Neichoru – Fragrant ghee rice….

The simplest festive dish where the divine ghee along with an exotic set of Indian spices dress up the fragrant basmati rice with caramelized onions and ghee fried golden raisins and nuts into a beautiful dish………

Ingredients: Serves 3 Adults

For Rice:

• 2 cups Basmati Rice
• 4 ¼ cups Water
• 1 small size golden yellow big onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cardamom pods
• 6 cloves
• 5-7 small ½ inch long cinnamon sticks
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 whole mace/javinthri
• 4 tbsp Ghee/clarified butter
• Salt to taste

For garnish:

• 1 small size, golden yellow big onion thinly sliced
• ¼ cup golden raisins
• ¼ cup halved cashew nuts
• A pinch of sugar
• 3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter) + more ghee/oil for frying onions

Directions:

• Wash and drain the rice on a paper towel. When it is medium dry, heat 4 tbsp ghee in a large pan and splutter cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, mace and bay leaf; add thinly sliced onion to this and sauté till it turns golden and edges begin to brown. At this stage add rice stir continuously for 2minutes in very low heat.
• Cook Rice: Microwave Method: Pour the fried rice along with onions and spices into a microwave safe bowl and add 4 ¼ cups of water, flavour with salt and pop it in the microwave and cook for 23-25 minutes or until rice is done. Stove-top Method: Boil water in a heavy bottom cooking vessel, and when it comes to boil, add all the ingredients and bring it to a boil again and then reduce the flame and cook covered in low-medium heat, until rice is fully cooked and water is absorbed.
• While rice is cooking, heat 3 tbsp ghee and fry the raisins, stirring continuously until they turn plump or look like golden grapes and keep them aside; fry the cashew nuts in the same oil, till they turn golden in colour and keep it aside. Add more ghee or oil to the same pan and start frying thinly sliced onion; when they turn translucent, add a pinch of sugar to speed up the process (also adds a nice taste) and fry until they reach a caramel or brown color.
• Once rice is done, using a fork, gently separate/fluff the rice, so as not to get sticky and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then add ghee fried raisins, nuts and caramelized onion to the rice, keeping a handful of all these three ingredients for garnishing later and gently mix well. Garnish with rest of the fried onions, nuts and raisins.
• Serve hot with Mutton curry, Raitha- (Coarsely chopped onions and cucumber mixed in yogurt with a dash of salt and pepper), Pappadam and date pickles. That’s a tasty divine family!

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On a different note, last week I had to deal with a handful of content theft issues ……..I would like to thank some of my readers and blogger buddies, especially Meeta, Silverine,Maria, Nikhil, Mathew, Pooja, Liz & Rashmi for bringing it to my attention as well as helping me with guidance and tips. Though in most cases helplessness has chained me down, I just wanted to let you all know that I am truly honored and moved by the care and support you show for this little space and the person behind it and it has only boosted up my spirits to keep this page more active!!

Thanks!
Shn