A2 Ghee Rice Recipe: Ready in 20 Minutes (Why the Ghee Matters)

Ghee rice is one of the simplest dishes in Indian cooking — rice, whole spices, a handful of cashews and raisins, and ghee. That simplicity is exactly why it's such a good test of ghee quality. There's nowhere for a mediocre or adulterated ghee to hide when it's the star ingredient, not a background note. Here's a straightforward, no-fuss recipe, and an honest look at why the ghee you use changes the dish more than almost any other ingredient in it.

Quick answer: Ghee rice is made by frying whole spices, cashews, and raisins in ghee, then cooking basmati rice in that same infused ghee with water until fluffy. It takes about 20 minutes start to finish. Using a high-quality, traditionally made ghee — like GHRAAM's A2 Bilona ghee — makes a noticeably richer, more aromatic result than regular commercial ghee, since the flavour of the ghee itself is front and centre in this dish.

Why the Ghee Matters More Here Than in Most Recipes

In heavily spiced dishes, ghee plays a supporting role — its flavor blends into the background. Ghee rice is different. The rice is cooked directly in the ghee, so its aroma and taste come through in every bite, unmasked. This is why the same recipe can taste completely different depending on what ghee you use:

• Commercial, cream-separated ghee tends to be milder, sometimes almost neutral in flavor — the rice ends up pleasant but unremarkable.
• A2 Bilona ghee, made by hand-churning fermented curd and slow-cooking it in small batches, carries a deeper, nuttier, slightly tangy aroma that comes through clearly in the finished rice.

If you've made ghee rice before and found it underwhelming, there's a good chance the ghee — not the recipe — was the limiting factor.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 cup basmati rice
• 3 tablespoons A2 cow ghee, divided
• 10-12 cashews
• 10-12 raisins
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1-inch cinnamon stick
• 3 green cardamom pods
• 3 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 star anise
• 1¾ cups water
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves, for garnish

Method

1. Rinse and soak the rice. Rinse 1 cup basmati rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, about 3-4 rinses. Soak for 20 minutes, then drain well. This step keeps the grains separate and fluffy rather than sticky.
2. Fry the cashews and raisins. Heat 1½ tablespoons of A2 cow ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot or pressure cooker. Fry the cashews until lightly golden, then add the raisins and cook briefly until they plump up. Remove both and set aside for garnish.
3. Sauté the aromatics. In the same ghee, add the remaining 1½ tablespoons of ghee if needed, then add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, and star anise. Fry for about a minute until fragrant. Add the sliced onion and cook until golden.
4. Add the rice and toast briefly. Add the drained rice to the pot and gently stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, coating the grains in the spiced ghee. This step helps the rice hold its shape while cooking.
5. Add water and cook. Pour in 1¾ cups water, add salt to taste, and stir once. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat for 15-18 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. If using a pressure cooker, cook for 1-2 whistles on medium heat instead.
6. Rest, then fluff. Let the rice rest, covered, for 5 minutes off the heat. Fluff gently with a fork to avoid breaking the grains.
7. Garnish and serve. Top with the fried cashews, raisins, and chopped coriander. Serve hot with a simple vegetable kurma, dal, or any curry of your choice.

Tips for the Best Ghee Rice

• Don't skip the soak. Twenty minutes of soaking makes a real difference in how separate and fluffy the final grains turn out.
• Use whole spices, not powder. Whole spices infuse the ghee with aroma without turning the dish gritty or overly spiced.
• Let the ghee do the talking. Resist the urge to add extra oil or butter — the whole point of this dish is letting a good ghee's flavor come through clearly.
• Rest before fluffing. Skipping the rest step is the most common reason ghee rice turns out mushy or clumped.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is ghee rice different from pulao or biryani? Ghee rice is simpler than both — it skips the heavy spice blends and vegetables/meat typically found in pulao or biryani, focusing instead on the flavor of ghee, whole spices, and fried nuts and raisins. It's meant to be a fragrant side dish rather than a standalone main course.

Can I make ghee rice in an Instant Pot? Yes. Sauté the cashews, raisins, spices, and onion using the sauté function, then add the rice, water, and salt, and pressure cook on high for 4 minutes with a natural pressure release of about 10 minutes.

Why does my ghee rice turn out sticky instead of fluffy? This usually comes from skipping the rinse-and-soak step, using too much water, or fluffing the rice immediately instead of letting it rest for a few minutes first.

What's the best ghee to use for ghee rice? Since ghee is the primary flavor in this dish, a traditionally made, high-quality ghee — ideally A2 Bilona ghee made through hand-churning rather than machine-separated commercial ghee — gives a noticeably richer, more aromatic result.

Can I make this recipe vegan or dairy-free? Ghee is a dairy product by definition, so a true dairy-free version would need a plant-based fat substitute, though the dish would lose the distinct ghee aroma that defines it.

Read Next

• What is Bilona Method Ghee — And Why It Matters
• A2 Gir Cow Ghee: Nutrition, Traditional Uses & What's Different
• A2 Cow Ghee vs A1 Cow Ghee: What's the Real Difference?