This ghee rice recipe is one of the most fragrant, comforting things you can make in a pressure cooker.
Basmati rice cooked in desi ghee with whole spices, ginger, garlic, green chillies, and finished with roasted cashews and raisins.
Also known as neychoru in Kerala and ghee bhat in North India, it’s simple enough for a weekday lunch and special enough for a festival spread. (step-by-step-recipe-video)
What is Ghee Rice?
Ghee rice is a one-pot rice dish where basmati rice is cooked in desi ghee along with whole spices like cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, bay leaf, cloves, and mace.
The result is soft, fluffy rice with every grain separate and a deep buttery aroma that fills the kitchen. It’s also called neychoru or nei choru in Kerala, where “ney” means ghee and “choru” means rice.
In North India and Bengal, the same dish is often called ghee bhat. Across all these regions, the base stays the same. Good quality ghee, aromatic whole spices, and fluffy rice.
What sets this ghee rice recipe apart from plain pulao is the depth of flavour from the ghee.
You’re not just cooking rice in water. You’re blooming whole spices in hot ghee and building layers of aroma before a single grain of rice goes in.
How Ghee Rice Varies Across India:
Rice cooked in ghee belongs to no single state. Every region has its own version, and each one tells you something about the people who made it.
In Kerala, neychoru is traditionally made with kaima rice or jeerakasala rice, a short-grain fragrant variety native to the Malabar region.
The spice mix leans toward star anise, fennel, and bay leaf. It’s a festival dish, served at weddings and Eid feasts alongside coconut-based curries.
The smell of neychoru cooking is something you don’t forget.
In Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, ghee rice is called nei sadam. Basmati is the more common choice here and the preparation is lighter, often served as part of a temple prasadam or a simple Sunday meal at home.
In Bengal, ghee bhat is a sweet-salty version. A pinch of sugar is added, and sometimes a drop of kewra water goes in at the end. It’s served at pujas and auspicious occasions alongside a simple dal.
In Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, ghee bhat means something more everyday. It’s the rice you make when someone is unwell, when a guest arrives unexpectedly, or when the dal isn’t ready yet.
Plain, barely spiced, just ghee and warmth. Growing up in Bihar, this is the version I knew first.
This ghee rice recipe sits closer to the Kerala and South Indian style, whole spices, sliced onions, green chillies, freshly pounded ginger garlic, and a pressure cooker method that gives you perfect grains every time.
Preparation Tips for Best Results:
Good ghee rice is about attention at every small step. I’ve made this enough times to know exactly where things can go wrong, and here’s what I always watch for.
Soak the rice for the full thirty minutes. Don’t skip this. It helps the grains cook evenly and stay separate. When you skip the soak, the rice ends up uneven, some grains go soft, others stay slightly hard. Not what you want.
Slice the onions thin and even. Thick slices won’t cook through in time. You want them to go a deep golden colour, soft all the way through, with that faint sweet smell that fills the cooker. This is where a lot of the flavour comes from.
Pound the ginger and garlic fresh. I know it’s tempting to use ready-made paste but the freshly pounded kind smells completely different. Raw, sharp, almost grassy. You can tell from the first whiff that it’s going to taste better.
Use good quality ghee. This isn’t the place for low-fat substitutes. The entire flavour of this neychoru-style ghee rice rests on the ghee. If you have homemade ghee sitting in a steel box somewhere, this is the recipe to open it for.
Get the water ratio right. For one cup of basmati rice, 1 and 3/4 cups of water works best in a pressure cooker. Too much water and the rice turns sticky. Too little and you get hard, dry grains at the bottom.
One whistle only. This is the mistake I made the first time I cooked this ghee rice recipe. Two whistles will overcook the rice and you’ll end up with a soft, clumpy pot instead of fluffy separate grains. One whistle, then let the pressure release naturally.
Roast the cashews and raisins in a separate tadka pan. Two minutes of extra work makes a real difference. The cashews turn crisp and golden, the raisins plump up and go sweet. Don’t skip this step.
Why This Ghee Rice Recipe Works:
This ghee rice recipe works because every ingredient has a clear job to do and nothing is wasted.
The whole spices bloom in hot ghee right at the start. That one step releases more flavour than any spice powder could. Cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, bay leaf, cloves, mace. They all open up in fat differently than they do in water. The kitchen starts smelling wonderful before the onions even go in.
The onions are cooked until they change colour, not just softened. That golden colour adds a mild sweetness that balances the heat from the green chillies and the sharpness of the ginger garlic.
