Nei Choru Recipe with A2 Ghee (South Indian Ghee Rice)
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By the Faimly Farm Team · Prep 10 min · Cook 25 min · Serves 4 · A South Indian classic
Nei Choru — literally “ghee rice” — is the fragrant, comforting ghee rice of Kerala and the wider South, cooked with whole spices and generous pure ghee until every grain is glossy and aromatic. Served with kurma, curries, or simple raita, it is festive yet easy, and ghee is its whole soul. Here is how to make it.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups basmati or jeerakasala (kaima) rice, soaked 20 minutes
- 1/4 cup A2 ghee
- 3 cups water or light stock
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 3-4 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cardamoms, 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp cashews, a few raisins
- Salt to taste
- Fried onions and coriander, to garnish
Method
1. Fry the garnish: heat a little A2 ghee and fry the cashews and raisins until golden; set aside. Fry half the sliced onions to crisp golden for garnish.
2. Temper the spices: in the remaining ghee, add the cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and bay leaf and let them sizzle and release their aroma.
3. Saute aromatics: add the remaining onions and saute until soft and golden, then add the ginger-garlic paste and cook off the raw smell.
4. Toast the rice: add the drained rice and saute gently in the ghee for 2-3 minutes so each grain is coated — this is what makes nei choru fragrant and fluffy.
5. Cook: add the water (or stock) and salt, bring to a boil, then cover and cook on low until the rice is done and fluffy.
6. Finish: fluff gently, fold in the fried cashews and raisins, and garnish with crisp fried onions and coriander. An extra spoon of ghee on top is traditional.
Why Ghee Is the Soul of Nei Choru
The name says it all — nei choru means ghee rice. Tempering the spices and toasting the rice in generous pure ghee gives the dish its glossy grains, rich aroma, and unmistakable flavour. Without good ghee, it is just spiced rice; with it, it is festive.
The Faimly Farm Tip
Temper the spices and toast the rice in generous pure A2 ghee. Ours is made from indigenous-cow milk by the traditional bilona method, in small lab-tested batches under our FSSAI licence. Explore our A2 Bilona Cow Ghee or the full A2 Ghee collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is nei choru?
Nei choru is South Indian (especially Kerala) ghee rice cooked with whole spices and generous pure ghee until fragrant and glossy, served with kurma and curries.
What does nei choru mean?
It literally means “ghee rice” — nei is ghee and choru is rice.
Which rice is best?
Basmati or the traditional jeerakasala (kaima) rice both work well; toasting the rice in ghee keeps the grains fluffy.
What is nei choru served with?
Commonly with vegetable or meat kurma, curries, raita, or pickle.
Which ghee is best?
Pure A2 cow ghee, ideally bilona-made, gives the most authentic aroma and glossy grains.
Conclusion
Nei Choru is South India's fragrant ghee rice — simple, festive, and built entirely on good ghee. Toast the rice and temper the spices in generous pure A2 ghee, cook until fluffy, and serve with a curry for a dish that feels special every time.
Cook fragrant ghee rice. Explore our A2 Ghee collection, try A2 Bilona Cow Ghee, and see our complete guide to cooking with A2 ghee. New customers can use code FIRST10 for 10% off their first order.
Faimly Farm: indigenous A2 milk, traditional bilona batches, lab-tested purity under our FSSAI licence. Learn more about Faimly Farm or contact us.
