Upwas Jeera Rice

One really funny thing I learned in Goa was that in Goa, fasting means just staying off rice. You can eat chapatis and vegetables and everything else; only rice isn't allowed!

For those of us who stay off other things as well, this is Jeera rice for the days when you are fasting.

Ingredients

• 1 cup bhagar or vari che tandool (Samo, in English)
• 1 large potato cubed
• 1 tsp jeera (Cumin seeds)
• 5 to 7 peppercorns
• 1 inch piece of cinnamon
• 3 large dry red chillies
• salt to taste
• 2 tsp groundnut oil
• 2 tsp ghee (clarified butter)

Wash and soak bhagar in 2 cups of oil for 15 minutes. Drain the water and keep aside.

Peel the potatoes and chop them in pieces. Deep fry them in hot oil till they turn uniformly golden brown.

Heat oil, and add the peppercorns and cinnamon. Now add half the cumin seeds and fry till they change color. Add the soaked bhagar and fry for two minutes. Now add 2 cups of water and salt as per your taste. Bring it to a boil. Now lower the flame and simmer covered for ten to fifteen minutes or until the bhagar is completely cooked. Add the fried potatoes and toss.

Now heat the ghee in a separate pan and add the jeera seeds to this. Once they begin changing color, add the dry red chillies. Use this as a tadka for your upwas jeera rice.

Serve hot with upwas groundnut curry (recipe on Monday :-)  )

Happy Cooking!