Ghee Rice

Ghee rice is a quick, yet flavorful rice that can be served in veg or non-veg meal. I often make this when I invite guests as this rice gives the feel of biriyani with bursting flavors and the addition of coconut milk make it so rich in taste. Still, the preparation is so easy and so I could spend my time in making other dishes for my guests. This is a simple and fool-proof recipe that is always a crowd-pleaser and invites more appreciations. Special thanks to my friend Ramya Manikandan, who introduced this yummy ghee rice to me 🙂

Ghee Rice

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Serves: 6

Ingredients

To temper:

• Ghee - 2 tbsp
• Bay leaves - 2
• Cinnamon sticks - 2 (lil finger sized sticks)
• Cloves - 4
• Cardamom - 4
• Marathi Moggu/ kapok buds - 2
• Star Anise - 1

Other ingredients:

• Onion - 1
• Green chillies - 4 to 6
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Tomato - 1
• Mint leaves - 20
• Coriander stalk with leaves - 20
• Salt - 1 heaped tsp or as required

Star ingredients:

• Basmati rice - 2 cups
• Grated coconut - 1 cup(tightly packed)

Liquid measure:

• Thick Coconut milk - 1.5 cups
• Thin Coconut milk - 1.5 cups
• Water - 1 cup

Instructions

Prep-work:

1. Take 2 cups(levelled) basmati rice and soak for 20 mins. After 20 mins, drain the rice and keep aside.
2. Take a cup(tightly packed) of grated coconut. If using frozen coconut, heat in microwave for 1 minute. Add grated coconut along with 1 cup water and grind in mixie for 1 minute.
3. Strain ground coconut through a strainer or muslin cloth. Squeeze the coconut to extract the milk. The collected milk is the first thick coconut milk.
4. Add the squeezed coconut again to mixie along with 1 cup of water and again grind for 1 minute.
5. Using the same strainer or muslin cloth, strain the coconut milk. Squeeze the coconut to extract more milk. This milk is the second thin coconut milk.
6. We need totally 4 cups of liquid. So, first measure the coconut milk and then adjust the water quantity accordingly.

Cooking ghee rice:

1. To a thick bottom pan, add 2 tbsp ghee in medium heat.
2. Once ghee melts, add 2 bay leaves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 4 cloves, 4 cardamoms, 2 Marathi Moggu, 1 star anise.
3. Add thinly sliced(lengthwise) onions and fry until it starts to change color(slight color change, not dark).
4. Once onions are fried, add 1 tsp ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell leaves.
5. Add chopped tomato and just fry for 1 minute(do not fry mushy as it might change the color of ghee rice).
6. Add chopped mint and coriander leaves and fry for a minute.
7. Add 1.5 cups thick, 1.5 cups thin coconut milk and 1 cup water along with 1 heaped tsp salt.
8. Once it comes to rolling boil, add soaked and strained basmati rice and cook closed in medium-high flame(Knob #6) for 1 or 2 minutes, until it comes to rolling boil.
9. Lower the flame(Knob #2) and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the water is absorbed well & rice is cooked.
10. Switch off the stove. Open and fluff gently. Again, keep closed on counter-top for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

1.You shall replace 2 tbsp ghee with 1 tbsp ghee and 1 tbsp oil.
2.You shall add 1 stone flower when adding other whole spices.
3.You shall skip coconut milk and add normal water.
4.Increase or decrease green chillies as per your spice level.
5.If you tomato is not sour, you shall add 1 or 2 tbsp curd along with tomato.

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