• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
  • Category Index
  • How To

Indian Ambrosia

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Category
  • Recipe Collections
  • Chicken
  • Vegetarian
  • Subscribe
  • Instant Pot
  • Quick & Easy
  • What's New
  • About
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Category
    • Recipe Collections
    • Chicken
    • Vegetarian
    • Subscribe
    • Instant Pot
    • Quick & Easy
    • What's New
    • About
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    You are here: Home » Rice

    Published: Aug 1, 2019 · Modified: Sep 3, 2021 by Saima · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases · This blog generates income via ads.

    Jeera Rice (Instant Pot and Stovetop Recipe)

    1.2K shares
    • 487
    Jump to Recipe

    Jeera rice or zeera rice is steamed, aromatic Basmati  rice flavored with cumin and other whole spices. It is a simple gluten-free side dish ready in 20 minutes in your instant pot or stovetop. Serve with dal fry for a full meal. Both instant pot and stovetop methods included!

    jeera rice in a black bowl

    Nothing in this world can beat the wholesomeness of simple, home-cooked food at the end of a long day, and when it comes to everyday Indian food, zeera or jeera rice along with dal tadka is at the very top of my list. In fact, it really can't get more simple than that ... ideal if you're looking for a tasty, no-fuss meal ready in minutes.

    What goes into this jeera rice recipe? 

    Simple rice recipes like this one need just a few ingredients. Here's the complete list.

    • 2 cups Basmati rice - long grain, aged Basmati rice is the best.
    • 2.5 cups water
    • 2 tablespoons ghee or oil - ghee gives a wonderful aroma to the rice, but if you want a vegan zeera rice, go for oil.
    • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
    • 1 cinnamon stick
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 2 cloves (optional)
    • 2 green cardamom (optional)
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt

    Throw in the cloves and cardamom if you have them at hand otherwise don't bother. The rice tastes great without these spices too since the star of this recipe is cumin or zeera.

    How to make fluffy jeera rice  

    Preparation - Rinse the rice a few times in a colander, then soak it in 2.5 cups water. Keep it aside for 15 minutes.

    Note: if cooking  2 cups rice on the stovetop, soak it in 3 cups water. This is because water evaporates a lot more in an open vessel compared to a pressure cooker so you need a little more. 

    Instant Pot Method

    Step 1 - Switch on the saute mode on your instant pot and add the ghee or oil. When it melts, add the cumin, cinnamon, bay leaf and cloves and cardamom (if using). Let the spices sizzle in the hot ghee for a few seconds or until they change color.

    Step 2 - Add the rice along with the water in which it was soaked, lemon juice and salt.

    Step 3 - Cancel the saute mode and switch on the pressure cooking (manual) mode. Close the vent, secure the lid and set the timer to 5 minutes.

    Step 4 - When the timer beeps, release the pressure after 5 minutes. Open the cooker and fluff the rice with a fork.

    Serve with a dal or curry of your choice.

    Note: Jeera rice in a rice cooker also follows the same steps as above, right down to the amount of water used.

    Stovetop method

    Step 1 - Melt the ghee or oil in a saucepan on medium heat and add the cumin and the rest of the spices. Let the spices sizzle in the hot ghee for a few seconds or until they change color.

    Step 2 - Add the rice along with the water in which it was soaked, lemon juice and salt. Let the liquid come to a roiling boil.

    Step 3 - Reduce the heat and let the rice simmer in the saucepan until most of the water has been absorbed.

    Step 4 - Now cover the pan and let the rice cook in its own steam for 3-4 minutes on the lowest heat possible.

    Step 5 - Remove from the hob and let the pot rest for a few minutes more, covered. Take off the lid, fluff the rice with a fork and serve with a curry of your choice.

    jeera rice in a black bowl

    Things to remember for making the best cumin rice

    1. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. This gets rid of the excess starch and reduces stickiness. It also removes the impurities, if any, in the rice.

    2. Do soak the rice for a minimum of 15 minutes for soft, plump grains after cooking.

    3. Use the exact amount of water mentioned in the recipe for perfect, fluffy rice. You can of course, halve it or double it depending on the amount of rice.

    4. The lemon juice separates the grains and prevents them from sticking to each other. Do use it.

    5. Long-grain, aged Basmati rice is the go-to variety for making this zeera rice recipe. Tilda or Dawat are good brands that yield excellent results.

    6. If you are one of those people who don't like you rice grains to stick even one teeny bit, discard the water in which the rice was soaked and then add the strained rice to the ghee. Fry the rice in the ghee for 2 minutes until fragrant. Now add fresh water to the pot and continue.

    What to serve with this jeera pulao recipe 

    Yes, this does taste like pulao minus the veggies or meat. Thanks to the ghee, cumin and all those spices, its fragrance will spread everywhere once you open the cooker!

    Anyhow, since this is not something you can have by itself, here are a few ideas to get you started. Basically anything in a sauce goes with cumin flavored rice, but these dishes, in particular, taste terrific with jeera rice.

