Cumin Scented Rice Recipes

JEERA RICE

Steps:

• Rinse basmati rice till the water runs clear of starch. Soak the rice for 30 mins and then drain all the water. Keep aside.
• Heat 4 cups water till it comes to a boil. Add all the whole spices. Add rice and salt. Simmer the rice on a low flame uncovered.
• The rice grains should be cooked till tender and yet separate. Drain the water and keep the cooked rice aside.
• If you want you can rinse also the rice with water at room temperature. This stops the cooking of the rice and keeps the grains separate.
• Heat oil in a small pan. Add cumin/jeera.
• Let them crackle. They have to be fried well otherwise you will taste uncooked cumin in the rice.
• Add the green chilies. Stir for a few seconds. No need to brown the chilies.
• Add the tempering to the hot or warm rice.
• With a fork, gently mix the tempering with the rice grains. Even if some rice grains break, its alright. Do gently taking care so as not to break the rice grains.
• Add coriander and gently mix or garnish the rice with coriander at the time of serving.
• Serve jeera rice hot or warm with a dal or vegetable/paneer curry of your choice.

CUMIN-SCENTED RICE TIMBALES

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan cook the onion, 1 teaspoon of the cuminseed, and the red pepper flakes in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until the onion is softened, add the rice, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the broth, 1 cup water, and the salt, bring the liquid to a boil, and cook the mixture, covered, over low heat for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff the rice with a fork, stir in the parsley, and let the rice stand, covered off the heat for 5 minutes. Pack the rice into 4 lightly coiled 3/4-cup timbale molds, unmold the timbales, and sprinkle the additional cuminseed on top of them.

CUBAN BLACK BEANS AND CUMIN SCENTED RICE

Steps:

• Pick over beans, discarding any shriveled ones of foreign particles. Wash well and soak, covered in water, for 4 hours. Drain beans and place in 4 quarts of water in a soup pot. Add ham hock to the beans. Bring rapidly to a boil. Reduce heat to moderate and simmer beans until tender, about 35 to 45 minutes.
• In a saute pan, heat 1 and 1/3 cups olive oil. Add the chopped onions and garlic to the pan and saute over low heat. Add the chopped chiles and season with salt and pepper. Add the bay leaves and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add 1 cup of drained black beans to the onion mixture in the saute pan, and mash thoroughly with rest of the ingredients in the skillet. Stir in the sugar and the dried oregano.
• Add the bean and onion mixture to the bean pot. Cover, and simmer for 1 hour, at moderate heat. Add red wine, vinegar, 4 teaspoons dried oregano and cumin. Uncover and cook until sauce thickens. Serve hot.
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 3 cups uncooked basmati rice
• 2 small limes, juiced
• 6 cups cold water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• Heat butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. When butter is melted, add cumin seeds and saute for 1 minute. Stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes.
• Turn the heat to high and add the lime juice, water and salt. Mix well. Bring to boil on high heat. Reduce heat and cook covered on low for 15 minutes until water evaporates.

CUMIN-SCENTED HERBED RICE

Steps:

• Wash rice in several changes of cold water in a bowl until water runs clear and drain well in a sieve.
• Toast cumin seeds in oil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until a shade darker, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Stir rice into cumin. Stir in broth and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low and cover pan, then simmer gently until rice is tender, 16 to 18 minutes.
• Fluff rice with a fork and let stand, covered, off heat up to 10 minutes. When ready to serve, stir in scallions and cilantro.

LEMON-CUMIN RICE

Steps:

• Soak 1 1/2 cups basmati rice in cold water, 15 minutes; drain. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons cumin seeds; cook 30 seconds. Add 1 chopped onion and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add 2 1/4 cups water, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, the rice and 3 strips lemon zest. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over low heat, 15 minutes. Let stand off the heat, 10 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds, and lemon juice to taste.

CHALLAW (CARDAMOM AND CUMIN BASMATI RICE)

Steps:

• In a large pot with a lid, bring 8 1/2 cups water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, drain the rice in a large fine-mesh sieve or colander and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. Add the rice and 1 tablespoon kosher salt (or 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt or fine salt) to the boiling water. Boil uncovered, until the grains seem to have doubled in length, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan or kettle, bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil and keep at a simmer. Place the cardamom pods on a cutting board and lightly crack them with the side of a large knife.
• Drain the parboiled rice in the sieve or colander and return the rice to the pot. Add the cracked cardamom pods and any seeds that may have popped out, the cumin seeds and 1 tablespoon kosher salt (or 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt or fine salt). Mix gently to combine, taking care to not break the rice grains. Drizzle with the oil and the just-boiled water from the saucepan, and stir gently to coat the rice.
• Cover the pot and cook over high heat until steam escapes from beneath the lid, 3 to 6 minutes. This is a critical step in preparing the rice to avoid overcooking it. Once you see the steam, reduce the heat to low and cook until the rice is tender and all the water is gone, another 20 minutes. Serve immediately.