Saturday, February 5, 2011

Jeera Rice: Cummin Rice

Jeera Rice/ Cummin Rice

This warming, simple rice dish is perfect for winter and monsoon's.
There is wide variety of  Jeera Rice/ Cummin Rice recipes available, alongwith several techniques and additional ingredients. I have used the method of frying the uncooked rice in clarified butter/ ghee and then cooking the rice. The only additional spice added here is Shah Jeera or Black Cummin. The spice highlighted here is cummin, a warming spice according to Auyrveda. This goes to Weekend Herb Blogging # 269, carried on by Haalo, and  hosted this week by Janet of Taste Space.


2 Cups of Basmathi rice
1 tsp of cummin seeds
1/4 tsp of Shah Jeera/ Black Cummin [ optional]
2 tbsps plus 1 tbsp of clarified butter
Small piece of dried cinnamon leaf,
2-3 hot green chillies slit [ optional]
Salt

Method
Wash  and rinse the basmathi in several changes of water until the water runs clear
Soak the basmathi rice for at least 30 minutes
Heat 2 tbsps of ghee in a deep, heavy bottomed pan
Temper the cummin seeds
Then reduce the heat to medium high or a little lower
Add the slit green chillies and saute for a couple of minutes
Drain the rinsed rice
Add it to the pan and fry the rice, adding one more tbsp of ghee
It should change color slightly, taking a very light golden hue...
Turn gently so that the grains do not break.

Add 3 Cups of hot water
Let it come up to a boil
Close with a tight-fitting lid
Turn the flame to low,
Cook for about 20 minutes, or until done.
Gently fluff the rice with a fork.
Add more ghee is needed. Serve.

16 comments:

  1. 2nd pic is gorgeous! zeera is the best with any curry or korma...would love it. My grandma house is quite near to variety stores in general bazaar, so nice to know u are in my native place, have a great stay my dear hope to see you one day when i'm in sec :)

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  2. This is one of our favourite rice dish. Looks simply yumm. Loved the khandvi too :-)

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  3. Thankyou Ananda, Rachana, Priya and Toreviewtoronto!
    Ananda will write to you and hope to meet you too! :-)

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  4. Jerra rice looks awesome. Yesterday I made Jeer rice for our dinner.

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  5. Simple and easy to make. I love the smell of fried jeera.

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  6. What a fragrant rice side dish. Thanks for contributing to WHB this week. :)

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  7. I think Shah Jeera is vital to make the rice aromatic even in biriyani. I like you calling it 'warming' hm....want some jeera rice now.

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