Simple and Delicious !

I had posted a ghee rice / neichor recipe before which is the normal method of cooking rice with water in a 1 : 2 proportion. This is the method we usually follow at home, which is the easiest way of cooking rice. I have seen my Thalassery neighbour always cooked ghee rice using the frying method. She fried rice in an immense amount of ghee, before cooking it in hot water. If she makes Biryani, she prepared ghee rice first using the same method and then mixed it with biriyani masala. (See the procedure here) The amount of water used is lesser in this method since we cooked rice once in ghee. I don't know this method is followed in any other place.
Two of my readers had the same doubts, why their ghee rice turns yellow or the rice is so sticky after cooked. A poor quality rice, the excess amount of water, the color and less amount of ghee etc may affect the outcome.



Ingredients
Basmati rice 2 cups
ghee 3 Tbsp
onion 1
cashews and raisins as desired
fennel seeds 1/4 tsp
cardomam 2
cloves 2
cinnamon 1 " piece
water 3 cups(for 1 cup rice 1 1/2 cup water)



How to prepare
Wash and soak rice for half hour in water. Drain it and keep aside.
Boil water with salt and keep it hot.
Heat ghee.Roast cashews and raisins and take out and keep aside. Add fennel seeds and other spices with chopped onion.
When the onion is transparent, add washed and drained rice.Roast rice until it slightly changes color. Add the previously boiled hot salty water into it.
Boil , reduce heat. When the water absorbs and holes appear on top,keep the lid closed and switch off fire. Keep it covered for half hour.
When you serve, slowly separate the rice with a fork or a big spoon without pressing it much.
Garnish with the roasted cashews and raisins.
If your rice is not roasted properly, the amount of water wouldn't be enough for cooking rice completely. If so, add 1/2 cup or more hot water into it and cook for few seconds too. So keep extra hot water aside when you cook.
Keep the lid closed in the whole process. You can open the pan in-between and just stir the rice until you switch off fire.



Ghee rice is usually served with parippu / dal curry, kachambar and thairu / raita..See the dal perparation here.

See neichor with kachambar here.

Arabic Rice is also known as Kubsa or Machboos. The one with chicken is always a hit at home. I love it since the preparation time is less and recipe is easy to follow. This is the traditional dish of Arabs and they add lots of raisins and nuts like almonds , pine nuts in this.Some add vegetables too.The Machboos (read makboos) preparation varies from region to region and each Middle east country has its own version of Kubsa Rice.



Ingredients
Fish 6 fillets big
basmati rice 3 cups
onion 1 big
tomato paste 3 Tbsp
cardamoms 3
cinnamons 3 pieces 1/2 " size
cloves 3
pepper corns 1 tsp
cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
pepper powder 1 tsp
saffron few strands
dried lemon 1 whole
zaatar 1 tsp optional
garlic ginger paste 2 tsp
olive oil 2 Tbsp
Hot water 6 cups
salt



How to prepare
Marinate fish pieces using pepper powder, salt and garlic ginger paste. Heat little oil in a pan and fry the fish pieces. No need to make too crisp.
Heat olive oil, add cumin seeds and all spices . Saute chopped onion in this. When it is transparent add tomato paste , washed rice and dried lemon . Add 6 cups boiled water into this. Cook it on a medium heat. When the rice is about 3/4 cooked , reduce heat, add saffron, thyme and place the fish pieces on top.Cover with a lid and cook this on low flame until done. Swich off fire when the rice is cooked. First place the fish pieces into a serving bowl. Then serve rice without breaking the fish pieces.

Ingredients
Keema 400g
basmati rice 1 1/2 cups
onions 2 chopped
tomato 1 chopped
green chillies 2
garlic paste 1 tsp
ginger paste 1 tsp
coriander leaves chopped 1/2 cup
mint leaves 1 tbsp chopped
garam masala 1 1/2 tsp
pepper powder 2 tsp
cinnamon sticks 2 numbers of 1/2 " size
cardamoms 2
cloves 2
hot water 3 1/2 cups
salt
oil or ghee
saffron few strands

How to prepare
Heat ghee in a thick bottomed vessel.
Saute onion, when transparent saute garlic and ginger paste. Add tomatoes, coriander leaves and saute for few seconds. Put crushed green chillies, pepper powder, garam masala and keema together.Add salt and 1/2 cup water and boil. When the keema is approximately cooked and the water is reduced, add rice, saffron, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves with 3 cups of hot water.
Mix and check salt and add required. When this boils mix one again, reduce heat, sprinkle the mint leaves on top and cover the vessel.
After few minutes check the water is reduced. If yes, switch off fire and keep the lid closed until the rice is cooked wholly. If you find the amount of water is not enough to cook rice add little more hot water and cook for few seconds more. See the procedure for ghee rice too for cooking rice.
You can add green peas, carrots, beans and other veggies you like to this.
Enjoy with salad and pickle!
Special thanks to dear Mona for giving the nice matters award, this is the second time, am I so nice?

This is the way my mother cooks tomato rice.I prefer eating this as a breakfast dish or evening snack with tea. This was my usual lunch during school days. You can use any oil instead of ghee for preparing this.

Ingredients and Method
Basmati rice 2 cups
Cook rice with little salt.Drain and keep aside.

Chop 4 medium size tomatoes, 2 green chillies and 2 onions.
Heat 2 table spoons of ghee in a pan.
Put 1 teaspoon mustard seeds and 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds.
Let it splutter.
Then saute onion in this.
Add 2 teaspoons garlic and ginger paste with 2 pinches of fennel seeds powder.
Stir for few seconds, add chopped tomatoes and 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves into this.
Add 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, 2 teaspoons (or according to taste) red chilly powder and salt into this.
Stir well.
Add 1/4 cup water for cooking tomatoes.
When tomatoes are cooked well, mix cooked rice with this. Mix well.
If you like , sprinkle little garam masala over this.

