JEERA RICE/ जीरा राइस
Only three basic ingredients make this divine rice dish. Jeera rice is a simple and rustic dish but tricky as well on the other hand. Tricky in a way that if the timing and proportion of rice and water go wrong, a mushy consistency will be there which is an injustice to the jeera rice. Jeera rice must be cooked with fluffy consistency (खिले खिले चावल)
You need the fragrant basmati rice, jeera (cumin) and the ghee for this dish and wonder is created in your pan. Ghee/clarified butter gives it the aroma and cumin/ jeera adds the flavour.
I still remember that this was the very first recipe my mom taught me. It was the early 80s and I had just started to get familiar with the kitchen chores. She used to cook the rice dishes with such perfect timing and proportion that they were cooked fluffy even in the pressure cooker and not a single grain got sticky or mushy. This is a sincere try to those yummiest jeera rice we had always loved. I have made them in an open vessel
Preparation time – 20 min (preparation needs soaking of rice)
Cooking time – 8-10 min
Resting time (at dum) – 3-5 min
Course – Main
Cuisine – Indian
Author – Bharti Dhawan
INGREDIENTS REQUIRED
• Long grain Basmati Rice – 1 cup (washed and soaked for 20 minutes)
• Water – 2 cups
• Ghee – 1 tbsp
• Cumin/Jeera – 2 tsp
• Salt – 1 tsp or to taste
• Lemon juice – 1/2 tsp
• Any green leaves(mint or coriander) for garnish
PROCEDURE
1- Drain the water from rice and keep aside
2- Take an open pan/saucepan/lagan and add ghee. When heated add jeera/cumin
3- When jeera crackles and changes colour, add rice and roast for a few seconds in the ghee
• Stay gentle while roasting the rice otherwise you will get the broken one
4- Add in the water and bring to 1 boil at medium heat. Avoid stirring
5- After 1 boil bring the flame to the possible lowest. Cover the pan with lid
6- After 6-8 minutes you will notice that there is very little moisture left. Sprinkle lemon juice all over and cover again for 1-2 minutes.
• Lemon juice gives freshness and keeps the grain fluffy to save them from sticking
7- Switch off the flame now. Let it covered at dum for 3-4 minutes and open the lid. Run the fork to keep them fluffy
8- Garnish the jeera rice with any greens and serve with your curries.
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