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cumin rice served on a plate
5 from 5 votes

Cumin Spiced Basmati Rice

Blog: www.nextinlime.com

Author: Nelo
Servings: 3

Ingredients

  • 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds - (Note A)
  • 1 cup (185 g) basmati rice - (Note B)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1.5 cups (355 ml) hot water - for cooking (not soaking)

Optional Garnishes

  • fresh chopped cilantro/parsley leaves

Instructions

  • Using a fine mesh strainer, wash the rice under cold running water until the water runs clear (takes about a minute or two). Soak it fully in room temperature water for 30 minutes, then strain.
  • Heat oil in a saucepan/pot on medium-low heat, then add cumin seeds. Stir 1 minute, be careful not to burn the seeds.
  • Add drained basmati rice (watch out for splatters), give a quick mix. Then immediately add ground pepper, garlic powder, salt and 1.5 cups hot water. Mix again. (I get the water heating in an electric kettle just before I start cooking)
  • Turn up the heat to medium-high, cover the saucepan/pot with lid.
  • Cook for 3 to 7 minutes or until the rice has absorbed most of the water (not all). Be watchful during this time – if the liquid starts to spill, briefly lift the lid to let steam escape – then cover again.
  • To check if it's time for next step, remove the lid and look for small holes with bubbles on the surface. If you see this, give the rice a gentle mix and cover again.
  • Now reduce the heat to the lowest setting and let the rice steam exactly 10 minutes. It's important not to remove the lid during this step.
  • Next – turn off the heat, remove the saucepan from burner but don't remove the lid. Let the rice rest covered for 10 minutes so it can finish cooking with the residual heat.
  • Once the resting time is up, remove the lid, spoon out the cumin rice, garnish with some chopped cilantro/parsley leaves. Enjoy.

Notes

Note A: Cumin seeds – not to be confused with ground cumin (aka cumin powder). You can find whole cumin easily in Indian/Pakistani grocery stores.
Note B: Basmati rice – I prefer long-grain basmati. You can use other long-grain white rice varieties too. Cooking times and texture may be different though.
Note C: Helpful content – click on the links below for related useful content in the main body of the post.
Note D: Related – try this buttered basmati rice next.