Jeera Rice

Jeera  Rice can be served in lots of different ways and my favourite is with a curry especially this Cannellini beans curry.  Plain rice is something we tend to make regularly but when we want to serve something special, we tend to cook biryani, saffron rice  or Jeera Rice.  Jeera rice gives rice a lovely fragrance and is easy to make if you are using basmati rice.

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Recently, Nayna Kanabar  and I cooked Jeera rice and alu chole  on Instagram live.  A few months ago I would not have thought that this was possible!!  We had great fun and amazingly the rice turned out great. You can just about make out both our dishes on the screen shot below:

What is jeera rice:  Jeera rice is rice with cumin seeds.  tempering the cumin seeds in oil before adding the basmati rice, gives the rice a lovely fragrance.

Recipe for Jeera rice for 2 large servings:

Ingredients

  • 1 cup basmati rice (get a good quality basmati rice)1 tsp salt
  • Pinch of turmeric
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
  • 1 tbls cooking oil
  • 1 tblbutter (optional)
  • 3-4 cashews for garnishing (optional).

Method:

1. Wash the rice and soak for  at least 30 minutes or more

2. Heat the oil in a saucepan or wok with a tight fitting lid.  When the oil gets hot add the cumin seeds.  Once they go brown, drain the rice and add it to the hot oil.

3. Stir the rice to ensure the rice grains are covered in oil . Add the butter, salt turmeric and 2 cups water and bring the rice to boil.

4.  Once you see it boiling, cover the pan and lower the heat.  Cook for 10 mins and do resist the temptation to open the lid.  After 10 minutes switch off the heat and check the rice

6. Garnish the rice with cashews and serve with any curry.

 

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Jeera Rice

Jeera rice gives rice a lovely fragrance and is easy to make if you are using basmati rice.
Course dinner, lunch
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4
Author Mina Joshi

Ingredients

  • 1 cup basmati rice (get a good quality basmati rice)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Pinch of turmeric
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
  • 1 tbls cooking oil
  • 1 tbl butter (optional)
  • 3-4 cashews for garnishing (optional)

Instructions

  • Wash the rice and soak for  at least 30 minutes or more
  • Heat the oil in a saucepan or wok with a tight fitting lid.  When the oil gets hot add the cumin seeds.  Once they go brown, drain the rice and add it to the hot oil.
  • Stir the rice to ensure the rice grains are covered in oil . Add the butter, salt turmeric and 2 cups water and bring the rice to boil.
  • Once you see it boiling, cover the pan and lower the heat.  Cook for 10 mins and do resist the temptation to open the lid.  After 10 minutes switch off the heat and check the rice
  • Garnish the rice with cashews and serve with any curry.

How do you like your rice?

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Mina Joshi

I am a busy working mum who aims to make quick and healthy authentic vegetarian and vegan dishes for my family. I am also a face to face and online cookery teacher, recipe developer, restaurant and product reviewer. I share all recipes with step by step instructions.

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