on Jun 21, 2021, Updated Oct 19, 2023
About Jeera Rice
Jeera=Cumin and Rice=Chawal in Hindi. Jeera Rice (Jeera Chawal, Cumin Rice) is an Indian dish made using long-grain basmati rice, ghee, cumin seeds, whole spices, and other ingredients. It is one of the simplest recipes to make and even a novice cook can pull it together easily. Jeera Rice is among the most popular dishes ordered at Indian restaurants worldwide. Although it is one of the simplest dishes to make, it can be a disaster if done wrongly. It could be under or over-cooked, overly greasy, mushy, and gluggy. In this post, I share all my secrets to making a perfectly cooked, non-sticky, fluffy, and flavorful restaurant-style jeera rice recipe every single time. You can make flavorful jeera rice in multiple ways. I am sharing how to make it in a pan over the stovetop, in an instant pot, in a traditional stovetop Indian pressure cooker, and by using leftover cooked rice. Choose the method that suits you the best. This recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free. You can easily make it vegan, too. The recipe can be doubled or tripled, too. I use my 3-liter pan, a 3-quart instant pot, or a 3-liter pressure cooker to make it. Use a bigger pan, pressure cooker, or instant pot if scaling the recipe. The cooking time will remain the same. Here are some more of my favorite rice recipes that you may like
Tahri Saffron Rice Hyderabadi Bagara Rice Paneer Pulao Restaurant Style Veg Pulao Peas Pulao Kashmiri Pulao Ghee Rice Veg Green Pulao
Ingredients
Rice – Use good quality basmati rice for the best result. It turns out aromatic and non-sticky after cooking.
Having said that, zeera rice can be made using any white rice grains easily available to you.
Ghee – It tastes the best when cooked in ghee. You can use butter, canola oil, or olive oil as alternatives.
Cumin Seeds – This is the star ingredient of this recipe. It adds an earthy, nutty flavor to the dish.
Whole Spices – You will need green cardamoms (hari elaichi), cloves (laung), black peppercorns (kali mirch), cinnamon (dalchini), and bay leaves (tejpatta). When infused with hot ghee, these aromatic spices add a beautiful flavor and aroma. Slightly crush them in a mortar and pestle for the best result.
Green Chilies – Add less or more according to your taste. I used Indian chilies but you can also use Thai green chilies, jalapeno peppers, or Serrano peppers.
Lime Juice – Freshly squeezed lime juice makes the cooked rice fluffier and whiter. You can replace lime juice with lemon juice.
Cilantro – Add some freshness and a pop of green to this rice recipe with some finely chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves).
How To Make Jeera Rice
Pan Method
Rinse 1 cup basmati rice with water 2-3 times until the water runs clear. Rinsing the rice removes extra starch, making it fluffy post-cooking. Soak it in 2-3 cups of water for 30 minutes. Set aside. Heat 2 tablespoon ghee in a pan over high heat. When the ghee is hot, add 2 teaspoon cumin seeds and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds. Tip – Do not add cumin seeds to less hot oil; otherwise, they will not crackle properly, and their flavor will not be released in the ghee. Also, keep a close eye after adding the cumin seeds to the hot ghee; they tend to burn in a wink. Add
1 bay leaf 2-3 whole green cardamoms 3-4 cloves 3-4 whole black peppercorns 1-inch piece of cinnamon
and saute for 20 seconds. Tip – You can lightly crush the whole spices for an enhanced flavor. Add 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies and saute for 20-30 seconds. Drain the rice and add it to the pan along with
2-3 drops of lime juice 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups of water
Stir gently. Tip – Use the water left after soaking the rice to water your house plants. It is rich in micronutrients, which will help the plants grow healthy. Reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook undisturbed for 20-25 minutes until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove the pan from the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff gently with a fork. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve!
Instant Pot Method
Rinse 1 cup basmati rice with water 2-3 times until the water runs clear. Soak it in 2-3 cups of water for 30 minutes. Set aside. Press the SAUTE button on the instant pot. Add 2 tablespoon ghee to the inner pot of the instant pot. When the ghee is hot, add 2 teaspoon cumin seeds and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds. Add
1 bay leaf 2-3 whole green cardamoms 3-4 cloves 3-4 whole black peppercorns 1-inch piece of cinnamon
and saute for 20 seconds. Add 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies and saute for 20-30 seconds. Drain the rice and add it to the pot along with
2-3 drops of lime juice 1 teaspoon salt 1 and ¼ cups of water
Stir gently. Close the instant pot lid and set the valve to the sealing position. Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 6 minutes on high pressure. Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid. Fluff the Instant Pot Jeera Rice gently using a fork. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve!
Traditional Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method
Follow the instant pot recipe until adding rice and water at high heat. Then close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 2 whistles on high heat. Remove the cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid and fluff the rice.
Using Leftover Cooked Rice
This is how jeera rice is made in restaurants. It is easier to cook the steamed rice in bulk and temper it as ordered. This method is also a great way to use up leftover rice. Cook the white rice. Now cool it completely. It is advisable to use day-old rice. If you are making fresh rice for this recipe, spread the cooked rice on a baking tray, cover the tray with plastic wrap, and freeze it for 15 minutes to speed up the cooling process. Heat ghee in a pan over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add cumin seeds and let them crackle for 3-4 seconds. Now add green chilies and whole spices and saute for 20-30 seconds. Add the cooked plain rice and salt and toss until rice is coated with the tempering. Garnish the fluffy cumin rice with chopped cilantro, and serve!
Pro Tips By Neha
Use very good quality long-grain basmati rice to make perfect jeera rice. Long-grain and aged rice are the best. Add cumin to the ghee only when it is nicely hot. The cumin will crackle immediately, releasing all its flavor in the ghee. This simple trick makes a huge difference in the taste of this rice dish, so do not ignore it. Slightly crushing the whole spices before adding them to hot ghee makes it even more flavorful. Adding a few lime juice drops to the rice is my old trick to get fluffy rice each time. It will also keep the color whiter. Do not stir the rice while cooking. It will break the grains.
Serving Suggestions
This fragrant jeera rice tastes great with almost all Indian curries, kadhi, and dals. Some of my favorite curries and dals to pair this zeera rice with are
Chole Masala Punjabi Yellow Dal Tadka Bhuna Gosht Lauki Chana Dal Laal Maas Kashmiri Rajma Punjabi Rajma Masala Vegetable Kadhi Paneer Butter Masala Dhaba Style Chicken Curry
You can also serve it with flavorful raita such as Cucumber Raita, Carrot Raita, Beetroot Raita, Palak Raita, etc for a simple meal. I like to serve Dal Makhani and jeera rice with a side of Boondi Raita, sliced onions, and papad for special meals.
Storage Suggestions
Jeera rice will last in the fridge for 3 to 4 days when stored in an airtight container. If you make it in large quantities, heat only the amount you want to serve. If you feel it has become a little dry after refrigerating, sprinkle a little water on top, mix, and heat either in the stovetop or microwave pan.
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