Jeera Rice / Cumin Rice

Non-sticky, fluffy, fragrant and perfectly cooked basmati rice that is flavored by earthy cumin seeds and aromatic whole spices is a perfect accomplishment for any Indian curries and lentils!

It is a popular dish in North India and Pakistan as an everyday rice dish.
You don’t need to plan ahead for this incredibly delicious and ridiculously easy Indian Jeera Rice or Cumin Rice.It is easy to prepare, unlike biryani or pulao.

This is a spectacular dish, with specks of earthy, fragrant cumin hugging fluffy grains of rice. And it’s beyond easy to make. The most basic version of this dish, which I make most often, requires just three ingredients — rice, cumin, and oil.

A nice hearty meal of Jeera rice with any simple curry preparation, dals or raita or just curd is always welcome. And, that is what my family enjoys always.

Perfectly cooked jeera rice with each grain separate is what we all love, isn’t it? Here are few tips to follow for perfect and fluffy jeera rice,

1. Use very good quality long grain Basmati Rice to make jeera rice. Long grain and aged rice is the best.
2. Add cumin in the ghee, when it is really hot. The cumin’s will crackle immediately releasing all their flavor in the ghee. This simple trick makes a huge difference in the taste of this rice dish, so do not ignore it.
3. Always soak rice for at least 30 – 45 minutes.
4. Slightly crushing the whole spices before adding them in hot ghee makes the jeera rice even more flavorful.
5. Adding a few lemon drops in rice is my age old trick to get fluffy rice each time. Even if you are making plain white rice, add a few drops of lemon to it. It will also keep the colour of the rice white.
6. Another important point, don’t stir the rice while cooking. It will break the grains and you will not have perfectly cooked basmati rice.
7. After the jeera rice is cooked, make sure to rest it for 5-10 minutes before opening the lid and then fluff it with fork.
8. The ratio of rice to water should be 1:1 3/4 for for this non-sticky jeera rice.

You can serve Jeera Rice with gravy of your choice. It can be any curries or dals from simple dal fry to Chicken Tikka Masala.

This rice recipe makes for a nice lunch or dinner delicacy. So next time when you are not in a mood to cook something exotic and elaborate, just try this dish and woo your loved ones.

Lets see how to make this perfect and fluffy Jeera Rice,

Jeera Rice | Jeera Pulao Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup long grain basmati rice
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 inch cinnamon sticks
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
Salt to taste
1 tsp lemon juice
1 and 3/4 cup water
1-2 green cardamom
Chopped coriander, for garnish

Instructions

1. Wash and soak the basmati rice in water for 30-45 minutes.
2. Heat ghee or vegetable oil in a heavy bottom pan.
3. Once the ghee or oil heats up, add cumin seeds, bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Fry them few seconds until aromatic.
4. Strain the rice and add it to the pan. Gently, mix the rice once.
5. Add 1 and 3/4 cup water, salt and a tsp of lemon juice and bring it to a boil.
6. Cover and simmer on low heat until all the water is absorbed.
7. Switch off the heat and then allow it to rest for 5-7 minutes.
8. Fluff it with fork, Jeera rice is ready to serve.
9. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with your favorite curry.

Notes

1. Soak the rice at least for 30 minutes before making the recipe
2. Cooking time may vary for the larger quantity of rice
3. For vegan version, replace ghee with vegetable oil.

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