Malabar Ghee Rice

One of the most famous rice and Kerala's signature will be ghee rice. As the name suggested, Malabar ghee rice typically, cooked with homemade ghee and the highlight of the rice is the golden fried onion.
The fragrant of the ghee and intense flavor of deep fried onion is a deadly combo in the delicious rice. I had a chance to devour the taste of Malabar briyani, during our visit to Allepey, Kerala. We had nei choru as it is fondly known by local in a humble restaurant with kadala curry or chickpeas curry and a chicken dish with raita. I was instantly hooked up to the fragrant rice laced generously with ghee and the slow cooked onion on every bite. We came across of nei choru almost in every corner of Kerala and had the opportunity to taste it on few occasions. I shall say they all tastes divine and their must to have is the golden fried onion. Back home i re-create the Malabar nei choru and it turns out really well..i'm delighted 😁.


Ingredients

2 cups basmathi rice
2 tbsp ghee divided
3 cups water
1 tsp salt
6-8 raisins
6-8 cashews
1 cup sliced onion
2 pods cardamom
1/2"inch cinnamon stick
3 cloves

Methods

Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes.

In a frying pan, add 1 tbsp ghee and fry the cashews till golden. Keep aside.

Fry the raisins till plump up and keep aside.

In the same pan over medium low heat fry the onion till dark golden. Becareful not to burn the onion. Keep aside.


In the same pan add cloves,cardamom and cinnamon stick. Fry for a minute.

Add 1 tbsp ghee and drained rice. Gently stir for the rice to coat the ghee.

Add cashews,raisins and fried onions. Give a stir. Add water and season with salt. Cook till the rice done.

Fluff up the rice with fork and serve hot with gravy of your preference.