Kerala ney choru recipe – Learn how to make malabar nei choru recipe using Jeerakasala rice. Ney choru translates to ghee rice & is one of the classic dishes from kerala cuisine. It is very much popular and is mostly served with chicken curry or mutton curry and even with kerala egg roast. It is the Jeerakasala rice, a small grain fragrant rice that makes malabar ney choru special – aromatic and delicious.
In the past, I had shared a ghee rice recipe using basmati rice, the one commonly found in South Indian restaurants. Today’s recipe yields nei choru that is slightly different in terms of aroma & taste since the rice and spices used are different.
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If you are a vegetarian then you can try this rice recipe with any paneer gravy or mushroom gravy.
Jeerakasala rice also known as kaima rice is widely used in malabar region to make ghee rice and biryani. This short grain rice has a unique aroma and is a quick cook rice that gets cooked in a short time. If you do not have Jeerakasala rice, you can also make this using any other rice variety.
Preparation for ney choru
1. Heat ghee and fry cashews until slightly golden. While you fry the nuts, bring water to a boil in a pot.
2. Add raisins and saute until they turn plump. Set cashews and raisins aside in a plate.
3. Add sliced onions and fry until golden.
4. Keep stirring to brown them evenly. Set these aside.
How to make nei choru
5. In the left over ghee saute star anise, saunf, bay leaf, cardamom and cloves.
6. Add onions and saute until golden.
7. Add ginger garlic paste and saute just for sometime.
8. Add washed and drained rice. This rice doesn’t need any soaking.
9. Saute for about 2 mins stirring evenly. Add salt.
10. Add boiling water.
11. Stir and check salt. If needed add more. Put the flame to medium.
12. Cover and cook until the water is absorbed. I used pressure cooker lid to cover. It doesn’t whistle since the water will be absorbed very soon. It takes about 5 to 8 mins for the rice to be done depending on the kind of pot/ pan used.
13. Open the lid and fluff up the rice and check if the rice is done. If the rice is still under cooked sprinkle little warm water and mix. Switch off the stove. Cover again and rest for 5 mins.
14. Garnish with cashews and raisins.
Serve nei choru with chicken curry, mutton curry or any vegetable gravy.
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Kerala ney choru recipe
Ney choru
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 1 ½ cups rice (Jeerakasala / kaima or basmati)
- 2 ½ cups water hot (use more if using different rice)
- ¼ cup ghee (can reduce to 3 tbsps)
- ½ cup onions sliced for garnish
- ¼ cup onions sliced , for rice
- ¾ tsp ginger paste (for flavour)
- ¼ to ½ cup cashews
- ¼ cup raisins
- 1 star anise / biryani flower
- ½ tsp saunf / fennel seeds
- 1 bay leaf / tej patta
- 4 cloves / laung
- 2 inch cinnamon sticks
- Salt as needed
- Green chilies slit (optional)
Instructions
Preparation for ney choru
- Wash rice a few times and drain. If using jeerakasala rice, soaking is not needed. If using basmati soak it for about 30 mins. Drain completely.
- Make a paste of ginger and if desired you can also crush green chili along with it. Slice the onions.
- Bring 2 ½ cups water to a boil. Meanwhile carry on with the next steps.
- Heat ghee and fry the cashews. When they are about to be golden, add raisins and saute until they swell up. Remove them to a plate.
- In the same pan, fry onions stirring continuously until golden. Transfer these as well to a plate. Fried onions, cashews and raisins are for garnish.
How to make ney choru
- In the same pot or pan, add the spices and saute until they turn fragrant. Take care not to burn.
- Add onions and fry until golden.
- Add ginger paste and saute just for a while.
- Add drained rice and fry for 2 to 3 mins on a medium flame. Be gentle while stirring else the rice the break.
- Add salt and pour the hot water.
- Stir gently and check salt. If needed add more.
- Regulate the flame to medium.
- Cover and cook until all the water is absorbed. It takes about 5 to 8 mins depending on the kind of pot used.
- When the water is absorbed completely fluff up the rice. If the rice is under cooked, sprinkle some water and cook.
- Switch off and keep the rice covered for another 5 mins.
- Garnish ney choru with fried onions, cashews and raisins.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
Video
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
HI swasthi,
Can this recipe be also made in insta pot?
I am thinking the water to rice ratio will be increased by 1.5 cups owing to the cook pot taking up water to steam up the rice as well? Please let me know your thoughts!
Thanks
devi
Hi Devi,
Yes it can be made in IP. I have the instructions for ghee rice in IP here. Kaima rice will need about 2 cups water for the above recipe with 4 mins pressure cook (low pressure). If using basmati rice, pls follow the link mentioned above. Hope this helps.
Hi Ms. Swasthi,
I made Ney Chor yesterday and it was out of the world. Thanks for sharing the recipe and please continue to give people like me your awesome recipes.
Thanks Again!!!
Stay Safe Stay Healthy
Ram
Than
Hi,
You are welcome! Glad it turned out good. Sure will keep sharing.
Thanks for leaving a comment
Swasthi’s recipes always turn out perfectly. The measurements are so accurate that you just have to follow the recipe without any worries. Till date Swasthis Recipes has never ever disappointed. Thanks for bringing so much joy to my dinner table.
Welcome Vandana
So glad to know! Thank you so much!
🙂
Hi Swasthi,
My mouth was watering as I was going through the recipe and it turned out to be delicious. My husband and my mom loved it. Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
Welcome Meghna,
Glad you all loved the ney choru. Thanks for rating the recipe.
🙂
Hi swasthi,
Tried this recipe today and it turned fabulous…thanks for sharing such wonderful recipes….
Welcome Sunitha,
Glad you liked it.
🙂
Hi…when you say add hot water to.cook the rice, should it be boiling hot water.
Also is it ok to add water at room temperature?
Thanks
Nisha
Welcome Nisha
The water must be boiling hot. I have mentioned bring water to a boil. If the water is not hot, it will affect the texture of the rice
Hi Swasthi. Great recipes on your blog. Made so many of them. Can you please tell me for this ghee rice recipe with jeeera rice, what should be the rice to water ratio?
Hi sabeena
Thanks for trying. I hope you are asking about seeraga samba rice. Usually it takes about 1½ to 1¾ cups water for every 1 cup rice. Aged rice absorbs more water. Rice from recent harvest doesn’t need much. So you will have to experiment. Hope this helps
Hi Swasthi,
Is kaima rice same as seeraga samba rice?
Hi Bhuvana
No! Both are different. Kaima rice is jeerakasala rice and is much smaller and fragrant than seeraga samba rice. Kaima is from Kerala, Wayanad and seeraga samba is from Tamilnadu
Hi , I love your vegetarian recipes .But everytime I try to pin the recipe I like I get a response that I cannot pin a recipe and I have been blocked by the pinner ..Kindly let me know.
Hi Tejashree
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