Jeera Rice (Cumin Flavoured Rice)

            This flavorful way of serving your plain old boring rice will make it more appealing to the eyes. It tastes not only yummy with the flavor of ghee coming through along with the crunch of the fried cumin seeds, but it will complement any side dish that is served along with it. 

               Try serving it with some Butter Chicken, Dal Makhni, Paneer Butter Masala or Mutton Fry. Even a simple Dal fry will taste much more delectable when paired with jeera rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this simple fare.

• 2 cups cooked rice
• 2-3 tbsp. ghee 
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2-3 green chilies, chopped
• salt to taste
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• few slit green chilies to garnish (opt)

          Heat ghee in a pan and temper with the cumin seeds and green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Then add the rice and salt to taste. Sauté for 2 minutes on a low to medium flame.

          When done, switch off the flame and add some chopped coriander leaves.

          Garnish with slit chilies and a sprig of coriander leaf. Serve with any side dish of your choice.

               Heat ghee in a pan & temper with the cumin seeds & green chilies. 

                          Sauté for a few seconds. 

                                 Then add the rice & salt to taste. Sauté for 2 minutes.

                                 When done, switch off the flame & add coriander leaves.

                                 Garnish with slit chilies and a sprig of coriander leaf. 

                     Serve with any side dish of your choice.

Peri Peri Gourmet Delight

          This is my take on a Peri Peri Gourmet delight where the star ingredient is the South African special Peri Peri Sauce that I have used in all the recipes. Here you have Peri peri grilled chicken drumstick served atop fusion style jeera rice, which has some peri peri sauce. I then served with some kadhi where I have also added peri peri sauce. So as the saying goes, you eat with your eyes, here is my simple visual presentation of the end product. 

1.  Peri Peri Grilled Chicken Drumsticks - 

• 5-6 chicken drumsticks 
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• salt to taste 
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp. olive oil 
• 2 tbsp. peri peri sauce
• 1/3 cup yoghurt
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder

          Make few slits on the chicken drumsticks and mix with all the mentioned ingredients. Marinate for 4-5 hours or preferably overnight. 

          Arrange the marinated chicken on a greased baking tray and grill for 30-35 minutes. Flip them midway and baste with the leftover marinade.

2.  Peri Peri Jeera Rice (Fusion Style) - 

• 1 cup Basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes
• 2 tbsp. oil 
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 2 green chilies, slit
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 4-5 tbsp. peri peri sauce
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Cook the rice in sufficient water till done. Drain and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds. Saute for a few seconds. 

          Add the onion, garlic and green chilies. Stir fry till light brown. Add the peri peri sauce and all the dry spices. Mix everything well, 

          Add the rice and continue to stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the coriander leaves and give it a stir. Switch off the flame and keep aside. 

3.  Peri Peri Kadi (Fusion Style) -

• 3 tbsp. roasted chickpea flour
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 3 cups water
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds 
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. peri peri sauce
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste 
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. coriander-cumin powder

          Whisk together the chickpea flour, yoghurt, water and salt. Keep aside. Mix together ginger-garlic paste, peri peri sauce and all the dry spices along with some water. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with the cumins seeds. Saute for a few seconds and then add the asafoetida, followed by the spice paste.

          Saute for a few seconds and then add the yoghurt mix. Bring it to a boil and simmer on a low flamer till it thickens to a desired consistency. Keep stirring at intervals. When done, strain it to a smooth finish. Keep aside. 

          To serve, arrange the rice first and top it up with a grilled chicken. Pour some of the strained kadhi and you are all set to relish this yummy PERI PERI GOURMET DELIGHT. 

Egg Angara with Jeera Rice

          Serve this restaurant style egg curry along with some jeera rice as they both complement each other. Prepared this Egg Angara with a slight twist as the main gravy based ingredients were first char grilled on an open flame and then made into a paste. This gives a nice smoky flavour to the dish. 

          On the other hand steamed rice can be more flavorful in the form of jeera rice. It  tastes yummy with the flavour of the ghee along with the crunch of the fried cumin seeds. So this simple platter is apt to be served and enjoyed during special occasions along with your family and friends. Happy Cooking !!!

Egg Angara - 

• 2-3 boiled eggs, cut into half
• 1 onion
• 1-2 tomatoes
• 2 green chilies
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1" ginger
• 3 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaves 
• 1" cinnamon stick 
• 2-3 cardamoms 
• 4-5 cloves
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Grill the onion, tomato, ginger, garlic and green chilies on an open fire till it is slightly charred. Grind into a fine paste and keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and lightly fry the boiled eggs. Drain and keep aside. Temper the same oil with cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves.

          Add the onion paste, turmeric powder and red chili powder. Saute till the oil separates. Add 1 - 1 & 1/2 cups water and salt. Bring it to a boil.

          Cover and simmer on a low flame for 4-5 minutes till the gravy reduces to a desired consistency. Add the garam masala powder and ghee and simmer further for a minute. 

          Switch off the flame and transfer to a serving plate. Arrange the boiled eggs over it and garnish with coriander leaves. 

Jeera Rice - 

• 1 cup Basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes
• salt to taste
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 2-3 tbsp. ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 & 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

           Pressure cook the rice in 1 & 1/2 cups water, salt and lime juice for 1 whistle. Spread on a plate to cool down.

          Heat ghee in a pan and temper with the cumin seeds and green chilies. Then add the rice and mix well. Saute for a minute or two on a low flame. 

          Add the coriander leaves and give it a toss. Switch off the flame and transfer to a serving plate.