Jeera Rice

     I am fond of Jeera rice & dhal makhni combo or any kind of a rich & good side-dish with it. Usually, I prepare this using cooked rice by simply tempering and mixing. Wanted to try cooking rice in a pan along with the tempering. Tried this a couple of times & loved this flavour more than the first method. So, here it comes for the record in blog :P
     This simple rice tastes yummy when paired with any paneer gravy/subzi or dal makhni or channa masala.

Prep Time: 40 mins (for soaking rice) || Cook Time: 40 mins || Serves: 2 || Category: Variety Rice

Ingredients:
1. Raw rice (regular rice/basmati rice) - 150 gm
2. Ghee - 1 tbsp
3. Cashews - 6-7
4. Onion - 1 small
5. Oil - 2 tbsp
6. Bay leaves - 2
7. Cinnamon - 1 small stick
8. Green chillies - 2 pieces (slit)
9. Jeera (cumin seeds) - 3tsp
10. Cumin powder - 2 tsp
11. Pepper powder - 2 tsp
12. Salt - as required
13. Hing - 2 tsp
14. Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp (finely chopped)

Method:
1. Wash and soak the rice for about 40 mins. This helps in faster cooking. In a pan, add ghee and roast the cashews to golden brown & keep aside. 

 2. In the same pan, add a little oil and fry the chopped onions until brown & keep aside. In the same pan, add oil and saute the bay leaves, cinnamon, green chillies & then add cumin seeds & fry them. 

 3. Now add the soaked rice (drained from water) and stir for about 1 min. Add hing, jeera powder and pepper powder and mix well. Add required amount of salt and stir well. Add 3 to 3.5 cups of water (Rice: Water :: 1 : 3.5) and cook well for about 10 mins, covered with the lid. In between open the lid and check for doneness & add some more water if required.

 4. Cook until the rice is done. Lastly add the fried onions & cashew and give a stir. Switch off the flame after a min.

Suggestions:

• Rice can be cooked in the pressure cooker separately & simply the other items can be tempered and mixed with the cooked rice. But cooking rice in a pan absorbs all the flavours and is more aromatic than just mixing the cooked rice to the tempering.
• Tempering can be added to rice along with required water & the entire contents can be pressure cooked as well.
• Adding fried onions is optional.
• Level of chillies & spices can be adjusted as per one's taste. 

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with any North Indian paneer gravy/subzi/ dal varieties.