COOKING HOUR: Ghee rice recipe, South Indian nei sadam

Ghee rice is a simple and easy one pot dish prepared, a south Indian version of pulao, using seeraga samba.

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Usually no vegetables are used, but you can always make it rich using cashews and raisins optionally.

I know ghee rice is very common in many south Indian households as many of my friends say. But it is not a common dish at my home.

So may be once or twice I would have tried. I made with regular rice and the results were not that good, never made again.

To be honest, this time I made ghee rice just for the salna I made. Since Chef VB told salna goes well with ghee rice, I made it to match it.

Yes, I made empty salna as soon as he released that weekend with ghee rice and it was our special meal.

I was supposed to share it on Friday but somehow posing today. Please stay home and stay safe everyone!

📝 Ingredients

Seeraga samba rice – The speciality of this rice lies in this rice. It’s a fragrant rice cultivated mostly in Tanjore area in Tamil Nadu. Theflavor is similar to Basmati. So easily can be replaced with it.
Ghee – I used homemade ghee, which I always recommend as it feels light and not heavy at all. Desi ghee is always best for this recipe.
Whole spices – I usually use biryani leaf in such recipes, but I wanted to give it a difference. Mainly cinnamon, clove, star anise and cardamom.
I love ½ tsp of fennel for making it completely south Indian style. But as usual powder form as Vj doesn’t like. You too can skip if you don’t like it.

💭 Top tip

For my cooker and stove, 1 whistle in medium flame was optimum. Please adjust according to yours. For example, when the whistle comes too fast and short, you can give it one more whistle.
Soaking the rice gives softer rice grain.
Never add rice before the water boils. Also after adding rice, bring to rolling boil before closing the lid.

🎥 Video

Is video more your thing? Watch the short video.

📖 Variations

You can add few mint leaves while sautéing the rice. This adds more flavor, but I just want to differentiate from Biryani flavor.

Adding ghee fried cashews and raisin also is a great variation to the plain ghee rice. I did not add because of family preference and wanted to keep it simple.

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Ghee rice recipe

Ghee rice is a simple and easy one pot dish prepared, a south Indian version of pulao, using seeraga samba.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Servings 3

Equipments (Amazon Affiliate links)

pressure cooker

Cup measurements

Ingredients

1 cup Seeraga samba rice
1 Onion sliced
2 Green chilli slit
2 tsp Ginger garlic paste
2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped
Salt as needed I added 1 & ¼ tsp of organic sea salt powder

To temper

2 tbsp Ghee
1 inch Cinnamon
1 Cardamom
1 clove
1 Star anise small
½ tsp Fennel seeds I used powder

Instructions

Wash rice and soak it for 15 mins minimum.
Heat a small pressure cooker with ghee. Temper with the whole spices.
Add onion, green chilli and fry until onion turn golden in color here and there. You can add a pinch of salt to fasten the process.
Tip in ginger garlic paste and fry for 30 seconds.
In goes soaked rice, drained completely from water.
Roast for a minute. Add water and required salt. Mix well and bring to boil. Close the id once it comes to a rolling boil.
Put the flame to medium and give one whistle.
Let pressure go down naturally. Once done, open and fluff gently.
Add coriander leaves and give 10 mins standing time before serving.