Jeera Rice and Masoor Dal Fry

Jeera rice has never caught the fancy of my eyes till I made it myself last Sunday. I have never chosen to eat jeera rice in any restaurant. It seemed like a white version of the arisi upma or pongal. But when I had no mood to prepare anything involving vegetable (as I was out of most vegetables and had to go shopping) this Sunday, I decided on preparing this recipe. I must say that this is one easy peasy recipe that can be done in less than 20 mins. Turns out quite tasty with the dal fry. I decided on making it as masoor dal fry as I had them at home.

Recipe - Jeera Rice

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice - 1 cup
• Water - 2 cups
• Jeera - 2 tsp
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
• Green Chili - 1
• Cloves - 2
• Bay leaf - 1
• Cardamom - 1
• Cinnomon Stick - 1
• Onions finely chopped - 2-3 tbsp
• Cashews - 10-12
• Oil - 3 tsp
• Salt - as required.

Procedure:

1. Wash and soak the Basmati rice in 2 cups of water. Keep it aside for ½ an hour.
2. Take a pan, heat oil. Add Cloves, cardamom, Cinnamon, Bay leaf and Jeera. Fry until aroma comes off.
3. Add chopped onions with the green chili sliced length wise. Fry until onions are half cooked.
4. Add ginger garlic paste. Fry for 2 more minutes.
5. Drain the water from the soaking basmati rice and pour it into the cooking pan.
6. Add salt and let the broth boil.
7. Add the Basmati rice and cook on low flame until rice is well cooked. Remove from heat.
8. Let it remain covered for another 10 mins. Take off the bayleaves, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom before serving. Garnish the rice with fried cashews. 

Recipe - Masoor Dal fry

Ingredients:

• Masoor dal - 1 cup
• Water - 3 cups
• Onion finely chopped - 4 tbsp
• Tomato - 1 large
• Oil - 3 tsp
• Mustard - 1 tsp
• Jeera - 1 tsp
• Urad dal - 1 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1 tsp
• Salt - as required
• Red Chili - 2 tsp
• Dhania, Jeera Powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves - to garnish
• Fresh cream - optional

Procedure:

• Wash and soak the masoor dal in water for atleast 4 hours. Cook until its soft.
• Take a pan, heat oil. Add mustard, jeera, urad dal and asafoetida. Let mustard splutter.
• Add the onions, fry until golden brown.
• Boil the tomato in water, remove skin and grind it into smooth paste. Alternatively, Tomato puree can be used as well.
• Add the tomato paste into the cooking pan. Add salt, chili and dhania jeera powder. Fry until the mixture is blend well.
• Add this to the cooked dal.
• Garnish with fresh cream and coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with the jeera rice.