Cumin-Pepper Rice

Cumin is a spice which is used in everyone's kitchen daily. It is used as seasoning in many dishes. Cumin is used as an ingredient in curry powder, rasam powder and for flavouring soups, cakes and bread. It is also used in the concoction made for digestive disorders. In ayurveda, cumin is considered invaluable for digestion. The aroma of the grounded cumin is stronger than the whole cumin seeds. The cumin seeds flavour is accentuated by toasting it. Zeera pani is a refreshing and appetising Indian drink made from cumin and tamarind water. Cumin together with caraway flavours Kummel, the famous German liquer. Cumin in the form, is used in chutneys, lassi, and in salad dressing or to sprinkle over prepared foods. Cumin tea, prepared by steeping cumin seeds in boiling water, can be drunk after a meal to aid digestion. Superstition during the Middle Ages cited that Cumin kept chickens and lovers from wandering. It was also believed that a happy life awaited the bride and groom who carried Cumin Seed throughout the wedding ceremony.

Jeera rice is a very popular Indian dish. It is generally eaten with a gravy type of side dish. During my morning walk today, i met my friend Dhanam and in our casual talk she told me that her kids love the jeera-pepper rice with plantain curry. Immediately i asked her the recipe and tried it out for lunch today. Since i didnt have plantain at home, i prepared lady's finger crispy fry.



JEERA-PEPPER RICE
Ingredients
Boiled Rice - 1cup
Ghee - 3tsp
Hing - little
Mustard - 1tsp
Pepper - 8-10nos
Jeera - 2tsp
Urad dhal split - 1tsp
Channa dhal - 1tsp
Curry leaves - few
Dry red chilli - 1no
Cashews - 6nos


Method
1. Take the rice in a mixing bowl.
2. In a blender grind jeera and pepper. Pour it on top of the rice.
3. In a heated kadai, add ghee, to it add hing, mustard, urad dhal, channa dhal and stir fry, once they are golden brown, remove from fire, add the curry leaves and then pour it on top of the jeera powder on the rice.
4.Add salt and mix thoroughly.
5.Fry cashews in a tsp of ghee and decorate it before serving.