Neychoru/Ghee Rice

A delectable rice which though is a speciality of the Malabar cuisine is now spread across everywhere with the variation mostly being in the type of rice used. Malabar neychoru uses the tiny cumin shaped rice grains known as the jeerkasala rice. The aromatic rice is roasted in ghee along with other spices ,cooked to perfection and finally garnished with fried onions and ghee roasted dry fruits. This neychoru also serves as base for most of the biriyani recipes from Kerala

Ingredients

2 cups jeerakasala rice
4 Tbsp ghee
2-3 cardamons
3-4 cloves
2"cinnamon stick
few peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 tsp ginger paste
1 medium onion sliced
few curry leaves
3 1/2 cups water
salt to taste
1tsp lemon juice

Method

• Wash and soak the rice for half an hour. Drain and keep aside.
• In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat the ghee. Once the ghee is hot add the whole spices i.e. the cardomons, cloves, bay leaf and peppercorns. Saute for a few seconds.
• Now add the curry leaves, ginger paste and sliced onion. Saute until the onion turns translucent.
• Add the soaked and drained rice. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes until the rice grains turn dry and is covered with the ghee.
• Meanwhile boil the mentioned amount of water separately.
• Pour this hot water(3.5 cups) into the rice and stir well oh high heat.
• Add enough salt(the water should taste salty to ensure that the ghee rice has the adequate amount of salt).

• Drizzle the lemon juice.
• Once the water and rice starts to boil, reduce the heat to minimum. Close with a tight lid and leave the rice to cook for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, open and fluff the rice with a fork.(if you feel that the rice is not cooked leave on low heat covered for 5 minute more. If there is no moisture at all in the rice and the rice looks as if it needs more cooking you can add 1/2 cup of hot water and cover and cook for 5 minutes but take care not to overcook)
• Garnish with with fried onion, ghee fried cashews and raisins.
• Serve hot with a spicy chicken curry, mutton curry, egg curry,  etc