Jeera rice is one of the most ordered rice dishes in Indian restaurants. It is pretty much eaten with every other popular dish like dal makhani, butter chicken, paneer butter masala, dum aloo, egg curry etc. It just goes so well with any sides like curries, dal or even with stew.
Basmati rice till the water runs clear of starch. soak the rice for 30 mins and then drain them. keep aside.
Heat 5 cups water. 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 jeera rice with coriander at the time of serving.
Serve jeera rice hot or warm with a dal or vegetable/paneer curry of your choice.