The green chillies go in with the onions and add a gentle background heat. They don’t make the dish spicy but you’d notice if they were missing. There’s a warmth that sits right at the back of your throat.
Freshly pounded ginger and garlic go in raw and cook in the residual heat from the onions. This keeps them present in the final dish rather than fading into the background.
That extra half tablespoon of ghee added just before closing the cooker coats every grain of rice as it cooks. It’s a small step but it’s the reason the rice doesn’t clump.
The cashews and raisins at the end aren’t just decoration. The cashews add a little crunch against the soft rice, and the raisins bring a burst of sweetness in every few bites.
Together they make this ghee bhat feel like something made for a special occasion, even on a regular day.
The First Time I Made Ghee Rice Alone:
I grew up eating ghee rice at weddings. It always came in large steel trays, fluffy and fragrant, served alongside a thick brown curry. I associated it with crowds, noise, and festivity.
Growing up in Bihar, we called it ghee bhat and it was celebration food. Something Maa or the neighbourhood ladies made in big batches when a lot of people were coming.
It never occurred to me that it was something I could make on a Tuesday at home, just for a friend coming to lunch.
The first time I actually tried how to make ghee rice myself was a few years after I got married, living in South India. A friend was coming over and my original plan had fallen apart by ten in the morning.
I had basmati rice, a large piece of ghee, and a handful of whole spices. I took out the pressure cooker and started from memory.
I overcooked it that day. Two whistles instead of one. The rice was soft and a little sticky but the aroma was exactly right, that warm, buttery, spiced smell that takes you straight back.
My friend ate two full plates and asked for the recipe. I told her I was still figuring it out.
Over the next few months I made it often. I got the water ratio right. I learned that the onions need patience, not high heat. I started adding mace because Maa always said one piece of javitri changes everything in a ghee bhat.
And she was right. It adds something you can’t quite name, just a warmth that rounds everything out.
Now this ghee rice recipe is one of the first things I reach for when I want to cook something that feels special but takes less than an hour. It looks like you tried very hard. It tastes like someone made it with love. Both those things are true.
Serving Suggestions:
Ghee rice tastes best alongside a curry that has some body and sauce to it. I love my ghee rice along with Methi malai matar.
Here are some more combinations I keep coming back to.
Dal makhani is a wonderful pairing. The creaminess of the dal and the fragrance of the rice balance each other well.
Paneer butter masala works well too. If you want something lighter, a simple raita with cucumber and cumin is all you need.
For a Kerala-style neychoru meal, serve it with a coconut-based vegetable stew or a kadala curry made with black chickpeas. The coconut and ghee flavours belong together.
On a busy day, a good pickle and some yogurt alongside the rice makes a complete meal. Don’t underestimate the simple combination.
For a full festive spread, serve this ghee rice recipe with biryani salan, mango pickle, papad, and a sweet payasam on the side.
Storage Suggestions:
Ghee rice keeps well in the fridge for up to two days. Store it in an airtight container. The rice will harden a little in the fridge because of the ghee, which is completely normal.
To reheat, sprinkle a few drops of water over the rice, add a small bit of ghee, cover with a lid, and warm on low heat for four to five minutes. You can also microwave it for a minute.
The cashews will lose some of their crunch after refrigeration. If that bothers you, keep them separate and add fresh when serving.
I wouldn’t recommend freezing this dish. The texture of basmati rice changes too much when frozen and thawed, and you’d lose the lightness that makes this worth eating.
Pro Tips for Perfect Ghee Rice:
I’ve made this dish more times than I can count, and these are the small things that make the difference between good ghee rice and really good ghee rice.
Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. This removes the excess starch that makes rice sticky and is the most important step for getting separate grains.
Don’t cut the soaking time short. Thirty minutes is the minimum. The soaking matters more in a pressure cooker than in an open pot because there’s less time to absorb water during cooking.
The ghee must be properly hot before the spices go in. You’ll know it’s ready when the whole spices start to sizzle and crackle within a few seconds. If they just sit there without any sound, the ghee isn’t hot enough.
Saute the onions on medium flame, not high. High heat burns the outside before the inside cooks. You want them evenly golden, not patchy.
Add the ginger and garlic only after the onions have changed colour. If you add them too early they burn, and burnt ginger spoils the whole base.
Use room temperature water, not cold water straight from the tap. Cold water takes longer to come to a boil and can affect how the rice cooks inside the cooker.
Always add that second half tablespoon of ghee over the rice just before closing the lid. Most people skip this and then wonder why their ghee rice is clumping together.
Let the pressure release naturally. Don’t run the cooker under cold water or try to open it early. The rice needs that resting time inside.
