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Jeera Rice (Restaurant Style) / Indian Cumin Rice

By Jigna
Jeera Rice is one of the easiest dishes to make, yet it is delicious, comforting, and full of flavors.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Cuisine Indian
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Diet Healthy, Vegetarian
Servings 4

Video

Ingredients
  

For Cooking Rice

  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 4 cups water + extra to soak the rice
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste

For Jeera Rice

  • 1 tablespoon ghee or oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 small cinnamon sticks
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 2 cloves
  • 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 green chili cut lengthwise ((optional))
  • 2 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves finely chopped
  • Salt as required

Instructions
 

Cooking Rice

  • Take one cup of rice in a bowl and rinse it with water a few times or until water runs clear of starch.
  • Soak the rice in three cups of cold or room temperature water for 30 minutes.
  • After 30 minutes, drain the water completely and set the rice aside.
  • In a large pot or pan, bring 4 cups of water to boil. Then add drained rice and salt to boiling water.
  • Cook the rice on medium flame, uncovered, until they are cooked, but each grain remains separate. It may take about 8-10 minutes, depending on the type of rice.
  • So keep an eye on the rice after 5-6 minutes of cooking. Rice should not be overcooked.
  • Drain the water, set the cooked rice aside, and let it cool down completely.
  • To speed up the cooling, spread the rice into a big plate.

Making Jeera Rice

  • Heat ghee or oil in a pan. Add bay leaf, cinnamon sticks, green cardamoms, and cloves. Saute for a few seconds until spices are aromatic.
  • Add cumin seeds and allow them to sizzle. Then, turn the heat on low and add green chili and coriander leaves.
  • Mix well and immediately add the cooked rice. Stir everything well but very gently so that the rice grains do not break.
  • Add salt as required, mix well, and turn off the heat.
  • Serve hot Jeera Rice with your choice of Dal or Curry.

Notes

  1. Use the best quality and aged basmati rice for this recipe. Alternatively, you can also use another variety of long grain rice that is not too starchy.
  2. Rinse the rice well with water a few times or until water runs clear. Rinsing the rice will help to remove excess starch, and rice will be fluffy and non-sticky.
  3. Soaking the rice in water is also essential. Soak it in cold or room temperature water, but do not soak in warm or hot water. Soak the rice for at least 20-30 minutes.
  4. Cook the rice in enough water, and cook until they are just done but not overcooked.
  5. For this recipe, the rice should not be sticky and mushy. So after 5-6 minutes of cooking, keep an eye on the rice and check frequently.
  6. After cooking the rice, let them cool completely before making Jeera Rice. After draining the water, I always like to spread the rice into a large plate. That helps in faster cooling, as well as the rice grains will stay separate.
  7. Use more or fewer whole spices as you prefer.
  8. After mixing rice into spices, do not stir too much to avoid the breaking of rice grains. Instead, mix gently only until everything is well combined.
  9. For the vegan option, use oil instead of ghee.
  10. After adding green chili and coriander leaves, do not cook them for longer to prevent them from browning.

Nutrition (Approximate Values)

Calories : 209kcalCarbohydrates : 38gProtein : 4gFat : 4gSaturated Fat : 2gPolyunsaturated Fat : 1gMonounsaturated Fat : 1gCholesterol : 10mgSodium : 586mgPotassium : 84mgFiber : 1gSugar : 1gVitamin A : 14IUVitamin C : 1mgCalcium : 27mgIron : 1mg
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