Nei Choru (Ghee Rice) and Chicken Curry

Nei choru and chicken curry is a Malabar special delicacy from our “Land of Spices” which is an all time favourite recipe in most Kerala restaurants. Have you tried the ghee rice with the chicken curry?? I bet it can never beat the other cuisines. You could find this in most Muslim households in Kerala served with pappad and pickle.

Nei choru is very easy to make and gives a nice taste as it’s cooked with both the ghee and the spices. Each region in Kerala prepares it in different ways, some makes the rice separately and then add the fried onions, cashews, spices to it, and some doesn’t use the coconut milk to cook. The one which I have drafted here is absolutely tasty with nice aroma. If you are vegetarian, you could combine it with dal curry which is again tastes great. 

Ingredients:

• Basmathi Rice- 1 Cup
• Coconut Milk- 1 cup
• Ghee- 5 Tspn
• Onion- 1 Large
• Garam Masala- ¼ Tspn
• Water- 1 Cup
• Star Anise- 2 Nos
• Cloves- 3or 4 Nos
• Bay Leaves- 1
• Cardomom- 2 Nos
• Cashews- few
• Raisins-Few
• Pineapple pieces(optional)-few
• Salt- To Taste

 

Method:

• In a pressure pan, add the ghee and fry all the ingredients except the coconut milk and fry until it turns brown.
• Add the washed rice and fry for about 2 minutes.
• Add the water and the coconut milk along with the pineapple pieces and cook for 2 whistles.

Chicken Curry

Kerala style chicken curries are simple to make. Excellent if you have with ghee rice and with the biriyanis too. 

Ingredients:

• Chicken pieces- ½ Kg
• Chili Powder- 1 Tspn
• Coriander Powder- 1 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder- ½ Tspn
• Pepper Powder- 1 Tspn
• Garam Masala- 1 Tspn
• Ginger garlic paste- 1 Tspn
• Onion-1 Large
• Tomato- 1 Large
• Green Chilies- 3 Nos
• Coconut Shredded- ¼ Cup
• Fennel Seeds- 1 Tspn
• Salt- To Taste

To Temper:

• Coconut Oil- 2 Tspn
• Mustard- 1 Tspn
• Bay Leaves- 1
• Cardomom- 2 nos
• Cloves- 2 Nos
• Curry Leaves- Few

Method:

• Grind coconut with the fennel seeds and keep aside.
• Marinate the chicken with chilly,turmeric,coriander powder, pepper and garam masala powder for atleast ½ an hour.
• In a hot pan, pour oil, add all the ingredients under to temper list.
• Add the onion and sauté until it becomes translucent; add the green chilies and tomato and sauté again.
• Add the marinated chicken and sauté again for about 5 minutes; cook covered for sometime until the chicken bakes well.
• After the chicken bakes well, cook uncovered; add the grounded coconut and sauté again.
• Cook until the masala smell goes off completely from it and garnish with coriander leaves.

Tips:

"You can reduce the ghee usage as per your requirement.

Adding pineapple pieces to the ghee rice are purely optional and it should be added minimally as too much of it will turn the recipe a different taste.

You can replace the coconut oil with the vegetable oil too in the chicken curry."