Neichoru - Kerala Ghee Rice

 "Grief is nothing but another form of love", said an acquaintance. How so, Purnima, I asked. "Well, when you love someone a lot, you spend time with them, you talk to them, hug them, kiss them, buy them gifts, and so on. What happens after they pass?  This enormous love that is stored within you for that person is pushing to come out and it can't because  the person you loved has passed.  Therefore, it takes other forms - that lump in your throat, that sudden burst of salty tears, the crack in your voice, that pain in your chest..... yes, that is my theory anyway", she said. Since I spoke to her I haven't been able to get rid of the thought that is Purnima's theory. So profound. And it made so much sense. 

Today's unrequited love has taken the form of this ghee rice and chicken curry amma used to make usually on a Sunday. I just wanted to eat it and pretend like she has made this special meal for me again.

I made this ghee rice with a special rice from Kerala called Jeerakasala rice. It is small grained and  fragrant. This rice is cultivated in Northern Kerala and is used for all special occasions due to its fragrance. It is available in Indian grocery stores in Melbourne. If you are unable to find it, you can use Basmati rice for this preparation.

Ingredients:

4 cups Jeerakasala Rice, washed and drained (Substitute Basmati if you do not have this)

81/4 cups water (1 cup rice needs approximately 2 cups water to cook to perfection. You can substitute some or all of the liquid with stock or coconut milk, depending on what sort of flavours you are looking for)

1 teaspoon salt (optional)

2 onion sliced finely

15 - 20 cashew nuts

15 - 20 sultanas

4 - 5 tablespoons of ghee

4-5 cardamoms

4-5 cloves

2 Indian Bay leaves

2 star anise

2 sticks cinnamon

1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste

Method:

In a pot, place all of the water (or liquid) and salt if using and heat it till it comes to boiling point. While the water is heating up, take a cast iron pot and heat 2 tablespoons ghee and add half the sliced onions. Fry them till they are crisp but not burnt.  Set aside. Fry the sultanas till they turn plump. Set aside with the fried onions. Fry the cashew nuts till they turn gold. Set them aside with the sultanas and fried onions.  

Add the remaining ghee to the pot and place the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves and star anise. Fry till they release their aroma. Add the rest of the sliced onions. Fry till it turns transparent and starting to caramalise. 

Add the ginger garlic paste and fry till they lose their raw smell.  Next add the rice and give it a good mix so that the ghee coats the rice grains.

Now add the hot water and let the rice cook. It takes about 20 minutes or slightly less for the rice to cook completely.

Fluff it up with a fork and garnish with fried onions, sultanas and cashew nuts.

Serve hot with curry of your choice. I served it with an aromatic chicken curry made with a toasted and ground coconut.