Ghee Rice

Simplest dish goes well with any spicy gravy, infused with  aromatic ghee and whole spices. Served with sweet golden raisins, cashews and caramelized onions.  This is originated from Malabar delicacy most suitable for any occasion.  Even though ghee rice which well known as 'neychoru' in Tamil or 'nasi minyak' in Malay can be prepared with any kind of rice, Basmathi preferred most. In this recipe i used  Jasmine rice with 2 ways of method of mixing colors. Its so simple but tantalizing!

Ingredients :

• 2 cups of rice


• 4 1/2 cup Water


• 1 Onion sliced


• 1 tsp Garlic paste


• 1 tsp Ginger paste


• 1 inch  Cinnamon


• 3 Cardamom pods


• 1 Star anise


• 6 Cloves


• 1 Bay leaves


• Ghee

To Garnish :

• 1/4 cup Golden raisins


• 1/2 cup Cashew nuts (since i love cashews)


• 1 Onion sliced

Preparation Method :

• Fry roast golden raisins, cashew nuts and sliced onions in ghee and reserve aside.


• Washed the rice and drain.


• Heat 2 tbsp ghee in pan. Add all the spices - cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, bay leaf and star anise. Fry until fragrant.


• Add sliced onions, saute till turns pinkish brown.


• Add garlic and ginger paste. Fry until smells goes off.


• Add drained rice and mix well for 3 minutes until well coated.


• Add salt to the rice, meanwhile boil water in the cooker.


• Add rice mixture into the boiling water.


• Cover the cooker with lid and let it cook.


• Garnish with roasted ingredients before serve.

Note : If you add color before rice cooked with boiling water, outcome will you will get uniformed color as in the first picture.  If you sprinkle color after rice cooked, outcome as in the second picture.  It is still ok if plain without color.