Jeera Rice

Name: Jeera Rice
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 3
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 cup Basmati rice; 2 cups Water; 1 tablespoon Clarified butter (ghee); 2 teaspoons Cumin seeds; 1 Bay leaf; 1 1-inch piece Cinnamon stick; 1 teaspoon Lemon juice; to taste Salt

Recipe GLPR354074f5eaaad8

Indian

Side Dish

50 min

131 cal

Servings: 3

Stovetop

SNAP eligible

A fragrant and aromatic Indian rice dish infused with cumin seeds, cinnamon, and bay leaves. Basmati rice is gently toasted with whole spices and ghee, then simmered until fluffy and light. Perfect as a side dish to accompany curries and other main courses.

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Ingredients

1 cup Basmati rice

2 cups Water

1 tablespoon Clarified butter (ghee)

2 teaspoons Cumin seeds

1 Bay leaf

1 1-inch piece Cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon Lemon juice

to taste Salt

Directions

Rinse the basmati rice under cold running water, stirring gently with your fingers, until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch. Transfer to a bowl and soak in water for 20 minutes. After soaking, drain the rice thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer and spread it on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Let it air-dry for 10 minutes.
Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Let them infuse for about 20–30 seconds until fragrant. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for another 20 seconds to release their oils and aroma.
Add the drained rice to the saucepan with the spiced ghee. Stir gently and continuously for about 1 minute to coat the rice evenly and lightly toast it.
Pour in the 2 cups of water, add salt to taste, and squeeze in the lemon juice. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
Bring the water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cover the saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and simmer without lifting the cover for 20 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender and fully cooked.
Remove the saucepan from heat and keep the lid on for 10 minutes to allow residual steam to finish cooking the rice. Carefully remove the lid, fluff the rice gently with a fork, breaking up any clumps, and transfer to a serving dish. Discard the bay leaf and cinnamon stick before serving.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4

Jeera rice is straightforward to execute and hits the mark for a weeknight side dish. Every ingredient is standard stock at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Kroger, and Walmart—basmati rice, ghee, cumin seeds, and whole spices are all reliable finds without a special trip. The 50-minute time is honest for soaking and simmering rice, though active hands-on time runs closer to 10 minutes, so it's not deceptive. At roughly $1.20 to $1.50 per serving, it's cheap, driven by the low cost of basmati and a modest use of ghee. The only minor friction: cumin seeds in small quantities at standard chains can feel pricey by the ounce, and ghee at mainstream grocers runs higher than at a South Asian market—a real Charlotte reader with access to Dilworth India or other ethnic aisles saves 30 percent. Leftovers reheat well, and the dish is set-it-and-forget-it, making it reliable for busy families, though three servings is tight for most households.