles pearls, but where it differs texturally from the longer-grained Basmati is in its length and chewiness that delivers a specific kind of bite. A similar varietal, known as Seeraga Samba rice from Tamil Nadu, and Ambe Mohr from Maharashtra, may be closer seconds when making Ghee Rice. They are not the same variety, but the characteristics that could almost work – 99%. So yes, the rice variety absolutely matters, and should matter for a dish aching to be jeweled.
This ingredient is the secret to an exceptional ghee rice
When people think of Ghee Rice, they are instantly drawn to the ghee and the rice variety. All of which is true, but there is one ingredient that does the quiet ground work for this dish, making it the phenomenon that it is. I’m talking about Raisins. Try making this dish without them and let me know if it still tastes the same. Yes, the cashews matter, the fried onions matter, but the raisins, toasted in ghee, must release the sugary notes from the caramelization, and that is the flavor that makes Ghee Rice what it is. A touch of sweetness in a sea of savory umami.
How to make Ghee Rice
My favorite combination for Ghee Rice is with a simple Keralan Egg Curry. But alas, I do not have a recipe on here YET, and when I do, I will do the right thing by internally linking it to this post, not because it is a holy grail rule of SEO demanded by Google, but also because I make a Mean Egg Curry! *see the plug there :)* But for now, my equally delicious Kurma recipe will absolutely work here because it has similar notes to the egg curry and is vegetarian.
Ghee Rice is so easy to make; you do not have to be a fancy cook or have tons of experience to get this right. But understanding rice varieties and how to cook them matters for this recipe. Unlike mushy rice dishes like Khichdi and Pongal, which are quite forgiving to the cook, this dish expects every grain to be separate. And knowing how to cook rice like that is a must-have skill for the daily cook. Here is my simple yet very elegant Kerala Ghee Rice recipe.
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Ghee Rice | Nei Choru | A Fragrant Rice Dish For Your Repertoire
Decked with cashews and raisins, the bejeweled Ghee Rice or Nei Choru hails from Kerala and is a fragrant must-have for your recipe repertoire.
- Total Time: 40
- Yield: 4
Ingredients
1.5 cups of Jeerakasala Rice*
5 tbsp Ghee*
2 tbsp Oil
Salt
Water*
Spices and Aromatics
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 Cinnamon Stick
3-5 Cardamom Pods
2 Cloves
2 tbsp Raw Unsalted Cashews
2-3 tbsp Raisins
Vegetables and Pastes
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 Cup Sliced Onions – reserve 1/4 for garnish
1/4 cup Chopped Cilantro Leaves
Instructions
Soak The Rice
- Clean the rice at least 2 times before soaking it in water.
- Soak the rice with hot water, ensuring the water level is about an inch above the rice for a minimum of 20 mins.
Fry the onions
- Put a shallow pan on low-medium heat. Add a little ghee and oil.
- When the oil-ghee is mildly hot, add the onions and fry them until translucent.
- Take out 3/4th for the main recipe. Cook the remaining 1/4th until browned. Set aside.
Make the Ghee Rice
- Use a manual pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Activate sauté mode.
- Add oil and ghee. Wait for them to heat up.
- Add in your whole spices. Toast until fragrant.
- Add the 3/4th reserved onions and ginger garlic paste. Sauté until cooked through.
- Drain the rice and add it to the pot. Sauté for 30 seconds or until it becomes slightly opaque.
- Add salt and water. Cancel Sauté mode and change to Pressure Cook. Set this mode on high for 4 mins*
- Wait for the pot to naturally depressurize and wait 10 mins further after opening the pot*
Prepare the Garnish
- In a small pan, add some ghee. Sauté some cashews in the warm ghee.
- When the cashews turn golden, add the raisins. They should puff up. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Ready to Serve
Fluff the rice and serve on a platter. Garnish on top with fried onions, the ghee-toasted cashew, raisins, and some cilantro leaves for a pop of green.
Notes
- Rice matters. Close substitutes are Seeraga Samba and Ambe Mohr. Other rice varieties may not provide the desired texture.
- The quantity of ghee can be increased if a richer flavor is required.
- Water is subject to the rice variety. You may need to experiment with the rice ahead of time to understand if more or less water is required. I would always err on the side of caution and go less.
- Pressure cook times depend on the brand of Instant Pot you use. You can use a manual pressure cooker by cooking for two whistles or for a total of 10-12 minutes.
- Waiting after you open the pot prevents the rice from sticking and results in individual grains.
- Prep Time: 10
- Wait Time: 20
- Cook Time: 8
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
- Method: Pressure Cooking, Sautéing
- Cuisine: Indian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Thank you! This is a simple to make recipe.