Fluff with a fork, not a spoon. A spoon breaks the grains and you end up with mushed rice instead of fluffy separate ones.
Watch the cashews closely in the tadka pan. They go from golden to burnt very quickly. The moment they turn light golden, take them off the heat.
If your rice tends to stick at the bottom of the cooker, reduce the heat slightly after the water starts boiling and before you close the lid.
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Basic Ingredients Used To Make Ghee Rice Recipe:
Basmati Pulav Rice: Long-grain basmati is the right choice for this ghee rice recipe. It cooks up fluffy with separate grains and carries the aroma of the spices beautifully.
Look for aged basmati if you can find it. It has a drier texture that works especially well in a pressure cooker and won’t go sticky.
Desi Ghee: This is the heart of the dish. Ghee adds flavour, fragrance, and that richness that makes neychoru what it is. Use good quality desi ghee, homemade if possible. Don’t reduce the quantity. This isn’t a dish where less is more.
Cinnamon: A one-inch piece of cinnamon adds warmth and a faint sweetness to the spice base. It’s one of the first things to go into the hot ghee and you can smell it opening up almost immediately.
Star Anise: Star anise brings a mild, slightly sweet depth that’s hard to describe until you’ve tasted it. It’s a key part of this ghee rice recipe and looks beautiful in the dish with its distinctive star shape.
Cardamom: Three to four pods, lightly crushed so the seeds are exposed. Cardamom adds a floral sweetness and is the spice that makes ghee rice smell like something celebratory.
Mace (Javitri): A small piece of mace, the outer covering of nutmeg, adds a warm, nutty background note that’s subtle but unmistakable. Maa always added javitri to her rice dishes, and once you start using it you won’t want to leave it out.
Bay Leaf: One to two bay leaves simmer in the base and add a mild herbal note. Fresh bay leaves have a stronger aroma than dried ones, so use fresh if you have them.
Cloves: Four to five cloves add a sharp, slightly sweet warmth. Don’t add more than the recipe calls for. Cloves can overpower everything else if you’re not careful.
Onion: Thinly sliced onion sauteed until golden. The caramelization adds a mild sweetness and body to the rice that plain water simply can’t give.
Green Chilli: Two slit green chillies add a gentle background heat without making the dish spicy. They cook into the base with the onions and their heat softens as the dish cooks.
Ginger and Garlic: Freshly pounded ginger and garlic, not paste from a jar. The smell alone tells you the difference. Sharp, raw, fresh. It stays present in the final dish in a way that packaged paste never does.
Cashew Nuts and Raisins: Roasted in ghee just before serving. The cashews go golden and crisp, the raisins plump up and turn sweet. Together they finish the ghee bhat and make every spoonful a little bit different.
How to Make Ghee Rice:
This neychoru-style ghee rice recipe uses a pressure cooker for the most consistent results. Find the complete recipe card below with exact quantities and timings.
Soaking the Rice: Wash the basmati rice two to three times under running water until it runs clear. Then soak in fresh water for thirty minutes. While the rice soaks, pound the ginger and garlic to a rough paste using a mortar and pestle and keep it ready.
Cooking the Base: Heat two tablespoons of ghee in a pressure cooker on medium flame. Once the ghee is hot, add the cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, bay leaf, cloves, and mace.
They’ll start to sizzle and crackle within seconds and the kitchen will smell wonderful.
Add the thinly sliced onions and slit green chillies. Saute on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn a deep golden colour.
This takes about eight to ten minutes. Don’t rush it. Add the freshly pounded ginger and garlic.
Saute for two more minutes until the raw smell disappears.
Cooking the Rice: Pour in 1 and 3/4 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Drain the soaked rice and add it to the cooker. Mix gently once.
Add the remaining half tablespoon of ghee over the rice. Once the water comes back to a boil, close the pressure cooker and cook for one whistle on medium heat.
Switch off the flame and let the pressure release naturally. Don’t open it early.
Finishing with Nuts: While the pressure releases, heat one tablespoon of ghee in a small tadka pan. Add the cashews and roast on low heat until golden. Add the raisins and let them puff up for about thirty seconds. They’ll look plump and glossy.
Open the cooker once the pressure is fully released. Add the roasted cashews and raisins on top. Fluff gently with a fork. Your ghee rice is ready. Serve hot alongside any curry of your choice.
