Nei Choru - Ghee Rice

Happy New Year to all of you! It has been such a long time since I posted any recipe here. Well, it comes with a reason - hectic life :) However, it doesn't mean that I was starving myself and the family or was not making anything delicious all the while. I just had a highly demanding work schedule, attention seeking infant and hardly any time for even a relaxed bath :D

I know we had many holidays and celebrations like Onam, Diwali, Xmas and finally New Year. I literally ended up preparing a lot of food for Xmas and New Year as on Onam an Diwali I had a sick baby at home.

Here is a recipe for Ghee rice flavoured with whole spices which will go well for any celebration!

Ingredients

1. Basmati Rice - 3 Cup
2. Whole Spices -
1. Cardamom - 3
2. Clove - 5
3. Star Anise -3
4. Bay Leaf - 2
5. Cinnamon - 3 small size stick
3. Cashew - 1/4 Cup
4. Onion - 1/2 Cup
5. Raisin - 1/4 Cup
6. Ghee - 3 Tbsp
7. Cooking Oil - 1 Tbsp
8. Salt to taste.

How to Make?

1. Soak Basmati Rice in water for 15 minutes and drain and keep.
2. Heat Ghee in a hard bottomed vessel(I used pressure cooker) an add cashews till it is slightly brown and then add raisins and saute till it is done.
3. Keep the cashews an raisins on a tissue paper to drain the excess ghee.
4. Now fry the thinly sliced onions in oil, till they are brown and place on a tissue paper.
5. Heat ghee and saute whole spices and continue till you get the aroma from them.
6. Now add the rice to this and mix well and add water and salt. I used 4.5 Cups of water and cooked in pressure cooker.
7. Once done, poke with a fork to release the vapour and make the rice fluffy.

Serve this hot with any of your favourite curries. Enjoy!