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Indian Basmati Rice with Tempered Spices Recipe

Explore 35 easy, authentic Indian recipes—from cozy curries to vegetarian delights—that bring bold, homemade flavors to your kitchen- featuring Indian Basmati Rice Recipe!

4.8 from 140 votes
25 mins
Total Time
4
servings
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Indian Basmati Rice with Tempered Spices

How to Make the Best Indian Basmati Rice with Tempered Spices

This aromatic Indian Basmati Rice with tempered spices is the perfect side dish to accompany any curry, dal, or grilled meats. The secret to its incredible flavor lies in the tadka—a traditional Indian technique of blooming whole spices in hot ghee to release their essential oils and create layers of warm, fragrant flavor.

Unlike plain steamed rice, this version features a finishing drizzle of ghee infused with black mustard seeds, cumin, fennel, and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds hit the hot fat, they pop and crackle, signaling that their nutty, peppery flavors are ready to transform your rice into something extraordinary.

This recipe is incredibly versatile and takes just 25 minutes from start to finish. Once you master this simple technique, you’ll find yourself reaching for it again and again—it’s the kind of dish that elevates a weeknight dinner into something special.

Indian Basmati Rice with Tempered Spices

Indian Basmati Rice with Tempered Spices

Explore 35 easy, authentic Indian recipes—from cozy curries to vegetarian delights—that bring bold, homemade flavors to your kitchen- featuring Indian Basmati Rice Recipe!

4.8 from 140 votes
CourseSide Dish
CuisineIndian
Keywordbest indian recipes, perfect basmati rice, indian recipes, vegetarian indian recipes
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time25 mins
Servings4 servings
Calories150kcal
AuthorChristina Hill
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Ingredients

Rice

Tempering Oil

Instructions

Cook the Rice

  1. Bring water and salt to a boil.
  2. Add rice and simmer gently at a low boil, uncovered over medium heat until rice is just perfectly tender—check at 8-10 minutes, and continue cooking if needed. Keep in mind brown rice will take longer.
  3. Drain, and let stand over a strainer for 5 minutes.

Make the Tempering Oil

  1. Heat ghee over medium heat. Add seeds, salt and leaves, and sauté until seeds begin to crackle—about 30-60 seconds. Turn heat off.
  2. Place rice in a serving dish and spoon tempering oil over top.
  3. Serve immediately!

Notes

  • For brown basmati rice, increase cooking time to 25-30 minutes.
  • The tempering oil (tadka) is what gives this rice its distinctive Indian flavor.
  • Fresh curry leaves can be found at Indian grocery stores and freeze well for later use.
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