Jeera Rice or Cumin Rice recipe: As the name suggests jeera rice is made with jeera or cumin seeds, some whole spices and rice. Jeera rice is a very common dish widely served in dhabas and restaurants. It goes very well with Dum aloo, matar paneer, rajma masala, gobi aloo, egg curry, daal tadka and many more Indian curries. Jeera rice is made is two ways: One is what I did. I cooked it more like a pulao where jeera, whole spices and rice are cooked together. I like this method as rice fully absorbs the flavors of cumin and whole spices.The other method is more like fried rice. Where cooked rice is fried in jeera and whole spices. This also tastes delicious and can also be made with leftover rice. Many times when I make Dhaba or restaurant style dal tadka or dal makhni I also make jeera rice. Just try this combination sometime, I am sure you will love it.
Jeera Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati Rice
- 2 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 Small Cardamom
- 2 Cloves
- 2 Small Cardamom
- ½ tsp Cumin Seeds
- 2 Dry Red Chillies
- 2 tbsp Ghee
- 1⅔ cup Water
- Salt
Instructions
- Wash rice till water runs clear. Soak it in water for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes drain the water out of the rice.
- Now put the pan or wok (preferably non stick) on medium heat. Add ghee or butter. As ghee is getting hot add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, and whole red chilly.
- Saute and cook whole spices for few seconds. Now add cumin seeds and let it sizzle for few seconds.
- Now add soaked rice. Mix everything and cook rice with spices and ghee for 2-3 minutes.
- Now add cumin powder, salt and add water.Mix everything and increase the heat to high and take a boil.
- As soon as boil starts reduce the heat to low, cover and cook rice for about 15 minutes or till rice becomes soft but not mushy.
- Gently saute the rice every 5 minutes to make sure it cooks uniformly and does not burn at the bottom.
- Switch off the heat and zeera rice is ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- I prefer making jeera rice with ghee or clarified butter for the best taste, but you can also use oil.
- I prefer soaking rice for almost 45 minutes before cooking as according to my experience if you do not soak the rice it absorbs more water, takes longer time to cook and becomes mushy.
- Always saute rice with spices and ghee for some times before adding water. That helps in releasing flavors from spices.
- It is very important to check the salt just after adding water so that it can be adjust accordingly.
- While cooking, saute rice with gentle hands after every 5 minutes for even cooking.
WOW!The rice is cooked so perfectly dear. love the addition of dry red chilli. Its YUM!
Thanks Khushi 🙂