JEERA BHAAT | JEERA RICE
Jeera Bhaat | Jeera Rice is full of flavour, aromatic, easy to make, fluffy rice. It is usually served with dals or curries. Rice in Gujarati or Maharashtrian language is called Bhaat, while in Hindi it is chawal. Jeera is cumin, and thus a generous amount of cumin seeds are added along with other spices to make this popular rice dish.
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 2 cups water
- 3 tbsp ghee or oil
- 1 star anise
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 3-4 cardamom pods
- 1 black cardamom
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cloves
- 6-8 black peppercorns
- 1 small piece mace optional
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds. jeera
- ½ tsp salt
- extra water for rinsing rice
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
Instructions
WASH AND SOAK THE RICE
- Put the rice in a big bowl. Add enough water and gently rub the rice grains between your fingers and palm. Drain out the water.
- Repeat the process 3-4 times, till the water in the rice appears almost clear.
- Alternately, put the rice in a sieve and rinse under running cold water.
- Add 2 cups of water and allow the rice to soak for 20-30 minutes. Use normal cold tap water and not hot.
PREPARATION OF JEERA BHAAT | JEERA RICE
- Drain out the water into a jug or another bowl from the soaked rice. Do not throw the water away.
- Add ghee or oil in a deep saucepan. Place it over medium heat.
- When the ghee becomes a bit hot, add all the whole spices except for cumin seeds.
- Allow the spices to become hot and they will begin to sizzle.
- Add the cumin seeds. Allow the seeds to turn light brown in colour. Keep an eye, you don't the seeds to burn.
- Add the rice without the water.
- Stir fry the rice for 1 minute.
- Add the water you saved and mix gently.
- Add the salt.
- Allow the water to come to a gentle boil.
- Lower the heat. Cover the pan with a lid.
- Allow the rice to cook for 10-12 minutes. By then the rice should be cooked and no water will be left.
- Best to check the rice after 7 or 8 minutes to make sure there is still some water, not too much and also that the rice is not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- After 10 minutes of cooking, check if the rice is cooked.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Keep the lid on for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the lid and very gently fluff up the rice by using a fork or a small spoon or spatula.
- Jeera Bhaat or Jeera Rice is ready. Serve it with your favourite curry or dal.
Notes
- Best to use long grain rice if you want the cooked rice to have separate grains.
- For vegan version replace ghee with oil.
- Add ghee or oil according to your preference.
- Adding salt is optional.
- Soak the rice at least for 20-30 minutes before cooking it.
- The quantity of water required will largely depend on the brand of rice and on how young or old the grains are. Old rice appears almost like ivory colour. Young rice is white.