Saffron-jeera pulao

I tend to be a very pedantic cook, and when I want to cook a recipe, I research the authentic version of the dish. This is one of those recipes that I had some trouble with because of the variations in what is known as black cumin or kala jeera. It is a confusing world of spices, even more so with products being mislabeled by the manufacturers. So, let's clear this all up.

Cumin (jeera): light brown elongated seeds that have an earthy taste is the most common variety

Anise seed (saunf): light green with an anise flavour

Caraway seeds or thymol seeds (ajwain): Tiny light brown seeds with a distinct earthy flavour of anise seeds and dill. Most commonly mistaken for kala jeera

Royal cumin seeds (Shah jeera): Longish seeds similar in colour to jeera seeds but with a much lighter flavour.

Nigella seeds (kalonji): Small black seeds with a distinct, pungent, nutty taste. They are also commonly mistaken for kala jeera because of the black colour.

Kala jeera (black cumin): Long dark brown to black seeds that look like shah jeera seeds and have a distinct earthy taste

Now, I hope this is cleared up. I hope the image below helps you stock your pantry with the appropriate spice correctly labelled.

This is truly a regal dish. The everyday rice is massively upgraded with saffron, which adds a lovely light yellow colour and aroma. The kala jeera, which is the appropriate spice for this dish, and other spices scent the rice delicately, making it shine. Once you have tried this version, you will never go back to the boring jeera rice you are used to.

Rasika is a beautiful cookbook of contemporary Indian flavours. The chef has taken a variety of fabulous recipes and presented them in a modern setting, like this raita. I recommend this book to those who want something different on their table.

For more wonderful recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons ghee

1 teaspoon black cumin seeds

4 green cardamom pods

3 whole cloves

1 1-inch piece cinnamon stick

1 small bay leaf

1 generous pinch of saffron strands

2 cups basmati rice, rinsed in water

water, as needed

Heat the ghee in a medium pot. Add the black cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf and stir until the bay leaf turns a light brown, about 20 seconds. Add the saffron and the rice and fry until the rice turns bright white. Remove and set aside.

Cook the rice on the stove or in an Instapot or rice cooker using as much water as recommended. Once cooked, fluff well. Serve hot.