Jeera Rice / Indian cumin rice

Servers - 3 to 4

Prep Time - 15 min

Cook Time - 20 min

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups basmati rice.(american measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)
• 2 tsp cumin/jeera
• 1 inch cinnamon/dalchini
• 1 black cardamom/badi elaichi
• 2 green cardamom/choti elaichi
• 1 bay leaf/tej patta
• 5-6 black peppercorns/kalimirch
• 3 cups water
• 2 tbsp oil or ghee
• some coriander leaves for garnishing 
• salt as required

METHOD:

1. soak the basmati rice in water for 30-40 minutes.
2. drain the rice and keep aside.
3. heat a pan.
4. add oil or ghee.
5. on a low or medium flame when the oil becomes hot, add the cumin and all the whole spices mentioned above.
6. let the cumin get browned and the oil fragrant from the spices.
7. add the soaked rice.
8. stir and saute for 1-2 minutes.
9. add salt and water.
10. cover and cook the rice is cooked.
11. the rice should get cooked but not mushy or pasty.
12. keep checking in between whilst the rice is cooking.
13. when the jeera rice is done, fluff the rice and serve jeera rice hot.
14. garnish jeera rice with some coriander leaves before serving.

Notes:

few tips for jeera rice recipe:

1. you can also make the jeera rice in the pressure cooker. then add 2 and ¼ cups water.
2. to add some color, add a pinch of turmeric or a pinch of saffron to the rice.
3. this jeera rice recipe can be double or tripled.
4. if using onions, then slice them. brown/caramelize the onions first before adding them to the soaked rice. the rice gets a nice light brown color due to the browning of the onions.

Home Style Dal / Dal Tadka

Servers - 3 to 4

Prep Time - 20 min

Cook Time - 15 min

Ingredients: 

Main ingredients:

• 1 cup arhar or tuvar dal/pigeon pea lentils
• 2.5 cups water for pressure cooking the lentils
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• salt as required

For tempering:

• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• ½ cumin seeds
• a pinch of asafeotida (optional)
• 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped (optional)
• 1 green chili, slit
• 10-12 curry leaves
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves for garnish
• 1.5 tbsp ghee or 2 tbsp oil

METHOD :

1. rinse the lentils well in water.
2. pressure cook the lentils with tomatoes and turmeric powder for 7-8 whistles on medium to high flame.
3. when the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid and mash the dal with a wired whisk or wooden spoon.
4. add 1 cup water plus salt.
5. keep to simmer on low flame till you get the desired consistency, which is neither thick nor thin.
6. switch off and keep covered.
7. heat oil or ghee in a pan.
8. pop the mustard seeds first.
9. then add the cumin and crackle them.
10. add the asafoetida, curry leaves, garlic and green chilies.
11. fry till the garlic gets light browned and the curry leaves become crisp.
12. pour the whole tempering in the dal.
13. cover and let the tempering flavors infuse with the dal for about 5-6 minutes.
14. Garnish Dal with coriander leaves.
15. serve hot dal with steamed rice/ jeera rice.