Fragrant pilaf with the flavors of spices and ghee shining through and topped with fried nuts and raisins.
This is traditional ghee rice that is actually famous in the Malabar region of Kerala. There are variety rice items from India. Shallots,ginger and garlic are sautéed in ghee along with spices releases a wonderful aroma that will just uplift your whole house.This is one of the classic recipes with a handful of ingredients, quick and easy to make, very tasty and filling. It is perfect to pair with vegetarian or non-vegetarian recipes. When it comes to vegetarian, you can pair it with peas paneer curry, cashew paneer, paneer makhanwala or mushroom peas curry. Or you can pair it with any kind of curries. When it comes to meat recipes, it tastes great with fish curry, chicken curry, egg curry or lamb curry.
You can cook this recipe in the same pan , or pressure cooker or rice cooker. I like to do in rice cooker because it is simple, you don’t have to keep looking at it. It won’t burn and there is no work to babysit it 😀
Vegan Note: Use vegan butter made using cashewnut or almond!
- Ghee – 2 tbsp
- Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
- Cinnamon stick – ½ stick
- Cardamom – 2
- Cloves – 1
- Cashew nuts – 3 tbsp
- Raisins – 1 tbsp
- Red onion – 1, sliced
- Green chili – 2, slit
- Garlic – 2, minced
- Ginger – 1 inch, minced
- Mint leaves – 2 tbsp
- Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp
- Basmati Rice – 2 cups
- Coconut milk – ½ cup
- Water – 3 cups
- Salt – As needed
- Wash and Soak the basmati rice in water for 20-30 minutes.
- Heat a vessel with ghee in medium flame, cumin seeds,cashew nuts, raisins, cinnamon stick, cardamoms, cloves and add the onions, green chillies, ginger garlic and sauté until golden brown.
- And add the mint leaves and coriander leaves. Sauté for 30 seconds
- Add the drained rice and sauté well in that onion ghee mixture for a minute or two.
- Now transfer everything to a rice cooker. Add salt as per taste.( if using ghee, it will be little salty so test salt as you add)
- Add water and coconut milk to it. and switch on to cook mode.
- You can also cook this by adding water and coconut milk to the same pan but make sure you switch off in 10 minutes medium and 10 munites low heat. I always cook in rice cooker. There is no possibility to burn it.
- Once done, serve hot with some curry.
Taste great with Mushroom peas spring onion curry, paneer makhanwala,Malai Methi Paneer, Coconut Butter CHicken Roast
