Almost as ubiquitous as Naan and simply as satisfying, this Jeera Rice recipe is the quintessential restaurant type Indian facet dish. Aromatic basmati rice is scented with cumin seeds, cardamom and inexperienced chilli for beautiful, lengthy grains that pair superbly with nearly any of your favourite mains.

What’s Jeera Rice
What it’s possible you’ll know as cumin seeds are also referred to as jeera in Hindi. That’s how this well-known rice dish will get its title! Whether or not you name it jeera rice or cumin rice, that is an fragrant rice dish which is frivolously spiced with aromatic spices and has the earthy flavors of cumin.
Jeera rice can be one of the vital widespread Indian restaurant dishes; many individuals favor to have jeera rice as a substitute of plain basmati to go together with dals or curry dishes. The tempering of cumin and aromatic complete spices takes the easy rice dish to a complete new stage.
Making jeera rice is simple! It tastes particular sufficient for treasured friends, however is simple sufficient for weeknight cooking. Discover ways to make this conventional Indian facet dish instantly – your on a regular basis meals will thanks!
About This Recipe
This jeera rice recipe tastes prefer it got here out of your favourite restaurant; it’s mildly spiced, aromatic and tastes too good with the earthy taste of cumin and warming complete spices.
On this methodology, the rice grains are cooked first with complete spices. Then a tadka of tempered cumin and inexperienced chillies is added to the cooked rice and combined. This methodology of creating jeera rice is utilized in most eating places.
Optionally, the rice will be cooked with some saffron strands so as to add some colour and warming taste.
This methodology can be helpful when you have some leftover cooked rice that you simply wish to costume up. If utilizing leftover cooked rice, merely scale the substances accordingly relying upon the amount of rice.
Step-by-Step Information
The right way to make Jeera Rice
Prepare dinner Rice
1. Rinse 1 cup basmati rice underneath cool water until the water runs away from starch. Then soak the rice for 20 to half-hour in sufficient water to cowl the grains.
Drain all of the water and maintain the soaked rice apart.

2. Warmth 4 cups water and convey it to a boil. Add all the entire spices listed beneath:
- 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
- 2 inexperienced cardamoms
- 1 black cardamom
- ½ inch cinnamon
- 2 cloves
- 1 to 2 single strands of mace

3. Add the soaked rice and 1 teaspoon salt, or add salt in response to your style. Simmer the rice, uncovered, on a low warmth.
Additionally, examine the style of the water; it ought to style a bit salty.

4. The rice grains must be cooked until tender and but separate.

5. The feel of the cooked rice grains is proven within the beneath image. I normally cook dinner rice grains a bit extra softer than what’s served in eating places.
The reason is that if the rice grains have even some chunk to them, then they trigger indigestion issues.

6. Utilizing a colander or strainer, drain the water and maintain the cooked rice apart till it turns into heat or cools utterly.
In order for you, you’ll be able to rinse additionally the rice with water at room temperature. This stops the additional cooking of the rice and retains the grains separate.
Rinsing with water brings down the recent temperature of the rice and the rice cools quicker. Earlier than we add the tempering combination to the rice, the rice needs to be at room temperature.

Mood Jeera Rice
7. When the rice grains are heat or cooled utterly, we will begin with the tempering.
Word that mixing the tempering combination in sizzling rice could break the gentle, tender grains whereas stirring.
Warmth 2 tablespoons oil or 1.5 tablespoons ghee in a small pan on a medium-low or medium warmth. Add 2 teaspoons cumin seeds (jeera).

8. Allow them to crackle. They should be fried nicely in any other case you’ll style raw cumin within the rice.

9. Add ½ teaspoon chopped inexperienced chilli. Stir for a couple of seconds. No have to brown the chillies.
You possibly can omit including the inexperienced chillies for those who favor.

10. Add the tempering to the rice.

11. With a fork, gently combine the tempering with the rice grains. Even when a couple of rice grains break, it’s alright. Do gently taking care in order to not break the rice grains.

12. Add 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves and gently combine or garnish with coriander on the time of serving.

Serve Jeera Rice with gravy dishes like paneer butter masala, kadai mushroom and even any dal like chana dal or dal palak.
Jeera rice will be served with dals (lentils), North Indian curries and gravy dishes. Take pleasure in!

