Quick & Simple Jeera Rice Recipe

Quick & Simple Jeera Rice Recipe

Posted on Sep 8, 2023


The Perfectly Cooked Jeera Rice | Cumin Rice Recipe For Special Days  

Do you want to give your usual plain rice a dash of change that’s also delicious and saves you time? Try making the jeera rice recipe, a healthy, delectable option. On days when you have guests coming over, this simple delicacy is a quick game-changer and will enhance your serving palate in no time!
Whether you are planning on vegetarian dishes - the great Indian curries or a chicken/mutton preparation for the meal, the jeera rice recipe is an absolute hit always. Jeera is the Indian name for Cumin seeds, and the rice cooked using the same results in a super fragrant and fulfilling outcome. Are you planning to start with the preparation? Then here is a quick recipe for jeera rice!  

Jeera Rice Ingredients 

Whether you have guests visiting on the weekends or you want to treat your spouse to a special weeknight date at home, preparing jeera rice is a good place to start! But first things first, you need to identify and sort all the ingredients. The tempering of cumin and fragrant whole spices will amplify the simple rice dish to a new level. 

We understand how important time is when you are always on a busy schedule! So, to maintain a thorough transparency, here is a quick overview of the time needed. 


Rice Soaking Time: 30 minutes (min) to 2 hours (max) 

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 2 people

Moving on, here is a list of the required ingredients for an easy jeera rice recipe! 

• 1 Cup basmati rice
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 2 tablespoons of clarified butter/ghee
• 2 tablespoons of cumin/jeera
• 2 to 3 Whole Cardamoms or 1 tablespoon of powdered Cardamom
• ½ of Cinnamon bark
• 1-2 Bay leaves
• 2 cloves
• 4 tablespoons of finely chopped coriander
• Water to soak and boil the rice

How To Make Jeera Rice? - Step By Step Guide

Optionally, you can cook the jeera rice with some saffron strands to add warming flavour and colour! Otherwise, follow the steps below to find out “how to cook jeera rice in simple steps?” 

Cook The Basmati Rice

Let’s help you begin:

Step 1: Start by rinsing 1 cup of Basmati rice under cool water! Continue washing the rice until the water is clear and free of dirt. 

Step 2: Take a glass bowl and soak the rice in clean water for a minimum of 30 minutes to a maximum of 2 hours. Fill in the bowl with enough water so that the grains are covered.  

Step 3: Drain the water and keep aside the soaked rice after the stipulated time.

Step 4: Now, take a deep saucepan, add 4 cups of water, and bring it to a boil. Add the spices as mentioned below. 
• 2 to 3 Whole Cardamoms or 1 tablespoon of powdered Cardamom
• 1-2 Bay leaves
• ½ inch of cinnamon bark
• 2 cloves

Step 5: Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the boiling water and the soaked rice! Uncover the pan and let the rice simmer in low heat. In the meantime, do not forget to taste the water! It must have a salty flavour to it.   

Step 6: Continue cooking the rice grains until they are tender but separate. Take a spatula or a spoon and scoop some rice grains from the boiling water. Press one or two rice grains with your fingers. See if those get easily crushed. If yes! Then your rice is ready. 

Step 7: Turn off the gas flame and cover the vessel with a lid. Leave the cooked rice for 2 to 3 minutes, then drain the water with a strainer. 

Step 8: Keep the cooked rice aside until it completely cools. 

Temper The Jeera Rice

If you want, you can rinse the rice with water at room temperature. This will keep the grains separate and stop the rice from further cooking. After completing the cooking part, it’s time to temper the jeera rice and give it an ultimate finish. 

Step 1: Take a small pan and add 1.5 tablespoons of ghee and 2 tablespoons of oil. Heat everything on low to medium flame. 

Step 2: Then add 2 tablespoons of cumin seeds (jeera) to the oil.

Step 3: Let the jeera crackle! Ensure that the seeds are completely fried. Otherwise, you will taste uncooked cumin after mixing them with the rice. 

Step 4: Add some finely chopped green chillies to the mixture and stir for a few seconds. Ensure the chillies do not get overheated and turn brown. 

Step 5: Add the prepared tempering to the cooled rice kept aside and mix up well using a wooden spatula. Or you can also use a fork! The rice should be completely cool, as hot rice grains tend to break easily. 

Step 6: Transfer the rice to a serving bowl with a lid once done with the mixup. This will keep the rice warm and fresh for the longest, making it easy to store in the refrigerator.  

Top Tips For A Perfectly Cooked Jeera Rice

Now that you know the basic steps of “how to prepare jeera rice?” The following pro tips will help you with aromatic and fluffy outcomes.

→ Soak the uncooked rice for atleast 30 minutes or 2 hours for the longest. It will help with an optimum result. Soaking the rice will ensure the grains expand and let the rice get cooked evenly. Also, soaking the rice grains before cooking requires less water on the stovetop, resulting in a shorter cooking time. 

→ Remember, cumin tends to get burned easily! Adding burned spices to the rice will spoil the complete taste of the dish, ruining your entire day’s work. So, keep a tab on the kadhai, and do not over-saute your spices. 

→ Always make sure to be consistent in mixing up the rice and the spices. Let the ghee coat each grain of rice when you want to serve the most flavourful jeera rice to your family and visiting guests. 

→ Since the dish requires good tossing and the rice volume is to its maximum quantity, always opt for a kadhai/pan with a deep bottom for optimum ease.   

Conclusion

So that is all you need to know to perfectly cook jeera rice. Out of everything, choose good quality basmati rice and follow all the steps included for a delightful outcome. Along with spices, some people also add onions to jeera rice to amplify the flavour.   

FAQs

1. What is the difference between biryani and jeera rice?

Jeera rice is cooked along with cumin seeds and other spices. In biriyani, rice is steamed with aromatic spices and herbs, minus the jeera. 

2. What is the best vegetarian side dish with Jeera Rice?

You can have jeera rice with Mixed Vegetable Gravy, Pepper Paneer Do Pyaza, Mushroom Manchurian, Rajma Masala Curry and Vendakka (Okra / Bhindi) Curry. 

3. Is it good to eat jeera rice daily?

You can add jeera rice to your daily diet, as the base ingredients are jeera and rice, which are extremely healthy for your body.

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