Jeera (Cumin) Rice

Jeera is the Hindi word for cumin seeds and Jeera Rice is an Indian dish that consists of rice and cumin seeds; which may or may not include peas, onions and coriander leaves. In Pakistan it is known as Zeera rice. This popular North India dish is quite fragrant and easy to prepare and would work well with any meal.

Jeera (Cumin) Rice
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2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cup dry jasmine rice
1 3/4 cups water
1/3 cup frozen organic peas 
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat the oil in a medium size saucepan over medium-high heat. Drop int eh cumin seeds, and cook until they start to splutter. Do not allow the cumin seeds to burn or become really dark brown in colour. Add the rice and fry in the oil, with the cumin seeds, for about 1 minute. 

Add the water, frozen peas, and salt and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the saucepan. Cook the rice for approximately 15 minutes. Keep checking to ensure that the rice is not sticking to the bottom of the saucepan or burning. If the water is absorbed before the 15 minutes or the rice still feels too firm after the 15 minutes add a bit more water. Adding small amounts of water at a time will make sure that the rice does not become too sticky or mushy. Toss with a fork when ready. 

NOTES: If you are concerned about possibly burning the rice a trick that I have read many times over is too place the saucepan on flat pan or griddle which would then be directly on the heat source or flame. Therefore cooking times many change. I did not have to do this as I kept a close eye on the rice. I did have to add more water.

Hope everyone had a good weekend. I am still trying to shake off a flu I came down with over the weekend. - JD