Do you wonder how restaurants get every grain of rice perfectly cooked, yet fluffy with every grain separate? Cooking rice perfectly should be simple, but it always seems to be complicated specially for beginners. Here are some easy steps that will get you perfect rice every time.
So what is Jeera pulao rice? Jeera rice or cumin scented rice is a very popular Indian side dish served at dinner parties, weddings or made when you want your everyday Indian meal feel special. It is aromatic, elegant and beautifully pairs with a simple yellow dal or elaborate curries, even delicious as is. The best part is, it comes together in under 15 minutes, perfectly cooked and each grain of rice is seperate, we call (Khila hu-wa chawal )blooming rice. So how do you make it you ask!
Jeera rice needs a few everyday staple pantry ingredients, but before that lets talk RICE. You’ll need basmati rice. The best basmati grows in the foothills of the Himalayas across India and Pakistan. There are several brands who source delicious basmati from both countries. My favorite is Tilda or Dawaat, but they’re all pretty comparable and sold in almost all Indian grocery stores, big box stores like Costco, and well stocked chain grocery stores. Just make sure it comes from the foothills of the Himalayas.
Next you’ll need good old butter, ghee or any neutral tasting oil+ a few whole spices. My favorite being whole black pepper, a small cinnamon stick, jeera or cumin, a bay leaf and a few cloves. Thats all it takes to make this rather simple yet epic rice dish.
The most controversial question to get perfect rice is how much water or liquid. 1:2 ratio is the most recommended I prefer 1:1.75. That is for one measure of rice I use one and 3/4 measure of liquid. There are couple of factors that affect the liquid measurement. Most important factor is is the age of the rice, older basmati will lose moisture over time and will need a little extra water to cook. After rinsing the rice soak the rice for 30 minutes in cold water this will ensure your rice is a little hydrated and will cook perfectly. I use one and 3/4s liquid for every cup of rice. Basically if you cook a certain brand of rice a few times you’ll get the hang of how much water is needed.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati Rice
- 1.75-2 cups Water or low sodium broth (chicken, vegetable for extra flavor)
- 1 scoop collagen optional, (I add for extra nutrients)
- 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds also called Jeera in Hindi
- 1 tablespoon ghee, any neural tasting plant based oil for vegan
- 1 Bayleaf
- ½ teaspoon whole black pepper
- 2-3 Cloves
- kosher sea salt, optional, I don’t add salt to my rice, but a lot of people like to season their rice
- cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse the basmati rice 2-3 times by gently rubbing the the rice till the water runs clear.
- Soak the rinsed rice in enough water, the rice should be completely submerged about an inch of water above the rice line for upto 30 minutes.
- Once you’re ready to cook, drain all the water from the rice and set aside.
- Heat oil or ghee in a tightly fitted (lid) saucepan. Add the whole spices and cumin seeds to the pan. Once the cumin seeds begins to sizzle, add the drained rice. Saute the rice very very gently try not to break the grain for a minute two minutes to coat every grain with the flavored oil. This helps the rice get aromatic and fluffy.
- Add the liquid (room temperature) water or broth and collagen if using, stir very gently only once. (The grain is soft and will break easily)
- Bring the rice to a boil, and then drop the heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook for approximately 6-8 minutes (depending on the heat)
- Cook till all the water has evaporated and the rice is cooked through. Take the rice off the heat and allow the rice to rest for 5 minutes (no peeking). Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.
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