Ingredients
Method
- Rinse the rice three or four times until the water is clear, then soak it for 20 minutes and drain.
- Heat the ghee in a heavy pot. Add the cumin seeds, bay leaf, cardamom and cinnamon and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the drained rice and stir gently for 1 to 2 minutes to coat each grain.
- Add the water and salt, bring to a boil, then cover, turn the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 12 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and leave covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and garnish with coriander.
The spices that matter
Cumin Jeera
The most common first spice in a tadka: crackle the seeds in hot oil or ghee before adding onions, dal or vegetables. Roasted and ground, it goes int…
No cumin? Caraway or shahi jeera are the closest whole-seed swaps. For ground cumin, use a little extra ground coriander with a pinch of chilli.
Nice to have
Salt, oil or ghee, onions, ginger, garlic and fresh herbs are assumed. See how to make a tadka for the order to add whole spices.
Frequently asked questions
How long does jeera rice take to make?
About 5 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook (plus soaking or marinating time where noted).
What spices are in jeera rice?
The essentials are cumin. Nice to have: indian bay leaf, green cardamom, cloves.
Tips from travellers
Use Jeera rice differently at home? Share your tip. The first good one goes right here.