Chef Kunal Kapur shares comforting nei choru recipe: See step by step preparation of Malabar ghee rice

Nei choru is a comforting ghee rice recipe popular in the southern part of our country. Chef Kunal Kapur shares how to make it at home.

With our lives becoming increasingly hectic, food is often something that one turns to for comfort. And the Malabar ghee rice recipe, nei choru, is the perfect dish to do just that. Taking to Instagram on March 14, celebrity chef and MasterChef India judge Kunal Kapur shared his take on the dish.

“Few things are as comforting as the aroma of ghee rice slowly cooking in the kitchen. It’s the kind of dish that feels simple yet incredibly special, the one that quietly turns an everyday meal into something warm, aromatic, and deeply satisfying. Sometimes, the most comforting recipes are also the most timeless,” he wrote in the caption.

The quantities of ingredients listed below are sufficient for two servings. The rich pulao can be cooked in either a pressure cooker or a pan, whichever is easily available at home. While the traditional recipe from the south makes use of jeerakasala rice or jeerai rice, basmati rice or sera rice can also be suitable alternatives, according to the chef.

The detailed steps for preparation are as follows.

Ingredients for nei choru

• Ghee – ¼ cup
• Cashew nuts – 15–16 nos
• Raisins – handful
• Bay leaves – 2
• Cinnamon (1-inch stick) – 1
• Cloves – 7–8
• Black cardamom – 1
• Star anise – 2
• Fennel seeds (saunf) – 2 tsp
• Onion, sliced – 1 cup
• Ginger paste – 1 tbsp
• Rice (basmati/jeerakasala), soaked – 1 cup
• Water – 2 cups
• Salt – to taste
• Green chillies – 2

Method of preparation

1. Heat ghee in a heavy-bottom pan or kadhai. Add cashews and fry until golden, then add raisins and cook until they puff up. Remove and keep aside.
2. In the same ghee, add bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, black cardamom, star anise, and fennel seeds. Sauté until fragrant.
3. Add sliced onions and cook until they turn soft and lightly golden.
4. Stir in ginger paste and slit green chillies, and sauté for a minute.
5. Add the soaked rice and gently mix so the grains are coated with the ghee and spices.
6. Pour in water and add salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook on low heat until the rice is tender and fluffy.
7. Once done, gently fluff the rice and top with the fried cashews and raisins before serving.

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