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Ghee Rice topped with fried onions, cashews, raisins, and cilantro

Ghee Rice | Nei Choru | A Fragrant Rice Dish For Your Repertoire

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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

  1. Clean the rice at least 2 times before soaking it in water. 
  2. 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 

  1. Put a shallow pan on low-medium heat. Add a little ghee and oil. 
  2. When the oil-ghee is mildly hot, add the onions and fry them until translucent.
  3. Take out 3/4th for the main recipe. Cook the remaining 1/4th until browned. Set aside.

Make the Ghee Rice 

  1. Use a manual pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Activate sauté mode. 
  2. Add oil and ghee. Wait for them to heat up.
  3. Add in your whole spices. Toast until fragrant. 
  4. Add the 3/4th reserved onions and ginger garlic paste. Sauté until cooked through.
  5. Drain the rice and add it to the pot. Sauté for 30 seconds or until it becomes slightly opaque. 
  6. Add salt and water. Cancel Sauté mode and change to Pressure Cook. Set this mode on high for 4 mins*
  7. Wait for the pot to naturally depressurize and wait 10 mins further after opening the pot*

Prepare the Garnish 

  1. In a small pan, add some ghee. Sauté some cashews in the warm ghee. 
  2. 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. 
  • Author: Pakoda Stories
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Wait Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 8
  • Category: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
  • Method: Pressure Cooking, Sautéing
  • Cuisine: Indian
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Find it online: https://www.pakodastories.com/ghee-rice/