Zeera Rice

Zeera rice is a rice dish which is very simple to make yet adds an extra flavor to the plain rice as well as the dinner platter. Since Zeera Rice has a very subtle flavor this goes along with almost any kind of rich dish to make a balance in the menu. I personally make Zeera Rice whenever I make Chicken Kosha or Spicy Dum Aloo.

Zeera Rice is simply the plain rice which is infused with the flavor of zeera /cumin seed. Zeera Rice is very popular in restaurants and is very popular among students who lives away from home, simply because of its easy to make process and adding a bit of zing to the everyday rice. I prefer this even more than pulao or fried rice. Zeera Rice is a life saver for me when I have to cook for a group coming to the dinner and already have my hands full.

There are 2 process of making the Zeera Rice:

• You can cook the rice separately and then add the tempered oil to this. This is more of a restaurant like and quick process.
• In this process you cook the rice along with all the spices till its cooked. This gives a more infused rich flavor to the rice.

Even though the second process gives a good flavor than the other, it is not so much popular in my kitchen. I take the second process only when I can serve the rice immediately after cooking. Since in this process the starch water is not drained, it makes the rice sticky and lump like if it is preserved and served later. Whereas with the first process I do not have any problem like this. Here I am posting the second process/quick process of cooking Zeera Rice.

So, come lets cook Zeera Rice.

Zeera Rice

Serves 2/3

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Basmati Rice
• 3 green caradamoms
• 2 inch cinnamon stick
• 1 large bay leaf
• 3 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 green chilies - chopped
• 2 tbsp ghee / clarified butter
• 1 bunch of coriander leaves - chopped
• a few twigs coriander leaves - for garnishing

Method:

• Soak the rice for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Then wash it with water until it becomes clean.
• Take the pan / handi where you will cook the rice and boil water for it with green cardamoms, bay leaf and cinnamon stick. The rice should be soft and the grains should not broken. Again, the rice should not be mushy.
• When the rice is cooked drain its starch water and keep aside.
• In a pan heat the ghee/clarified butter and put the cumin seeds.
• Let it sizzle until it becomes brown. It means the seeds are properly cooked.
• Now add the chopped green chilies and chopped coriander leaves.
• Sauté for some seconds and put the flame off before the green chilies and coriander leaves turn brown.
• Add this tempered ghee / clarified butter to the rice and mix very gently not making the rice into a mashed product.
• Serve hot garnishing with the twigs of coriander leaves on top.