Skilled Suggestions for Greatest Cumin Rice
1. High quality of basmati rice – To get completely fluffy, non-sticky jeera rice or pulao, you want prime quality basmati rice. Every grain ought to broaden and fluff up after cooking and but stay separate. Aged basmati works very nicely for this objective, or go for parboiled basmati rice (sella basmati chawal) which additionally offers glorious outcomes.
2. Soaking rice – As a apply, you must soak the rice for no less than 20 minutes to a most of half-hour. Soaking rice ensures that the grains broaden and cook dinner evenly. Soaked rice grains require much less water on the stovetop, thereby lowering the cooking time as nicely.
3. Rinsing rice – I like to recommend you get within the behavior of rinsing your rice earlier than cooking. Rinsing removes some starch from the grains, which prevents them from sticking after cooking. Proceed to rinse a number of occasions, till the water is evident of starch.
4. Rice to water ratio – The rice to water ratio at all times is determined by the standard of rice that’s used. Normally, I’ve discovered that natural basmati rice requires extra water to cook dinner than common basmati rice. Belief your cooking expertise when boiling rice, however the rice to water ratios are roughly:
- 1:2 for soaked rice to water in a pot on the stovetop.
- 1:2-2.5 for unsoaked rice to water in a pot on the stovetop.
- Rice to water ratio in a stress cooker – 1:1.5 or 1.75
4. Stirring rice – If it’s essential to stir the rice grains whereas cooking, then be sure you use a fork and never a spoon. A spoon will break extra grains than a fork. Additionally, maintain any stirring to a minimal to stop as a lot breakage as doable.
5. Frying the jeera (cumin) and spices – The cumin seeds and the entire spices should crackle and scent fragrant earlier than you proceed additional. To get correct browning and crackling, the oil/ghee needs to be medium sizzling while you add the spices.
As quickly as you add the spices, they’ll crackle and launch their important oils. At this level, work shortly to proceed to the subsequent step within the recipe. Additionally, bear in mind to not burn the spices.
6. My Secret Ingredient – One spice which I by no means miss including to my jeera rice is mace (javitri). Mace offers a novel taste and perfume, so make certain so as to add this fragrant spice.
Since mace is kind of potent, use sparingly; only one or two strands are sufficient for one cup of uncooked rice.
FAQs
References to this cumin rice recipe have been discovered as early because the Mughal empire within the 14th century. You know jeera rice needs to be scrumptious if it has lasted for 700 years!
Whereas I at all times counsel you communicate to an authorized skilled about your dietary wants, the reply briefly is: sure! Basmati – that beautiful perfumed, lengthy grain rice – is decrease on the glycemic index than different sorts of white rice. Every serving additionally has roughly 5 grams of protein.
This cumin scented rice is a pure pairing for nearly any Indian predominant dish you’ll be able to consider! It pairs notably nicely with dals (lentil based mostly dishes) and curries. Any leftovers would even be glorious for making fried rice!
Few extra rice recipes for you !
- Ghee Rice – an fragrant and scrumptious rice dish made with ghee and spices from the South Indian delicacies.
- Nei Choru – fragrant savory rice dish made with rice, ghee, nuts, raisins and spices from the Kerala delicacies.
- Biryani Rice – a light-weight, fragrant rice dish which is simple to organize and goes very nicely with any wealthy vegetarian curry or dal.
- Pulao – fragrant and scrumptious one pot rice preparation of a pilaf made with numerous combine greens.
Please be sure you fee the recipe within the recipe card or go away a remark beneath when you have made it. For extra veetarian inspirations, Signal Up for my emails or comply with me on Instagram, Youtube, Fb, Pinterest or Twitter.

Jeera Rice Recipe (Restaurant Model Cumin Rice)
Give a makeover to the easy steamed rice by including cumin (jeera) and a few aromatic spices. This restaurant type Jeera Rice recipe is mildly spiced, aromatic and tastes too good.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Prepare dinner Time 25 minutes
Whole Time 55 minutes
Forestall your display from going darkish whereas making the recipe
Cooking rice
Rinse basmati rice until the water runs away from starch. Soak the rice for 20 to 30 minutes after which drain all of the water. Preserve apart.
Warmth 4 cups water until it involves a boil. Add all the entire spices. Add rice and salt. Simmer the rice on a low flame uncovered.
The rice grains must be cooked until tender and but separate. Drain the water and maintain the cooked rice apart.
- In order for you you’ll be able to rinse additionally the rice with water at room temperature. This stops the cooking of the rice and retains the grains separate.Rinsing with water brings down the recent temperature of the rice and cools the rice grains quicker.
- Be sure that the cooked rice is heat or at room temperature earlier than you progress to the subsequent step. As mixing the tempering combination in sizzling rice will trigger the tender rice grains to interrupt.
Making jeera rice
Warmth oil in a small pan. Add cumin/jeera.
Allow them to crackle. They should be fried nicely in any other case you’ll style raw cumin within the rice.
Add the inexperienced chilies. Stir for a couple of seconds. No have to brown the chilies.
Add the tempering to the recent or heat rice.
With a fork, gently combine the tempering with the rice grains. Even when some rice grains break, its alright. Do gently taking care in order to not break the rice grains.
Add coriander and gently combine or garnish the rice with coriander on the time of serving.
Serve jeera rice sizzling or heat with a dal or vegetable/paneer curry of your alternative.
- If utilizing leftover rice, then you’ll need about 3 cups of cooked rice to make use of the identical proportion of substances as talked about within the recipe.
- Use aged basmati rice for the most effective outcomes. Even parboiled basmati rice (sella basmati rice) works nicely. Soak the sella basmati rice for about an hour earlier than you cook dinner.
- For a extra aromatic jeera rice, mood the cumin and spices in ghee as a substitute of oil.
- As a substitute of coriander leaves (cilantro), garnish cumin rice with mint leaves.
Diet Details
Jeera Rice Recipe (Restaurant Model Cumin Rice)
Quantity Per Serving
Energy 324 Energy from Fats 63
% Each day Worth*
Fats 7g11%
Sodium 640mg28%
Potassium 97mg3%
Carbohydrates 57g19%
Fiber 1g4%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 15IU0%
Vitamin C 1.3mg2%
Calcium 38mg4%
Iron 1.3mg7%
* % Each day Values are based mostly on a 2000 calorie weight loss program.
This Jeera Rice recipe from the weblog archives first revealed in July 2014 has been up to date and republished on December 2022.