Irachi Choru (Meat Rice) Recipe – Traditional Kerala Cooking Methods

A brief introduction

Irachi Choru (Kerala Meat Rice) is a traditional one-pot non-vegetarian rice dish cooked for special occasions. When you don’t have enough time to prepare some chicken main course dish for guests or for yourself for a light mood, Irachi Choru is ideal. This one-pot rice dish from Kerala that beautifully reflects the region’s love for bold spices and slow-cooked flavours. Initially popular among Malabar Muslims, especially during festival occasions and family gatherings, nowadays other regions of Kerala have also approved Irachi Choru.

Through this post, I shall provide two methods of preparation of Kerala Meat Rice and you can try both.

Irachi Choru (Meat Rice) Recipe – Simple Method

Ingredients for Irachi Choru – Simple Method:

1. Basmati rice – 1 kg
   Cinnamon – 1 small piece
   Cloves – 4
   Cardamom – 2
   Star anise – 2
   Ghee – A little
   Water – Double quantity of rice
   Salt – As needed
2. Ghee – As required
3. Onion – 4
4. Ginger-garlic paste – 3 small spoons
   Green chillies – 4
5. Cinnamon – 1 small piece
   Cloves – 4
   Cardamom – 4
6. Turmeric powder – ½ small spoon
   Chilli powder – 4 small spoons
   Coriander powder – 4 small spoons
7.  Tomato – 2, chopped
8. Mutton – 1 kg (cooked adding salt and turmeric powder)
9. Mint leaves and coriander leaves – A handful each
10. Fried onions and cashews – To decorate
    Groundnut – A handful (optional)

How to prepare Irachi Choru using Simple method?

1. Wash rice and strain off water content.
2. Heat a little ghee and sauté cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and star anise.
3. Add rice to it, fry for a while and add water and salt.
4. When water boils, reduce the flame.
5. Cook until water content is fully absorbed.
6. Heat ingredients no: 5 and make a powder.
7. Heat ghee in a pan and sauté onions.
8. Add ginger-garlic paste and chopped green chillies.
9. Add the powders along with masala.
10. Mix it well and add tomatoes.
11. When the contents are well cooked, add cooked mutton and mix well.
12. Add mint leaves, coriander leaves and groundnut, and sauté well.
13. Add cooked rice to it, mix it well and decorate using fried onions and cashews

Courtesy: Vanitha Magazine April 15-30, 2019

Irachi Choru (Meat Rice) Recipe – With fried chicken

Ingredients for Irachi Choru with fried chicken:

1. Chilli powder – 2 small spoons
   Dried oregano – 1 small spoon
   Dried thyme – 1 small spoon
   Garlic – 4 cloves
   Onion – 1
   Salt – 1/4 small spoon
   Black pepper powder – 1/4 small spoon
2. Chicken drumsticks – 4-5, skin and bone removed
3. Oil – 2 large spoons
4. Onion – 1, chopped into cubes
5. Basmati rice – 1 cup
6. Vegetable broth – 1 3/4 cups

How to prepare Irachi Choru with fried chicken?

1. Grind the first set of ingredients (chilli powder, oregano, thyme, garlic, onion, salt, black pepper) and rub it well onto the chicken. Place the marinate in the fridge overnight for best results.
2. Heat 1 large spoon of oil in a pan and sear the chicken on both sides until brown. Remove chicken from the pan.
3. In the same pan, add the remaining 1 large spoon of oil and heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until soft.
4. Add the rice and sauté for 1-2 minutes until it is well coated and becomes fragrant.
5. Add the vegetable broth to the rice and mix well. Keep sautéing and gently break the clumps stuck at the bottom.
6. Place the chicken on top of the rice, cover the pan, and cook on medium heat until it boils well.
7. After boiling, reduce the heat and cook the rice and chicken for 20 minutes. Do not open the lid or stir.
8. Wait for 20 minutes, and turn off the heat. Let the pan sit, covered, for 5 minutes.
9. Then open the lid, garnish with chopped parsley if desired, and serve hot.

Also read:Meat Rice and Baingan Salad recipe.

Click to read a few more rice main course recipes here. Here is the page link.