How To Make Jeera Rice

Jeera rice or Zeera rice is an Indian and Pakistani dish consisting of rice and cumin seeds. It is a popular dish in North India and Pakistan as an everyday rice dish. It is very easy to prepare. To cook long-grained white rice on the stove, use a 2 to 1 water to rice ratio. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. You can add an optional pinch of salt if you wish.

Instant Fried Rice With Leftover Rice

Fried Rice is a combination of long grained rice, mixture of warm peas, carrots and onions with scrambled eggs mixed all together! You will not be getting take out any longer! If you start with sticky, warm, just-cooked rice, your fried rice will turn out soggy, without those distinct chewy grains that a good fried rice has. Instead, cook the rice at least a day ahead of time and refrigerate. This helps to dry the grains out enough to give your fried rice a good texture. Ingredients in Fried Rice:
Day old and cold rice help to keep it from being mushy. Small white onion Vegetables- Peas, bell pepper and Carrots. You can also add in other veggies such aa broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, snow peas and cabbage. Eggs Sesame Oil Soy Sauce How to make Fried Rice
Preheat Skillet. Turn your skillet to medium high heat and pour sesame oil into the bottom of your skillet and add the onion, peas and carrots. Pour the soy sauce and mix well. Fry this until they are tender. Slide the veggies to the side. Pour the beaten eggs onto the other side. Use a spatula to scramble the eggs. Mix them together with the veggies. Add the rice. Combine it with the veggie and egg mixture and stir until it is heated throughout.

Curried Rice Pilaf



Photo Credit: Health is Wealth Photos.

 This is my variation of a classic Indian rice dish.  Green onions, carrots and red peppers give the pilaf great colour.  I add raisins for just a touch of sweetness and almonds for some delightful crunch. I think you'll agree with me that the mild curry flavour pleases all palates.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of chopped green onions, carrots and red peppers in equal measure
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain basmati rice
• 2 tsp. curry powder
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup of raisins
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup almonds

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to anywhere between 350 and 425 degrees.
• Line the top of a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.  Spread the almonds in an even layer on top.
• In a skillet with a tight fitting lid, sauté the garlic and half of the onions, carrots and red peppers in butter.
• Add the rice and curry and cook until the rice begins to brown up.
• Add chicken broth and and generous pinch of salt to the skillet.  Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover for about 18-20 minutes.
• While the rice is cooking, toast the almonds in your oven for 5-7 minutes.  Shake the pan occasionally, When the almonds are nice and brown from the heat remove.
• When the rice is done cooking, stir in the remaining green onions, raisins and almonds.

This is one of those forgiving recipes where you can measure by eye and the meal will turn out simply wonderfully.  I provide the measurements as a guideline only, but don't strictly follow them myself!   It's a reliable dish and your guests will appreciate the bright palette it lends to your table.

Serve hot and enjoy.  Bon appétit!