Ghee rice

Nei choru / Neychoru or ghee rice is the Indian form of fried rice served during special occasions, when one cannot prepare the traditional biryani. Ghee rice is a much flavorful and non-spicy variety rice, always accompanied by some spicy curry like dum aloo or paneer masala for vegetarians and Mutton / chicken masala fry for non vegetarians. It is a common dish / one of the main courses in 'Tamil, Kerala and Islam' cuisine.

Neychoru served with lamb curry and onion pachadi.

Ingredients:

Basmati rice - 2 cup
(3/4 cup for 1 adult )
water - 3 cups
water measurement for open vessel cooking and rice cooker :(number of cups of rice x 2) - 1 = (2x2)-1 = 3
ghee - 3 tbsp
salt - 1/2 tsp
ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp

spices:

bay leaf - 2
clove - 4
cardamom - 2
cinnamon - 1 inch
star aniseed - 1
nutmeg (jathi kai) - a small shaving
mace (jathi pathiri) - a small piece

garnish:

onion (thinly sliced)- 1 cup
ghee / oil - 2 tbsp
cashew - 10
raisin - 10
mint leaf - a handful
cilantro - few sprigs

Preparation:

Wash the rice thrice and drain excess water. Let it remain for 10 minutes.
Slice the onions into thin long pieces.
In a wok, heat 2 tbsp oil / ghee and fry the onion till they get golden brown. Keep aside. In the remaining ghee sticking to the pan, add the cashew , raisins and fry separately.Take them out and keep aside.
Finely chop the mint leaf + cilantro and keep everything for garnishing.

Procedure:

Start boiling some water in a separate pan.
Heat the remaining ghee in a wok and add the spices listed above.
After a few seconds, add the ginger garlic paste and saute well.
If needed add one more tbsp of ghee.
To this add the soaked, drained rice and saute well till it starts puffing.
Add salt and pour the boiling water just to completely immerse the rice.
Cover with a tight lid and keep the flame in minimum.
Now we will see small holes all over the rice. Continue cooking in low heat. If needed sprinkle a handful of hot water and stir once very carefully without breaking the rice.
After the rice gets cooked (but should be stiff, straight and long.....not mushy), switch off, keep closed and leave for 10 minutes.
Add the fried onions, chopped cilantro, mint leaves, cashew, raisins and mix once.

Ghee rice is ready!

Serving suggestions:

Serve hot as main course with any spicy curry.
If needed reheat by microwave or by placing over a hot tawa.
While measuring the rice, consider taking more rice for this kind of ghee rice, as we won't cook the rice completely like the regular day and we may need more quantity to serve.

Jeera Poori

Jeera poori - a sugary fried snack.

I tasted it long back in a canteen in Tuticorin and learned that they do some make-over on their leftover pooris and sell as delicious dessert with evening tea. I have never heard of such a thing before....may be it was/is a local snack or an invention to attract the crowd.  All the workers would rush to get this sugary poori and it will be sold even before the tea break begins:) My colleague Ambika akka, would drag me there to get our quota from our friendly waiter, who would sneak some for our table as per plan:) Recently I prepared poori with kilangu (yellow potato masal) on a Saturday and made these jeera poori with afternoon tea to surprise my hubby. Though it is nothing but sugar and oil, it will definitely brighten up a lazy weekend. Try this and enjoy!

Poori:

All purpose flour - 3/4 cup
oil - 200 ml (deep fry)
salt - a pinch
water - to knead.

jeera / syrup:

Sugar - 1/2 cup
water 1/2 cup
orange food color - a pinch
cardamom powder - a pinch
rose essence - a drop
almond / cashew - 3

Method:
Mix salt, baking soda, maida well. Add water little by little to get a thick smooth dough. Flatten them into small circles using chapthi rolling pin and base.
Deep fry them till crispy, drain oil and keep aside.

(We can use left over wheat poori too)

In a separate vessel mix sugar and water and bring to a boil. Let it give a lot of bubbles and reach a 'single thread consistency'.Add cardamom powder, rose essence and switch off.

Arrange the pooris on a large plate and drizzle the sugar syrup over the pooris.
After some time flip and sprinkle more syrup. Sprinkle finely chopped nuts and let it soak for 10 minutes or more.

Jeera poori is ready!

Serving suggestion:
Serve hot / cold as dessert or snack.