Jeera rice needs no introduction. Basmati rice cooked in butter with some whole spices is all you need to make this rice at home. This recipe is restaurant-style jeera rice. Adored by all the rice lovers with the side of tadka dal, or any other lentils.
The Indian Cumin Rice aka Jeera Rice is a delicious rice recipe. Mostly made with dal fry or dal tadka, this rice is adorned for its simplicity. Growing up, my mom always had jeera rice and dal fry for our lunch every week. My sister and I loved it so much. I need to get you guys my mom's dal fry recipe soon. It is amazing, and another simple recipe.
What is Jeera Rice?
Cumin seeds in Hindi are known as Jeera. This style of rice got famous because of the way they make it in the restaurants. And of course, I love the restaurant version too. There are a few different ways to make this kind of rice, but I usually opt for the one-pot recipe.
The aromatic basmati rice cooked in butter with earthy and warm spice flavors from cumin seeds, cinnamon and bay leaves. This rice gets sweeter notes from the green and black cardamom pods, along with star anise. This rice is deliciously rich in flavors, through these warm spices that will make your heart smile.
Different Ways to Cook Jeera Rice
The rice is traditionally cooked in a pot with whole spices. later tempered in butter or ghee with green chilies, cumin seeds, and lots of cilantro. While this is one way of cooking rice, I like to opt for the one-pot recipe.
I temper the aromatics and the spices in butter at first. Then add the aromatic basmati rice in the pot and toast it. Once it starts to smell earthy, I add in the water, and slow cook it. This way the rice gets slathered in the butter beautifully. The starch from the rice helps the rice to become more buttery which adds to the gorgeous flavor jeera rice has to offer.
Is this Rice Recipe Vegan?
I use Butter to make jeera rice. But, if you want to make a vegan version of this recipe just use vegan butter. It works perfectly.
How to Get the Rice to Cook Perfectly Every Time
Variety of Rice
There are a few things to keep in mind when you want to make perfectly fluffed rice. Choosing the type of rice that you are cooking is very important. As well know there are so many types of rice available in the market. Every rice has a different kind of specialty. Some rice varieties are high in starch content, while some are starch resistant. To cook perfectly fluffed rice, you have to use rice that is starch resistant. The Indian Basmati rice is long-grained rice with naturally starch resisting content. This helps the rice to not be sticky and results in perfect and beautifully fluffed rice.
Washing, Rinsing and Soaking the Rice
It is very highly likely, that due to the short of time, you might be tempted to skip this step. But washing and rinsing the rice thoroughly is very important. it helps take out the dirt and starch from the rice, which will ensure that your rice cooks perfectly fluffed.
Soaking the rice from 10 minutes up to 30 minutes ensures that the rice fluffs up. The well-soaked rice will also require less water to cook. This will also help the rice to not absorb starch.
Cooking the Rice
The rice to water ratio is another very important aspect of getting the rice right. I use a 1: 2 ratio for Basmati Rice to Water for One-Pot Rice Recipes. For every 1 Cup of Rice, I use 2 cups of Water. If you are pressure cooking the rice, is 1: 1.75. This means for every 1 Cup of Rice, you need 1 and ¾th cups of water. If you are cooking using the Rice in the Instant Pot you need to follow a 1:1 ratio. For every 1 cup of Basmati Rice, you will need one cup of water.
Video Recipe
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Jeera Rice (One Pot Indian Cumin Rice
These nutrional values are automatically generated. Use them for estimation only.
Equipment
- Heavy Bottom Pot
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Basmati Rice
- 3 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 2 Tsp Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 Large Cinnamon Stick
- 4 Green Cardamom
- 1 Star Anise
- 1 Black Cardamom
- 2 Green Chilies Slit
- 2 Tsp Salt Add 1 teaspoon Salt, If you are using Salted Butter
- 4 Cups Warm Water
- Fresh Finely Chopped Cilantro For Garnishing
Instructions
- Wash and rinse 2 Cups of Basmati rice using tap water, until the water is clear. You will have to repeat this step twice or thrice.
- Now soak the basmati rice for 10-15 mins. After soaking, Drain the water and keep it aside.
- In a heavy bottom pot add butter.
- Once it starts to melt, add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
- Add all the whole spices listed in the ingredient list now.
- Next add in the slit green chilies, rice and salt.
- Toast the rice until it starts to smell aromatic and earthy.
- Next add in 4 cups of warm water to the the pot.
- Cook the rice on high flame until the water starts to boil. Keep stirring in between.
- After the water starts boiling, cook the rice for another 5-7 mins the lid covered or until the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked. Keep stirring in between to make sure the rice doesn't stick to the pot.
- Once the rice is cooked, garnish with fresh finely chopped cilantro.
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