Jeera Rice

Jeera Rice is one of those staple rice dishes I end up cooking very frequently. While this is very much like the ghee rice, including different whole spices makes this different each time you make.

Packing Kids lunch box is one of the most tiring tasks I do every week. When it was only Konda’s box I had to plan, it was little easy, then when boys stopped having their breakfast and insisted on only lunch, it became even tougher.

From this year on, the boys leave at 7 in the morning as their class start at 7.30 am. I seriously don’t know if the school understands the need for children to have proper food for breakfast. They mention in the passing that we should feed the kids their breakfast and not pack certain dishes for schools. I have given up trying to make them understand that my boys refuse to eat anything by 7 in the morning.

Apart from this, they are also fussy on what one wants to eat. If one wants a dish, the other makes sure he refuses. Konda has made an adjustment by saying whatever I cook for the boys, she is ready to carry. This puts, even more, pressure as the boys don’t eat anything spice, while Konda only wants spicy food.

Well, this forced me to get practice something I never liked. Cook a paneer gravy the previous night and store it for their lunch. I somehow always disliked this habit but seem to have resorted to it. Rest of the four days, it’s always some rice dish. I make Pulihora, Soya Biryani, Coconut Pulao, Fried Rice and, Jeera Pulao, Jeera Rice.

As it gets repeated every week, I try to change the recipe a bit. Today’s version is with fried onions. Trust me, the fried onions were only for the decoration as my boys won’t eat onions. I have some handful of Jeera Rice blogged already, however, this one is different and I get to share it today for Kids’ Delight themed on Kids Lunch Box Recipes.

Jeera Rice

Step by Step Pictures for making Jeera Rice

Ingredients

For the Rice
1 cup Basmati Rice
1 tbsp Cumin Seeds Jeera
1 inch Cinnamon
2 Cardamom
1 Star Anise
3 Bay Leaf
2 Mace Javithri
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Ghee
2 tbsp Cooking Oil
2 cups Water

For Brown Onions
1 cup Onions juliennes
1 tsp Cooking Oil

Wash the rice couple of times and soak for 20 mins.
In a nonstick pan, heat the oil and ghee, saute the whole spices for a couple of times.
Add the drained rice and saute for a couple of mins.
Add salt and water, bring to boil.
When the water boils, simmer and cover and cook for 15 mins or till done.
Keep this on a tawa, cooking on a low flame and cook for 5 mins.
Meanwhile, saute the onions in oil till browned.
Once the rice is cooked, fluff and add the browned rice.

If your kid prefers spice, then you can add green chilies

Jeera Pulao

Jeera Rice

Jeera Rice is a simple, easy to make rice that you can quickly pack for your kid. With jeera, and other whole spices, this is a wholesome rice dish.

CourseLunch Box, Main Dish - Rice
CuisineNorth Indian
By Cook MethodStovetop
OccasionKids Lunch Box
By DietKid Friendly
Dish TypeKids Lunch Box

Ingredients

For the Rice

1cup Basmati Rice
1tbsp Cumin seedsJeera
1inch Cinnamon
2 Cardamom
1 Star Anise
3 Bay leaf
2 Mace Javithri
Salt to taste
2tbsp Ghee
2tbsp Cooking Oil
2cups Water

For Brown Onions

1cup Onions juliennes
1tsp Cooking Oil

Instructions

Wash the rice couple of times and soak for 20 mins.
In a nonstick pan, heat the oil and ghee, saute the whole spices for a couple of times.
Add the drained rice and saute for a couple of mins.
Add salt and water, bring to boil.
When the water boils, simmer and cover and cook for 15 mins or till done.
Keep this on a tawa, cooking on a low flame and cook for 5 mins.
Meanwhile, saute the onions in oil till browned.
Once the rice is cooked, fluff and add the browned rice.