Jeera (Cumin) rice is a classic Indian side dish consisting of Basmati Rice, Cumin seeds, Ghee and other whole spices. Jeera rice is typically eaten with Vegetable Curry, Meat Curry or Daal (lentil soup).
I love going to an Indian Restaurant and getting some butter paneer and a steamy side of Jeera Rice. Genuinely I just love how long and perfectly cooked the grains are (I’ve said this before, but I am actually neurotic when it comes to how my rice is cooked).
Ingredients for Jeera Rice
- Basmati Rice: This is pretty much the only rice that is used in India. It is long, slender and has a delicious nutty flavor/aroma. I find basmati rice very easy to overcook, so my method amazing for getting the texture just right.
- Jeera (Cumin): This dish asks for whole cumin seeds. When toasted in oil/ghee, it brings out the deep flavor. I personally love the flavor of cumin in my rice, it adds great flavor to whatever curry you’re eating.
- Whole Spices: I love adding whole spices in this dish because once they are toasted, they add just enough flavor to the rice without being too overpowering. It sucks biting into those when eating your meal, so you can just remove them after cooking.
- Ghee: I like to do half ghee and half oil just to get a bit of ghee flavor. I’m not too fond of the flavor of ghee (I know controversial) so I like to do half and half.
How to Make Jeera Rice
I start by boiling 2.5 cups of water in a kettle or a separate pot. I love having an electric kettle in the kitchen for boiling water very fast.
Wash your rice really well until the water runs close to clear. I personally like to use a fine mesh strainer, but you can use the bowl and strain method.
In a pot, add your oil and ghee, let it heat. If you like ghee, totally use more ghee instead of oil. Then toss in your Jeera and all of the whole spices. Toast for around 1 minute or fragrant.
Then add your washed basmati rice, mix well and toast for around 1 minute.
Cover in the boiling water and add salt. Then let most of the water boil out on high heat (you should just see the top layer of rice). Then steam with a foil wrapper lid on low for 10 minutes.
What to Eat Jeera Rice With
Like I mentioned earlier, I love eating Jeera Rice with different curries and daal. I also love using this rice to make Tandoori Rice bowls (Recipe coming soon!)
Try This:
Restaurant-Style Jeera Rice
DifficultyEasy
Servings6
Prep time5 minutes
Cook time15 minutes
Total time20 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Basmati Rice
- 2 1/2 Cups Water, Boiled
- 1 Tbsp Ghee (Clarified Butter)
- 1 Tbsp Avocado Oil
- 2 Tsp Salt
- 1 1/2 Tsp Whole Cumin Seeds
- 5 Whole Peppercorns
- 2 Whole Cloves
- 2 Green Cardamom Pods
- 1 Bay Leaf
Instructions
- 1
Boil the water in a kettle or separate pot.
- 2
In a pot, add the ghee and oil. Once heated, add the cumin seeds, cloves, peppercorns, green cardamom, and bay leaf. Toast for 1 minute.
- 3
Add in washed and strained basmati rice. Toast for 1 minute.
- 4
Once the water it boiled, add it to the rice. Then sprinkle in the salt.
- 5
Let the water boil out until you can see a layer of rice on top. Then cover with a foil wrapper lid. Steam on low for 10 minutes.
- 6
Once cooked, fluff with a fork, add cilantro (if you want) and enjoy!
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