One Pot Method Jeera Rice 5/5 (1)

Jeera rice is a time saver and must in your party menu. It’s an all time favourite from kids to adult and it’s the best companion to any main course you select in your à la carte. The simplicity and flavour of this dish makes it perfect for your platter. Jeera rice is steamed basmati rice cooked with whole spices and the indispensable ingredient cumin aka jeera which gives the dish its name.

This quick and easy recipe can be prepared in two methods:

1. Restaurant style jeera rice – here the boiled basmati rice is sautéed with whole spices, to be precise tempered with spices.
2. One pot method – here the rice is cooked along with the whole spices, seasoned and flavoured with salt and chopped ginger and garlic in one pot..🥘

My version of jeera rice has ginger, garlic and pepper which adds an extra kick to the dish. Trust me you’ll be following this recipe forever..❣❣💞💞

Jeera rice goes well with Palak / Spinach chicken, dal tadka, dal makhni, veg kadai, navratan kurma, paneer butter masala, kaju paneer etc.

Basmati rice is the perfect choice for this recipe but if you are running out of basmati rice, don’t panic. You can try this with Seeraga samba rice or Jeerakasala rice. These are flavour packed tiny rice grains of Southern India and they impart a special flavour and aroma taking this dish to the next level.

Here, I shared the one pot method, also check my Restaurant style method jeera rice post. Try both the recipes and relish their unique taste and aroma.

Don’t forget to scroll down to the Notes, you’ll have a bonus recipe under my kitchen secret. My Kitchen Secrets saves you when you are puzzled with leftovers. Every recipe in this blog has a surprise package in the kitchen secret which will definitely make you awestruck…😲.

Click here to jump to recipe card!

Wash twice and soak the basmati rice for 30 minutes. 

Meanwhile finely chop ginger and garlic, keep all the whole spices ready aside.

Heat ghee and oil in a thick bottomed pan or pressure pan and start adding all the whole spices mentioned, black pepper and shahi jeera.

Then add chopped  ginger and garlic and once sautéed well to golden brown, the aroma fills the room.

Now add 2 cups of water (for 1 cup of rice). Close the lid and bring it to a boil.

Then add soaked basmati rice and give it a stir. Check the salt, it should be slightly saltier than normal as after cooking it’ll taste perfect.

Close the lid and cook it for 5 minutes on high flame by which all the water should be absorbed and it should be half cooked (al dente). Now lower the flame, adjust the salt and give a gentle stir without breaking the rice.

Now close the lid tightly or you can seal with foil paper and place the lid tightly on top of it so that no steam can escape (dum method). Keep this on low flame for 15 minutes and switch off the gas.

After standing time, open the lid along with foil paper letting the steam to go, cool it for sometime and then give it a stir from bottom to the top. Be carefully not to break the rice.

Garnish with fried cashews and raisins

And serve it with any raita or Palak / Spinach chicken, Paneer butter masala , Vegetable kurma, Chicken tikka masala, Dal makhni etc.

Recipe Card

Prep time: 5 minutes (excluding soaking time)

Cooking time: 20 minutes 

Cuisine: North Indian 

Category: Rice

Serves: 2

Author: Manimala

Ingredients:

Ghee – 1 tbsp 

Oil – 1 tbsp 

Whole spices:

Bay leaf – 1

Cinnamon – ½ inch 

Black Cardomom – 1

Green Cardomom – 2

Cloves – 2

Mace / Javithri  – 1 thread

Star anise – 1

Stone flower – 1 

Black pepper – ½ tsp

Shahi jeera / Black Caraway seeds / Cumin seeds – 2 tsp 

Ginger – 1 ½ tsp chopped 

Garlic – 1 ½ tsp chopped 

Basmati rice – 1 cup

Water – 2 cups

Salt – as required

For garnish:

Fried cashews

Fried raisins

Instructions:

1. Wash twice and soak the basmati rice for 30 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile finely chop ginger and garlic, keep all the whole spices ready aside.
3. Heat ghee and oil in a thick bottomed pan or pressure pan and start adding all the whole spices mentioned, black pepper and shahi jeera. Then add chopped  ginger and garlic and once sautéed well to golden brown, the aroma fills the room. Now add 2 cups of water (for 1 cup of rice).
4. Close the lid and bring it to a boil, then add soaked basmati rice and give it a stir. Check the salt, it should be slightly saltier than normal as after cooking it’ll taste perfect.
5. Close the lid and cook it for 5 minutes on high flame by which all the water should be absorbed and it should be half cooked (al dente).
6. Now lower the flame, adjust the salt and give a gentle stir without breaking the rice.
7. Now close the lid tightly or you can seal with foil paper and place the lid tightly on top of it so that no steam can escape (dum method).
8. Keep this on low flame for 15 minutes and switch off the gas.
9. After standing time, open the lid along with foil paper letting the steam to go, cool it for sometime and then give it a stir from bottom to the top. Be carefully not to break the rice. 
10. Garnish with fried cashews and raisins and serve it with any raita or Palak / Spinach chicken, Paneer butter masala , Vegetable kurma, Chicken tikka masala, Dal makhni etc. 

Notes:

• I have included ginger, garlic and pepper. You can avoid it but these inclusions, will take the recipe to the next level. 
• Whole spices like stone flower and mace add an extra tinge of flavour, sautéing them in medium flame with ghee imparts aroma to the rice.
• I have used two cups of water for one cup of rice as I used aged rice, if you use new rice, add 1 and ¾ cup of water, adjust the water accordingly. 
• After bringing to room temperature, stir the rice immediately to avoid lumps if any, ensuring separate grains of rice.
• If Shahi jeera / Black caraway seeds is not available, you can use normal cumin seeds. But Shahi jeera is longer, thinner, milder earthy flavor of cumin, after roasting it disclose a nutty flavor, thus making it my first choice.
• In restaurant, instant method where the cooked basmati rice is tempered with spices, becomes handy if you have leftover rice (should not be mushy).
• Few prefer one pot method as the flavor and aroma imbibe into the rice, also its simple to prepare in one pan making it as a one dish meal
• you can add some mix veggies or paneer to make some variation …😋

Now time for my Kitchen secrets ..😉😍

   I know how exhausting it must be, handling the leftover rice. None one in your family will volunteer to consume the leftover rice. Undoubtedly, we become the scapegoat, left with no choice other than consuming it. 

Herewith my magic wand, I transform this into a dish where you’ll not be left with a bite to taste…intrigued?🤨🤨🤨. Let’s jump into the recipe. 

I simply mashed the rice, dipped in flour paste and dusted with bread crumbs, fried in oil. Instant Rice koftas are ready. Super easy evening snack for your kids, healthy as well. Recycled food remains as a secret unless revealed.