jeera rice recipe with step by step photos – a mildly spiced and flavorful indian rice dish flavored with cumin.
jeera rice is one of the most popular rice dish in restaurants. many people prefer to have jeera rice instead of plain basmati rice to go along with dals or curry dishes. the tempering with cumin and fragrant whole spices, takes the simple rice dish a level notch up.
making jeera rice is very easy and even bachelors can make it. you can make jeera rice for guests or special occasions or also for every day food when you want to add more flavors to rice.
jeera rice goes very well with some north indian curries like:
or you can serve jeera rice with dal recipes like: dal fry, dal tadka, dal makhani. apart from the dals, our suggestion would also be to serve palak paneer, malai kofta, paneer butter masala, kadai paneer and shahi paneer with jeera rice.
2 methods of making jeera rice:
- in the first method, the whole spices are sauteed first in oil and the rice is cooked along with the spices. this method is similar to that making of pilaf/pulao. i have already posted this method in this jeera rice recipe.
- this jeera rice recipe is the second method, where the rice grains are cooked first. then the tempering with cumin is added to the cooked rice. this technique is mostly used in restaurants.
if you are looking for more rice recipes then do check saffron rice, biryani rice, garam masala rice, kuska biryani and ghee rice recipe.
jeera rice recipe
jeera rice recipe | cumin rice recipe
ingredients (1 cup = 250 ml)
for cooking rice
- 1.5 cup basmati rice
- 5 cups water
- 1 tej patta (indian bay leaf)
- 2 green cardamom (hari elaichi or choti elaichi)
- 1 black cardamom (badi elaichi)
- ½ inch cinnamon (dalchini)
- 2 cloves (lavang)
- 1 to 2 strands of mace (javitri)
- 1 teaspoon salt or as required
for tempering jeera rice
- 2 tablespoon oil or 1.5 tablespoon ghee
- 2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 green chilli (hari mirch) - chopped, optional
- 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (dhania patta)
how to make recipe
cooking rice
- rinse basmati rice till the water runs clear of starch. soak the rice for 30 mins and then drain them. keep aside.
- heat 5 cups water. add all the whole spices. add rice and salt. simmer the rice on a low flame uncovered.
- the rice grains should be cooked till tender and yet separate. drain the water and keep the cooked rice aside.
- if you want you can rinse also the rice with water at room temperature. this stops the cooking of the rice and keeps the grains separate.
making jeera rice
- heat oil in a small pan. add cumin/jeera.
- let them crackle. they have to be fried well otherwise you will taste uncooked cumin in the rice.
- add the green chilies. stir for a few seconds. no need to brown the chilies.
- add the tempering to the hot or warm rice.
- with a fork, gently mix the tempering with the rice grains. even if some rice grains break, its alright. do gently taking care so as not to break the rice grains.
- add coriander and gently mix or garnish jeera rice with coriander at the time of serving.
- serve jeera rice hot or warm with a dal or vegetable/paneer curry of your choice.
how to make jeera rice
1. rinse 1.5 cup basmati rice till the water runs clear of starch. soak the rice for 30 mins and then drain them. keep aside.
2. heat 5 cups water. add all the whole spices – 1 indian bay leaf, 2 green cardamom, 1 black cardamom, ½ inch cinnamon, 2 cloves and 1 to 2 strands of mace.
3. add rice and 1 tsp salt. simmer the rice on a low flame uncovered.
4. the rice grains should be cooked till tender and yet separate.
5. the texture of the cooked rice grains is shown in the below pic. i usually cook rice grains a bit more softer than what is served in restaurants. the reason being that if the rice grains have even a small bite in them, then they cause indigestion problems.
6. drain the water and keep the cooked rice aside. if you want, you can rinse also the rice with water at room temperature. this stops the cooking of the rice and keeps the grains separate.
tempering jeera rice
7. heat 2 tbsp oil or 1.5 tbsp ghee in a small pan. add 2 tsp cumin/jeera.
8. let them crackle. they have to be fried well otherwise you will taste uncooked cumin in the rice.
9. add 1 chopped green chili. stir for a few seconds. no need to brown the chilies.
10. add the tempering to the hot or warm rice.
11. with a fork, gently mix the tempering with the rice grains. even if some rice grains break, its alright. do gently taking care so as not to break the rice grains.
12. add 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves and gently mix or garnish jeera rice with coriander at the time of serving.
serve jeera rice with gravy dishes like paneer butter masala, rajma masala, chana masala, kadai mushroom or even any dal like chana dal fry or palak dal.
About
- i started vegrecipesofindia.com in feb 2009. it is a pure vegetarian blog and shares recipes with step by step photos.
i am passionate about cooking from childhood and learnt cooking from my elders. a home science degree course further enhanced my cooking and baking skills professionally along with an internship in a five star hotel. i am trained both in mainstream indian as well as international cuisines.
all the 1800 recipes posted on blog are tried and tested and made healthy wherever possible. the recipes are detailed and with step by step pictures that will easily help you to make delicious and tasty vegetarian food.
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Angela, I am so sorry to hear this. we have not created any such ad. we try everything to give a good user experience. could you share the screenshot at this email id [email protected] we will try to find out why this ad is coming and stop it.
can we cook rice in cooker
Deepika, Yes you can cook rice in pressure cooker.
is it possible to prepare this jeera rice in pressure cooker?
yes you can sowmya. then just add 2.5 to 3 cups water for pressure cooking for rice which has been pre soaked for 30 minutes.
hi, how long should i boil the rice, because every time i do this the rice turns mushy :-(..i long to see my rice grains separate and fluffy. This dish is definitely super yum….
usually most varieties of 1 cup of basmati rice, takes about 7 to 8 minutes. so 1.5 cups will take about 10 to 11 minutes. when you see that the rice grains have cooked well, then switch off the flame and immediately strain the rice in a colander.
I liked the dish very much yummy recipe and easy one
thankyou vishala 🙂
I like this dish very much
Simple n yummy recipe…..saved d screen shot
My husband loved it…..
thankyou sripriya 🙂 and glad your husband loved it.
Microwave recipes are most welcome
sure subhas.
Awsum recipe, all the recipes from ur website r good thank u
welcome vijay 🙂
Dassna ji…i am realy very thankful to u…because of ur shared recipes i can able to continue my hobby of cooking. The pictures of step by syep recipes are the most unique thing in ur blog.
thanks ram ji for your positive feedback. nice to know that recipes are helping you in cooking.
I like ur receipe. Easily understood thank u
welcome meena
All recipes are good I have tried aloo bhendi it was osam.
thanks sanvi for sharing positive feedback.
super
pls let me know whereto get chef venkatesh bhat recipe book. and the cost. there is any opition to to delivery by courier.
Sir i like your presentation. professional neenga thaan sir professional.
t.balamurugan, i don’t know.
I was cook a jirarice by this recipe.
Test was better then normal rice.
sam, good to know this.
Thank u very much it is helpful for girls whi have not good knowledge of cooking ……like me..awesome
welcome
I am having trouble finding black cardamom pods where I live. Is there something I can substitute?
just skip the black cardamoms.
I tried this jeera rice recipe a couple of days back and came out really well. thanks
welcome meghna
Nice recipes. I tried rice recipes.My family appreciated me for vaangi baat and masala rice palav.Thank you.
welcome spoorti. glad to know this.
happy to see easy and simple receipes.Thnx.
welcome neelima
you are right and am too cook the rice soft than we eat at restaurants.really this is good for health.a healthy aromatic rice