Ingredients
Basmati rice 2 1/2 cups
Eggs hard boiled 4
Eggs to make omelet 2
onion 6
tomato 3
garlic 5 cloves
ginger 1 inch piece
green chillies 5
pepper powder 2 teaspoons
coriander leaves chopped 1/2 cup
mint leaves chopped 1 table spoon
curd 2 tablespoons
coconut grated 1/2 cup
ghee 1/4 cup
water 4 1/2 cups
garam masala powder 1 teaspoon
cinnamon stick 1 inch piece
cloves 2
cardamoms 2



How to prepare
Soak rice for 1/2 hour.
Remove outer shell of hard boiled eggs and keep aside.
Chop 1 onion and 2 green chillies. Make an omelet using these and 2 eggs.Cut the omelet into 4 or 6 pieces.
Boil water. Add cinnamon stick,cardamoms and cloves. Add enough salt. Keep it aside.
Blend coconut with curd to get a fine smooth paste.If required add very little water while blending.
Grind together garlic, ginger , green chillies and half of the coriander leaves.

Heat ghee, add chopped onions.When it turns golden, add ground paste. Stir well till the raw smell goes. Then add tomatoes, remaining coriander leaves, mint leaves,pepper powder and cook for a while.Add blended coconut-curd mixture in to this. Add garam masala and enough salt too. Mix well. Make cuts on boiled eggs, put them into the masala and cook for few seconds. Add omelet pieces also in to this.Mix.Check salt.

Pour the previously boiled water (it must be hot) in to this. Then add washed rice. Bring to boil. Reduce flame. Place lid and cook. (see procedure for making ghee rice) When holes appears on top, add 1 teaspoon pure ghee on top and switch off the fire. Keep lid closed till rice is cooked well. After 1/2 hour, mix all the contents. Have with pudina chutney and salad.

If you have any doubt about the amount of water used for cooking, then cook rice separately and add to the mixture as I have described for Chicken Biryani.

Brinjal or Egg plant rice is an Arabic dish. I learnt to prepare this from my Aunty. Last time when I met her, she cooked tasty Brinjal rice with chilli chicken and salad. This is a good way to make kids eat vegetables.

Ingredients
Rice 2 cups
Brinjals 3
Potato 1
Capsicum 1
Carrot 1
Onion 1
Tomato 1
Cinnamon sticks 3 pieces
Pepper powder 2 tsp
Olive oil or sunflower oil ½ cup
Salt

How to prepare
Boil 4 cups of water with enough salt and cinnamon sticks.

Peel potato.
Chop all vegetables as shown in picture.
Sprinkle little salt on them.
Chop onion and tomato too.
Heat oil, fry brinjal first.
Take them out and keep aside.
In the remaining oil, sauté onion, then add potato, capsicum and carrot.
Stir for few minutes till them are half cooked.
Then add tomato.
Stir by adding pepper powder.
Place the fried brinjal over this.
Then place the washed rice,add the previously boiled water into this and bring to boil.
When it boils, check salt, reduce fire, cook covered on a low flame. .
If the rice is ¾ cooked, remove from fire and keep the lid closed for 1 hour.
Mix before serve.

For making salad,
Curd 1 cup
Onion 1
Tomato 1
Coriander leaves few
Pepper powder
Salt

Chop onion, tomato and coriander leaves.
Mix them with pepper powder, salt and curd.

Ghee rice with chicken roast, salad and Kachambar




Ingredients

Basmati rice - 1 cup

Onion(medium) - 1 no

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Cinnamon(Karugapatta) - 1/2" piece

Cloves(Grambu) - 1 no

Cardamom(Elakka) - 1 no

Fennel seeds(Perinjeerakam) - A pinch

Water - 2 cups
Salt - As reqd

How to prepare

1)Soak rice in water for 30 mins.

2)Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel.

3)Add fennel seeds.

4)After a few seconds, add onion and stir, till, it turns transparent.

5)Add cinnamon, cloves and cardamom and stir.

6)Add 2 cups of water.:- For 1 cup of rice, add 2 cups of water.

7)Add enough salt and mix well.

8)Allow it to boil.

9)Add washed rice and let it boil.

10)Cover and cook on a low flame.

11)When there is no water, remove and keep the lid closed, until rice is cooked well.:- Serve with parippu (dal) curry , chicken or mutton curry, pickle and curd.

Kozhi varutharacha curry/ chicken curry in fried coconut gravy with potatoes is the curry usually prepares with Neichor.

How to make Kachambar
Kachambar - Chop 1 medium size onion, tomato and green chilly. Add 1/2 tea spoon chilly powder and 1 table spoon vinegar into it. Add 2 table spoons of water and enough salt. Mix well.

I have tried this dish many times.Very easy to prepare and delicious.Children will love it since it is no spicy and rice is very tasty.You can add nuts, dry fruits and vegetables to this.

Ingredients
Chicken, cut up- 1 Kg
Tomato paste, small can- 1
Onion chopped - 1
Rice basmati - 4 cups
Olive oil- 1/4 cup
Salt
Cinnamon-4 sticks of 1/2 " size
Cloves-4 numbers
Black pepper corns -1/2 tsp
Cumin-1/4 tsp
Cardamoms-4 numbers

Method
Wash and clean rice.
Heat Olive oil over medium heat in deep cooking pot.
Add chopped onions, and saute until transparent.
Add chicken, stir and cook half way done.(If you like add little pepper powder).
Add spices.Stir in 8 cups water, add tomato paste and rice.
Allow to come to a boil.
Cover and reduce heat.
Let cook until rice is tender.