Nei Choru | Neychoru Recipe (Kerala Style)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
25 mins
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Total Time
40 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
423 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Indian
Nei Choru | Neychoru Recipe (Kerala Style)
Description
Nei Choru features fragrant kaima or basmati rice cooked with an array of whole spices including cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms, and bay leaf, imparting warm, earthy aromas. Ghee is used generously for frying sliced onions to golden crispness and roasting cashews and raisins, adding layers of texture and subtle sweetness. The rice is soaked before cooking to achieve a tender grain texture.
The cooking involves first frying the spices until fragrant, followed by sautéing onions, then adding rice and seasoning with salt before cooking in water. The resulting dish has fluffy grains enriched with the nuttiness of ghee, toasted cashews, and raisins, punctuated by fried onions. The coriander garnish adds a fresh herbal note.
Nei Choru is commonly served as a side dish with curries or other Kerala specialties. It can be made vegan by substituting oil for ghee and cooked conveniently in a pressure cooker adapting water quantities and timing.
Kaima rice or basmati can be used; soak rice before cooking to improve texture.Prepare the recipe in a pressure cooker by adjusting water to 2.5 cups and cooking for 2–3 whistles.Use ghee for authentic flavor, but substitute with oil for vegan preparation.Scale ingredient quantities proportionally for larger servings.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups kaima rice (seeraga samba rice) or basmati rice - 300 grams
- 4 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
- 12 to 15 cashews
- 1 tablespoon raisins
- 1 cup onion thinly sliced
- 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 3 cloves
- 3 green cardamom
- 3 cups water
- salt as required
- 1 to 2 tablespoon Coriander leaves (cilantro) - for garnish
Instructions
Preparation
- Rinse kaima rice (seeraga sambar rice) or basmati rice in water a couple of times. Then soak rice grains in enough water for 20 to 30 minutes. Later drain the water and keep the soaked rice aside.
- Heat ghee in a pan. Keep the heat to low or medium.
- Add ½ cup thinly sliced onions.
- Mix and begin to sauté the onions on a low to medium heat till they turn crisp and golden.
- Remove all of the fried onions with a slotted spoon and keep aside.
- In the same pan, add 12 to 15 cashews and fry till golden.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and keep aside.
- Next add 1 tablespoon raisins. When the raisins puff up, remove and keep aside.
Making nei choru
- To the same pan, add the whole spices - tej patta, cinnamon, cloves, green cardamoms. Fry on low heat till the spices splutter and crackle.
- Next add ½ cup of thinly sliced onions and sauté till they turn translucent.
- Then add the rice.
- Season with salt as per taste. Gently mix the rice with the remaining ingredients.
- Add 3 cups water. Mix well. Check the taste of the water and it should taste slightly salty. If not, then add some salt.
- Cover the pan with its lid. On a low heat simmer till the water is absorbed and the rice grains are tender, fluffy and cooked well.
- Once done, gently fluff the rice.
- Serve Neychoru garnished with the fried onions, cashews and raisins. Also garnish with some chopped coriander leaves. You can also serve Nei Choru with a coconut based vegetable curry or any dal.
Notes
- Soak kaima or basmati rice for 20–30 minutes before cooking for better texture.
- You can cook the entire dish in a pressure cooker using 2.5 cups water and 2–3 whistles for convenience.
- Substitute oil for ghee to make a vegan version of the recipe.
- Scale the recipe ingredient amounts proportionally to serve more people.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 423 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 423kcal | 21% |
| Carbohydrates | 65g | 22% |
| Protein | 7g | 14% |
| Fat | 15g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 33mg | 11% |
| Sodium | 306mg | 13% |
| Potassium | 214mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 8IU | 0% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1mg | |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Vitamin E | 1mg | |
| Vitamin K | 2µg | |
| Calcium | 40mg | 4% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 14µg | |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
| Magnesium | 41mg | 10% |
| Phosphorus | 125mg | |
| Zinc | 1mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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