Jeera Rice is an Indian Style Rice dish flavored with cumin seeds. This Indian restaurant style rice recipe goes very well with Indian Curries and Lentils. Here is how to make it.
In Indian homes, we end up cooking plain steamed rice with our dals, curries, etc, but there are days when we need a slight change.
May be something easy yet flavourful! And that’s when this Jeera Rice dish comes to the rescue.
It is a lightly spiced Pulao, where rice is sauteed in ghee, cumin seeds, and some other whole spices.
Cumin Seeds is used in a little big amount here, as it adds all the flavor in this rice recipe and the aroma from the ghee is just amazing.
I love to relish this Zeera Rice Recipe along with Dhabe Wali Dal Tadka and Dal Fry!
But this versatile rice recipe goes along with almost all the Dals and Curries.
This is also my go-to recipe, whenever I cook North Indian food for house parties or get-togethers.
It hardly takes any time to make and is loved by everyone too.
It is also a great way to use leftover rice.
And therefore if you are hosting a big crowd, you can make the rice a day before and saute it with cumin, ghee, and other spices the time you want to serve it.
Here are some more Rice recipe, that goes perfectly with your festive meals – Hyderabadi Bagara Rice, Shahi Zarda Pulao, Paneer Pulao, Restaurant Style Veg Pulao, Matar Pulao, and Kashmiri Pulao.
What is Jeera Rice?
It is a very famous Indian preparation where Steamed Rice is flavored with Cumin Seeds.
Just a touch of cumin seeds crackled in a little ghee and a few whole spices bring a huge transformation in plain steamed rice and takes it on a much higher level.
I heart the flavors that cumin seeds and various spices such as cardamom, bay leaf, cloves grant to the rice.
Although Dal Fry Jeera Rice is a combination made in heaven, it can be enjoyed with any Indian curry or Dal preparation.
Pro Tips by Neha
Use very good quality long grain Basmati Rice to make jeera rice.
Long grain and aged rice are the best.
Add cumin in the ghee, when it is really hot. The cumins will crackle immediately releasing all their flavor in the ghee.
This simple trick makes a huge difference in the taste of this rice dish, so do not ignore it.
Slightly crushing the whole spices before adding them in hot ghee makes it even more flavourful.
Adding a few lemon drops in rice is my age-old trick to get fluffy rice each time.
Even if you are making plain white rice, add a few drops of lemon to it.
It will also keep the color of the rice white.
Do not stir the rice while cooking. It will break the grains.
After the rice is cooked, make sure to rest it for 5-10 minutes before fluffing it with a fork.
Ingredients
To make Jeera Fried Rice, you will need ghee. If ghee is not available, you can also use butter, vegetable oil, or any other oil of your choice.
Although ghee gives the best flavor to this dish.
If you want to make vegan zeera rice, then substitute ghee with oil.
Whole spices like cardamom, cloves, peppercorn, cinnamon, and bay leaves are added in this recipe which gives a very nice flavor to the Zeera Rice.
Slightly crush them for the best result.
Green chili is added for a good kick. You can increase or decrease the amount according to your liking.
Add a few drops of lemon juice for nice fluffy rice.
Use long grain basmati rice to make Cumin Rice. It has the best fragrance the grains are long and separate after cooker.
If not basmati rice, you can use any rice to make this dish.
Even brown rice can be used, but make sure to increase the amount of liquid and time if cooking with brown rice.
A sprinkling of Birista or Golden Fried Onion over this rice tastes awesome. Sprinkle them just before serving so that they retain their crunch.
Serving Suggestion
You can pair zeera Rice with any Indian Style lentil preparation or any spicy Indian Curry like Bhuna Gosht, Lauki Chana Dal, Laal Maas, Amritsari Chole, Kashmiri Rajma, etc.
It pairs well with almost anything.
But my personal favorite is Dal Makhani Jeera Rice combination with a side of Raita and Papad.
How to make Jeera Rice in Pressure Cooker?
To make it in a pressure cooker, follow the same except cook it in a pressure cooker.
After putting the lid on, cook for two whistles on high heat and then switch off the heat.
Let the pressure release on it’s won. Open the lid of the pressure cooker and gently fluff the rice.
How to make it in Rice Cooker?
To make it in a rice cooker, add water and rice in the pot of the cooker. Make a tadka over the flame and pour it over the rice.
Then cook as instructed.
What is the ideal rice to water ratio to make Jeera Rice?
If making this rice over stovetop in a pan, use 1:2, rice to water ratio.
This ratio also works for pressure cookers and rice cookers.
If making it in an instant pot, then reduce the water to half. The ratio of rice to water in Instant pot is 1:1. Check out the post to make Rice in Instant Pot here.
If using brown rice to make zeera rice, the rice to water ratio is 1:3.
Reduce the water if making this in an Instant Pot. Check out the post to make Brown Rice in Instant pot here.
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Step by Step Recipe
Wash the rice and soak in 2-3 cups of water for 30 minutes.
Drain the water. Heat ghee in a pan.
When the ghee is very hot, add cumin seeds and when they start to crackle, add green chilli and fry for a few seconds.
Add cardamom, cloves, peppercorns, and cinnamon. Fry for 20 seconds.
Add the soaked rice, lemon juice, bay leaf, salt, and 2 cups of water.
Cover the pan and cook the rice on low heat till it’s done and all the water is absorbed.
Switch off the heat and let the rice rest for 5 minutes.
Fluff the rice with a fork after it has slightly cooled. Garnish with fresh coriander.
Jeera Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Long Grain Basmati Rice
- 2 tbsp Ghee
- 2 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 Green Chilli (Chopped)
- 2-3 Green Cardamom
- 3-4 Cloves
- 1 inch Cinnamon
- 3-4 Black peppercorns
- 2-3 drops Lemon Juice
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Fresh Coriander (Chopped)
Instructions
- Wash the rice and soak in 2-3 cups of water for 30 minutes.
- Drain the water.
- Heat ghee in a pan.
- When the ghee is very hot, add cumin seeds and when they starts to crackle, add green chilli and fry for a few seconds.
- Add cardamom, cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon.
- Fry for 20 seconds.
- Add the soaked rice, lemon juice, bay leaf, salt and 2 cups of water.
- Cover the pan and cook the rice on low heat till it's done and all the water is absorbed.
- Switch off the heat and let the rice rest for 5 minutes.
- Fluff the rice with a fork after it has slightly cooled.
- Garnish with fresh coriander.
Alexia
This rice dish looks lovely. I was wondering if it could be made in advance and then just reheated?
Neha Mathur
Yes, it can be easily microwaved.
Manimegalai
Hi neha…i made jeera rice and dhal makhani….came out nice….your receipes are very inspiring to actually cook something new everyday….very motivated????
Neha Mathur
Thnx a lot for trying 🙂
Shobha
Prepared this recipe… Tastes ???? yummy thanks a lot for the guidance.
Neha Mathur
Thnx for trying 🙂
Roxanne
Simply brilliant, we enjoyed this rice immensely, Triple it of course.. Thank you
Neha Mathur
I am glad you liked it 🙂