    Dal Makhani - Curried black lentils cooked in a tomato-ey sauce with cream.
    Lobia Masala - Black eyed peas in a rich and filling curry with no unhealthy ingredients to spoil the fun.
    Kadhi Pakora - Vegetable fritters in a sunshine yellow sauce made of chickpea flour and turmeric.
    Rajma Masala - Red kidney beans in a thick curry made of onions, tomatoes and spices.
    Butter Chicken - Chicken pieces simmered in butter, cream, pureed tomatoes and yogurt.
    Of course if you want to keep things super simple, have jeera rice with dal fry for a delicious and satisfying meal.
    lentils and cumin rice in a bowl
    Jeera rice and dal fry
    Jeera rice in a bowl.

    Jeera Rice

    Saima Zaidi
    Jeera rice or zeera rice is steamed, aromatic Basmati rice flavored with cumin and other whole spices. It is a simple gluten-free side dish ready in 20 minutes in your instant pot or stovetop. Serve with a simple dal or as an accompaniment to the curry of your choice.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Side
    Cuisine Indian
    Servings 4
    Calories 163.3 kcal

    Equipment

    • 6-quart Instant Pot Duo

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 cups Basmati rice long-grain, white
    • 2.5 cups water
    • 2 tablespoon ghee or oil
    • 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 1 cinnamon stick
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 2 cloves
    • 2 green cardamom
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Instructions
     

    Instant Pot Method

    • Switch on the saute mode on your instant pot and add the ghee or oil. When it melts, add the cumin, cinnamon, bay leaf and cloves and cardamom (if using). Let the spices sizzle in the hot ghee for a few seconds or until they change color.
    • Add the rice along with the water in which it was soaked, lemon juice and salt.
    • Cancel the saute mode and switch on the pressure cooking (manual) mode. Close the vent, secure the lid and set the timer to 5 minutes.
    • When the timer beeps, release the pressure after 5 minutes. Open the cooker and fluff the rice with a fork. Serve with a dal or curry of your choice.
    • Note: Jeera rice in a rice cooker also follows the same steps as above, right down to the amount of water used.

    Stovetop Method

    •  Melt the ghee or oil in a saucepan on medium heat and add the cumin and the rest of the spices. Let the spices sizzle in the hot ghee for a few seconds or until they change color.
    • Add the rice along with the water in which it was soaked, lemon juice and salt. Let the liquid come to a roiling boil.
    • Reduce the heat and let the rice simmer in the saucepan until most of the water has been absorbed.
    • Now cover the pan and let the rice cook in its own steam for 3-4 minutes on the lowest heat possible.
    • Remove from the hob and let the pot rest for a few minutes more, covered. Take off the lid, fluff the rice with a fork and serve with a curry of your choice.

    Notes

    1. If you're vegan, substitute the ghee with an equal amount of cooking oil.
    2. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear.
    3. Use the exact amount of water mentioned in the recipe for perfect, fluffy rice. You can of course, halve it or double it depending on the amount of rice.
    4. The lemon juice separates the grains and prevents them from sticking to each other. Do use it.
    5. Long-grain, aged Basmati rice is the go-to variety for making this zeera rice recipe. Tilda or Dawat are good brands that yield excellent results.
    6. If you don't like your rice grains to stick even one teeny bit, discard the water in which the rice was soaked and then add the strained rice to the ghee. Now add fresh water to the pot and continue.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cupCalories: 163.3kcalCarbohydrates: 22.5gProtein: 2.1gFat: 7.2gSaturated Fat: 4.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2.7gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 591.8mgFiber: 0.2g
    Keyword chicken curry sides, cumin rice, jeera pulao, jeera rice
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!

    « Chicken Tikka Masala (Instant Pot and Stovetop)
    Achari Chicken Curry (Achari Murgh) »
    1.2K shares
    • 487

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sarah says

      October 21, 2019 at 10:03 pm

      How do I sauté the spices when using a rice cooker? I definitely want to try this recipe, looks so delicious!

      Reply
      • Saima says

        October 22, 2019 at 6:10 pm

        Sarah, follow the same steps as outlined in the recipe. Just switch on the cooker, add oil and spices, let the spices sizzle in the oil for a minute and add the rice and water. Then let the cooker do its thing.

        Reply

    Thanks for coming! Let me know what you think: Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    headshot of Saima

    Hi, I'm Saima! I live in Alberta, Canada with my husband and twin boys. Here, you'll find Indian recipes with fresh, natural ingredients and easy, no-fuss cooking techniques. Welcome to my blog!

    More about me →

    Popular Posts

    • chicken malai tikka skewers on a plate with green chutney and roti on the side
      Chicken Malai Tikka
    • pooris on a checkered red and white cloth in a red basket
      Crispy and Fluffy Puri Recipe (Fried Indian Poori Bread)
    • lamb karahi gosht in a bowl with roti on the side and two green chillies
      Lamb Karahi Gosht (Indian Lamb Curry)
    • beetroot sabzi in a bowl with naan and green chillies on the side
      Beetroot Sabzi (Chukandar Sabzi)

    Web Stories

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy

    Newsletter

    • Subscribe for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Indian Ambrosia

    Indian Ambrosia uses cookies to improve your experience. If you continue to use this site, we will assume you're okay with the terms:) GOT IT Read More
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    SAVE & ACCEPT