Jeera (Cumin) Rice is a North Indian Classic. It so flavorful and easy to cook! This is my go-to side dish with curries and dals. It’s amazing how simple ingredients can make a dish so flavorful.

 

Jeera Rice

 

 

Basmati Rice

 

As a rule, white basmati rice is the main ingredient in this recipe. I love white basmati for its fragrance! Just one whiff of steamed basmati rice and my mouth starts watering. While I have been completely off regular white rice over the last several years, I enjoy basmati rice occasionally. Unfortunately, there’s very little nutrition in white rice. This forced me to transition a few of my favorite recipes to brown rice.

 

Sona Masuri

 

I had my parents visit me last year. They are die-hard white rice fans, especially a variety called sona masuri. It doesn’t have the fragrance of basmati but turns out fluffy when cooked right. My dad refuses to eat any other rice. I ended up buying a lot of sona masuri rice at our local Indian grocery for them. It’s about 18 months since they left, and I still have a 10-pound bag of this rice left untouched. I guess I did not plan it right!

 

Brown Rice

 

Unlike white basmati, brown rice is somewhat thick and devoid of fragrance. Even brown basmati falls short of the original fragrance. Over the years however I have developed a taste for brown rice and don’t really miss white rice. The best way to cook brown rice is to soak for at least 2 hours before cooking. Soaking longer gives better results.

 

Soaking Brown Rice

 

Jeera (Cumin) Rice

 

Clearly, cumin is the main source of flavor in this dish. In addition to cumin, other spices may be used, as it is often the case with Indian recipes. Some use cardamom and cinnamon. Restaurants also garnish the dish with cilantro, making it look more colorful. I typically use cumin, onion, and a small piece of dry chili pepper. That’s it. One other thing – while I cook it all together, you can also use cooked rice and mix it with sautéed cumin, onion and chili pepper. Or go all out and add cardamom, cinnamon and cilantro. Depends on how fancy you want it.

 

Why is this Healthy?

The hull and bran in brown rice provide “natural wholeness” to the grain and are rich in proteins, thiamine, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and potassium, making this recipe healthier than the traditional one which uses white Basmati rice

 

While you’re here, check out some of our delicious brown rice recipes:

 

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4.67 from 3 votes

Brown Jeera (Cumin) Rice

Brown rice replaces white basmati in this classic North Indian dish. Very nutritious, with very little compromise on taste! This is a great side that goes well with a number of curries and dals.
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Indian
Keyword Brown Rice, Cumin, Indian, Spices, Vegetarian
Special Diet Gluten Free, No Added Sugar, Nut Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Soak Grains 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Servings 4 People
Calories 99kcal

Ingredients

  • 1/2 Cup Brown Rice
  • 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
  • 1/2 Chili Dry Red Chili - Small
  • 1/8 Cup Onion - Fine Cut
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt - Or To Taste
  • 1 Teaspoon Coconut Oil - Extra Virgin

Instructions

  • Soak brown rice for 2 hours to soften the hull. Wash and drain rice. Chop onions.
  • Set IP on 'Sauté' mode, add oil and wait for the 'hot' sign to show up. Add cumin, chili pepper, onions and sauté for 2 minutes. Add brown rice and stir contents gently so as to not break the rice grains.
  • Add 3/4th cup of water, salt and mix well. Set IP on 'Manual' mode, put the lid on and set it on high pressure for 30 minutes.
  • Once it's done open the lid and fluff with a fork, add about a 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil if you like, to make it less sticky.
  • Serve hot with any curry or dal.

Notes

Goes well with any curry or dal.
*Use organic ingredients wherever possible

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Brown Jeera (Cumin) Rice
Serving Size
 
126 g
Amount per Serving
Calories
99
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
2
g
3
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
0.3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
0.4
g
Sodium
 
147
mg
6
%
Potassium
 
82
mg
2
%
Carbohydrates
 
19
g
6
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
0.3
g
0
%
Protein
 
2
g
4
%
Vitamin A
 
40
IU
1
%
Vitamin C
 
0.4
mg
0
%
Calcium
 
14
mg
1
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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