Jeera rice - gluten-free, with the goodness of ghee, cumin, and basmati is a popular dish from Indian cuisine. My version of this classic dish has ground cumin instead of whole cumin, making it perfect for babies, toddlers, fussy eaters, and grown-ups alike!
I am so excited to share this easy cumin rice recipe with you. My daughters have grown up eating this and even today (they are not so little anymore), cumin rice is their top favorite comfort food! This recipe can, without a doubt, be a great addition to your 'baby dinner ideas' list.
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Recipe Ingredients for jeera rice:
This easy recipe has only 4 ingredients - yes, you read it right! only 4 ingredients!
- Rice: I use Basmati rice for this recipe. Basmati is the king of rice - fragrant and healthy. It is easy to digest and therefore good for kids.
- Ghee: The warm, mellow goodness of ghee is what gives this recipe a comforting smoothness to this dish. I have been making this ghee dish for my girls since they were babies.
- Ground Cumin: I grind small batches of cumin at home to a not-so-fine texture. I like the freshness of homemade cumin. You may use shop-bought ground cumin. For a deeper, earthier flavor, you can add bhuna jeera (roasted cumin powder).
A quick note about Jeera/Cumin
Cumin or jeera in Hindi, as we all know, has many health benefits - a great aid in gut health being one of its more enduring benefits and therefore highly regarded as an immunity-boosting spice in Indian cooking. I use this spice a lot in my cooking - whole, and ground. For example, in this vegan cous cous recipe, I have used jeera powder (ground cumin) along with other spices. This tangy lemon lentil soup has whole cumin which I have added towards the end - in the tempering. In this substitute for curry powder, I have roasted cumin along with the other warming spices.
This recipe is free from
✴ Gluten
✴ Nuts
Instructions
Making this recipe is SO easy! Learn to make this with me (also see the video below).
Love Basmati? It is important that you learn how to cook perfect basmati rice.
- Prep the rice: Wash in water 2-3 times or until the water looks clear.
- Soak the rice: in water (tap/room temperature) - enough to be about 2 centimeters above the level of water - for 20 minutes.
Soaking rice ensures that it cooks fast. Do not soak the rice for more than 20 minutes. Oversoaking will make the rice grains break and turn mushy while cooking.
3. Cook the rice: After the rice has soaked for 20 minutes, top it with hot water – 2 to 3 inches above the level of cold water. Add salt. Place the pot on medium-high heat and cook till the rice is cooked but not mushy. It will take 15-18 minutes, depending on the quality of rice. Drain and fluff the rice up with a fork, spread on a plate, and cool for 10 minutes.
4. Make the rice: Place a thick-bottomed wok on medium-low heat. Add ghee. When the ghee has warmed up, add the ground cumin. Stir for about a minute Add the cooked basmati rice. Mix with gentle hands until the rice grains are coated evenly with the ghee and ground cumin. Turn the heat to low. Cover and cook for 1 minute.
Serve with a side dish of your choice. I pair this rice with aloo matar to make a gluten-free meal.
Tips and notes
- The texture of this dish makes or breaks the dish. As in this pulao, the rice should be cooked through but not mushy - each grain must be separate from the other. This can be achieved by a) washing the rice well till the water runs clear b) soaking the rice, c) not overcooking the rice, and d) allowing the rice to cool before tossing it in the spices.
- Leftover rice will work perfectly for this.
- If you love the texture of whole cumin seeds, use that instead of ground cumin.
- No Basmati? No worries! Feel free to use any other long-grain rice. Just keep in mind that the rice that you use should not be too glutinous. Glutinous rice will make this dish mushy and sticky.
- Want to make this vegan? Swap ghee with any good quality oil such as coconut, groundnut, or olive oil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Jeera rice or Indian cumin rice is a classic dish from North India which is made by tossing cooked Basmati rice in ghee that is spiced with ground cumin (jeera powder) and salt. This simple, comforting dish is much loved by kids and grown-ups alike.
Indeed it is! Jeera rice is made with all things good - basmati rice, ghee, and cumin seeds - all of these ingredients are great for the gut, easy to digest, and pair well with any curry or lentil dish of your choice.
Traditionally, jeera rice is made with spices tossed in ghee. You can make it vegan by using any plant-based oil of your choice.
I hope that you enjoy making this jeera rice recipe as much as I have enjoyed sharing it with you. If you have made it, please take a moment to leave a comment and /or a rating below. This will make me super happy and motivate me to create more good content for you! xx Padma
📖 Recipe
Jeera Rice (Cumin Rice) - Kid Friendly Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Large Rice Pot
- 1 spatula
- 1 wok (thick bottomed)
- 1 sieve
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice (or any long grain rice) (240 grams, approximately)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 and ½ tablespoons ghee
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
Instructions
Prep the rice
- Wash the rice in water 2-3 times or until the water looks clear
- Soak the rice in water (tap/room temperature) - enough to be about 2 centimeters above the level of water - for 20 minutes.Soaking of rice ensures that it cook fast.. Do not soak the rice for more than 20 minutes. Oversoaking will make the rice grains break and turn mushy while cooking.
Cook the rice
- After the rice has soaked for 20 minutes, top it with hot water – 2 to 3 inches above the level of cold water. Add salt. Place the pot on the medium high heat and cook till the rice is cooked but not mushy. The rice will take 15-18 minutes to cook, depending on the quality of rice you are using. Drain and fluff the rice up with a fork. Spread the drained rice and cool for 10 minutes.1 cup basmati rice (or any long grain rice), 1 teaspoon salt
Make jeera rice
- Place a thick bottomed wok on medium-low heat. Add ghee. When the ghee has warmed up, add the ground cumin. Stir for about a minute Add the cooked basmati rice. Mix with gentle hands until the rice grains are coated evenly with the ghee and ground cumin. Turn the heat to low. Cover and cook for 1 minute.1 and ½ tablespoons ghee, 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- Serve warm with potato curry, vegan stew or any other side dish of your choice.
Video
Notes
- Rice: I use Basmati rice for this recipe. If you do not have Basmati, feel free to use any other long grain, not sticky rice.
- Cooking Basmati: The texture of this dish make or breaks the dish. Each grain of rice must be separate from the other. To cook the rice to perfection, every time do these:
- a) washing the rice well till the water runs clear
- b) soak the rice for at least 20 minutes
- c) do not overcook
- d) allow the rice to cool before tossing it in the spices.
- Ground cumin: I grind small batches of cumin at home to a grainy texture. I like the freshness of homemade ground cumin. Roasted cumin powder instead, will add a deep, earthy flavor to the jeera rice.
- Whole cumin: Ground cumin is my little tweak to make this dish perfect for fussy eaters who do not want to see the seeds. To make the classic version of this recipe, just replace the ground cumin with an equal quantity of whole cumin seeds.
- Ghee: The warm, mellow goodness of ghee is what gives this recipe a comforting smoothness to this dish.
- Make this recipe vegan by using the oil of your choice.
- Leftover rice? Perfect! Leftover, cold rice will work well for this recipe, saving you the time required to cook the rice.
Note: The nutrition information is based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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