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 spicy, 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 my Kid's Delight event, guest hosted by Priya Srinivasan, themed on Kids Lunch Box Recipes.
Step by Step Pictures for making Jeera Rice
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 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
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.
Notes
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM
Jyoti says
Jeera rice is my favourite. But, I cook rice separately and then temper it
vaishalisabnani says
Talk of kids lunch box and their tantrums ! We all face the same problems , even my girls half prepare their lunch boxes at night , no choice . Eating a early breakfast for kids is a task , we all have given it up ! A banana and a glass of milk or yogurt is fine , give them a handful of nuts !
Btw I too make jeera rice in the same way ! Tastes great.
PJ says
I can totally understand your plight Srivalli. Even at 7.45 the kids refuse to eat breakfast! Planning lunch for 3 kids is indeed a herculean task. I have never packed jeera pulao / jeera rice for their lunch box.Now I must try this
Rafeeda - The Big Sweet Tooth says
It's the same case here! My girls have their bus coming at 6:20 am for 7 o clock class and you can imagine my plight to get one cup of milk each into their tummies, forget about eating a full fledged meal! I totally love jeera pulao, just the meal to go on lazy days...
Mayuri Patel says
I was really lucky when my kids were going to school, no school back then had kids at schools for lunch. All would go home and then return to school at 2p.m. I didn't have to pack school lunches. I usually add just jeera to the rice but love your flavourful jeera rice. Next time will add all the spices and also the onion.
pumpkinfarmfood says
same story valli, i have only agreed on making him drink 1 glass of milk before he leaves the home. the dabba is another drama, this rice is good, my hubby hates onions if visible to his eyes, so pretty much same situation
Sapana says
All time favorite staple rice dish at our house. In winters I only make jeera rice . Yummy platter.
Mireille Roc (@ChefMireille) says
I like the addition of caramelized onions in this version
veenasvegnation says
I remember when I had to pack for vibha. This was a regular and that plate lokks yumm
Priya Srinivasan says
Same story everywhere valli! here kids leave by 6:15, they just drink milk and eat breakfast around 9:30 /10 in school.
jeera puloa looks yum! a regular at home these days!