Jeera Rice

Nothings speaks comfort to me like rice.Though I enjoy cooking different cuisines and we all like eating them once in while,I always find myself coming back to rice,like home coming :). I have quite a few rice preparations here and this jeera rice in one more addition to it.It is a very mild flavored rice,a very famous one in northern parts of India.Jeera means cumin seeds and obviously this rice is with cumin flavor and also few other spices.I however tweaked rice with onion and peas,my everlasting love for colorful food and vegetables seem to grow outrageous and I tend to throw a handful of chopped veggies in all possible dishes I cook.Also I have changed the cooking method,I cooked the rice separately and added the spices,unlike mostly known version of cooking the rice along with spices. I paired this with rich spicy gravy,and that's what I call comfort food :)

Jeera rice recipe
Star ingredients:Basmati rice,cumin seeds
Time:20 minutes
Serves:3
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup basmati rice
1 onion chopped fine
1/4 cup fresh/frozen peas
2 green chillies slit
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 cloves
2 cardamom
crushed ginger and garlic
Salt
2 teaspoons oil/ghee for tempering
Method:
1.Pressure cook basmati with 3 1/3 cups of water up to 2 whistles.Once pressure is released,take the rice in a wide plate and fluff it up with a fork.
2.Heat a thick bottomed kadai and add oil/ghee.Add cumin seeds,crushed ginger,garlic,cloves,cardamom and saute for 2-4 minutes.Add the green chillies and saute well.
3.Now add the chopped onions and fry till translucent.
4.Add the green peas,salt and cook till peas turn soft.
5.Now keep the flame in low and add the cooked rice.Mix the rice gently and cover.Let it rest for 10 minutes.
6.Serve hot with any spicy gravy and raita.
Notes:
1.Jeera rice is a very mild flavored rice.No masalas like garam masala,corinader seed powders should be added.
2.Onion and peas are optional here,you can leave it out too.
3.Adding ghee will make the rice smell and taste more authentic.
Here are few gravies that goes well with this rice.