Ghee Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Ghee plus 1/2 tbsp
- 1 cup Basmati Pulav Rice
- 1 inch Cinnamon
- 2 Star Anise
- 3-4 Cardamom
- 1-2 Bay Leaf
- 4-5 Clove
- Mace javitri, small piece
- 2 Onion Thinly Sliced
- 2 Green Chilli Slit
- 1 tbsp Ginger & Garlic Pounded
- 1 tsp Salt or to taste
- 1 3/4 Cup Water
- 1 tbsp Ghee to roast cashew and raisins, or as needed
- Cashew Nuts few
- Raisins few
Instructions
- Wash and soak basmati rice for 30 mins.
- In the meantime pound the ginger and garlic.
- Now add ghee to pressure cooker.
- Add cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, bay leaf, clove, mace.
- Add sliced onion. Saute them.
- Add green chillies and saute until onion changes color.
- Now add the freshly pound ginger and garlic to onion and saute.
- Pour 1 3/4 cup of water to the cooker. (for one cup of rice)
- Now add the soaked rice and mix once.
- Now add 1/2 tbsp of ghee.
- Once the water starts boiling, close the cooker and let is cook for 1 whistle.
- Now heat tadka pan add ghee and roast some cashew nuts and raisins.
- After the pressure is released, open the cooker and add the roasted nuts and raisins.
- So the delicious ghee rice is ready to be served.
- Serve along with any curry of your choice.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions About Ghee Rice:
What is ghee rice made of?
Ghee rice is made with basmati rice, desi ghee, whole spices like cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, bay leaf, cloves and mace, sliced onions, green chillies, freshly pounded ginger and garlic, and topped with roasted cashews and raisins. It’s a simple, fragrant one-pot dish that comes together in under an hour.
What is the difference between ghee rice and pulao?
Both use similar ingredients but this ghee rice recipe is lighter and relies on the fragrance of ghee and whole spices rather than vegetables or a heavy spice base. Pulao is more layered and elaborate. In ghee rice, the aroma of the ghee is the star.
Can I make ghee rice without a pressure cooker?
Yes. Use a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight lid. After adding the soaked rice and water, bring it to a boil, reduce the flame to the lowest setting, cover, and cook for fifteen to eighteen minutes. Let it rest with the lid on for another five minutes before opening.
Why is my ghee rice sticky?
Sticky ghee rice usually comes from too much water, not soaking the rice beforehand, or not rinsing off the surface starch. Stick to 1 and 3/4 cups of water for one cup of rice, always soak for at least thirty minutes, and rinse until the water runs clear.
Can I use regular rice instead of basmati for this ghee rice recipe?
You can, but the result will be different. Basmati gives you long separate grains with a natural fragrance that carries the ghee and spices well.
Short-grain or regular rice will cook softer and clump more easily. For Kerala-style neychoru, kaima rice or jeerakasala rice is the traditional choice.
How much ghee should I use in ghee rice?
This ghee rice recipe uses about three and a half tablespoons in total. You can increase it slightly for a richer flavour but don’t reduce it much.
The generous amount of ghee is what makes this dish what it is.
Is ghee rice good for festivals and special occasions?
Absolutely. Ghee rice is a celebratory dish across India, from Kerala weddings where neychoru is served as part of the feast, to North Indian homes where ghee bhat is made on auspicious days.
It’s fragrant, festive, and easy to scale up for a crowd.
Can I add saffron to ghee rice?
You can. Dissolve a few strands of saffron in two tablespoons of warm milk and pour it over the rice just before closing the cooker. It gives the rice a gentle golden colour and a delicate flavour that works well for special occasions.
What curries go best with ghee rice?
Ghee rice goes well with paneer butter masala, dal makhani, methi malai matar, vegetable korma, kadala curry, coconut vegetable stew, or any mildly spiced gravy.
A simple cucumber raita works well too.
Can I make ghee rice ahead of time?
Yes. Make it a few hours in advance and keep it covered. Reheat gently with a splash of water and a little ghee on low heat, if you want.
Add the roasted cashews and raisins fresh just before serving so they stay crisp.
My Recommended Product:
If you plan to make one pot recipes like Nei Choru regularly, using a good quality pressure cooker makes the process much easier and faster.
A sturdy pressure cooker helps cook rice evenly, giving you that soft texture that Ghee bhat is known for.
I personally use a Bergner pressure cooker in my kitchen and find it very reliable for daily cooking. It cooks the rice perfectly soft and saves a lot of time.
If you are planning to buy a good cooker, you can consider checking it out.
You can also explore my Amazon page where I have shared my favorite kitchen tools and appliances.
Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a small commission.
Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases.
I am an independent blogger and the reviews are done based on my own opinions. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.
You Might Also Want to Try:
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Methi Malai Matar
Kerala Style Vegetable Stew Recipe
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