A popular rice Serve it with any curry. Instructions included to make it in a regular pot, pressure cooker and instant pot.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 30 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes
  • Total time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 2
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Hyderabadi

Ingredients

  • 1 cup basmati rice ((or any aged rice, refer notes))
  • 2 tablespoons ghee ((use upto 3))
  • 1 small bay leaf
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon shahi jeera (or caraway seeds)
  • 3 cloves
  • 3 green cardamoms
  • 1 black cardamom
  • 1 small onion (sliced thinly)
  • 1 to 2 green chilies (slit (skip for kids))
  • 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste ((or ½ tsp each grated))
  • 3 tablespoons mint leaves (chopped (pudina))
  • 3 tablespoons coriander leaves (chopped)
  • ½ teaspoon salt ((adjust to taste))
  • 1¾ cups water for pressure cooker ((1¼ cup for Instant pot, 2 cups for regular pot))
  • ½ inch cinnamon
  • 2 cloves
  • 3 green cardamoms ((use only the seeds))

Method

Preparation

  1. Add rice to a bowl and rinse well atleast thrice. Pour 3 to 4 cups water and soak for atleast 30 mins.
  2. Meanwhile slice the onion and green chilies. Make a fine paste of ginger and garlic. Fine chop mint and coriander leaves.
  3. Crush ½ inch cinnamon, 2 cloves and 3 green cardamoms to a fine powder. I did it in a mortar pestle.
  4. After 30 mins drain water from the rice completely.

How to make bagara rice

  1. Heat a pot or pressure cooker with ghee. Add shahi jeera, cloves, green cardamoms, black cardamom, bay leaf and cinnamon.
  2. When they begin to sizzle add the onions and green chilies. Saute until they turn slightly golden.
  3. Stir in the ginger garlic paste and fry until a nice aroma comes out.
  4. Add drained rice, mint leaves and coriander leaves. Fry on a moderate high heat for 2 mins.
  5. Next add salt and ground spice powder. Pour water and give a good stir at the bottom.
  6. Taste the water and add more salt if needed.
  7. If cooking in Pot: Cover and simmer on a low flame until all the water is absorbed and the rice is fully cooked. If the rice is underdone and there is not enough moisture, you may add few more tbsps of hot water. Give a good stir and cook.
  8. If cooking in pressure cooker: Cover and cook on a medium high flame for 1 whistle. When the pressure releases naturally, open the lid and fluff up the bagar rice with a fork.

Instant pot bagara rice

  1. Press the SAUTE button on the Instant pot and pour ghee to the inner pot. Add all the whole spices - shahi jeera, cloves, green cardamoms, black cardamom, cinnamon & bay leaf.
  2. When they begin to sizzle, add onions and green chilies. Saute until golden.
  3. Stir in the ginger garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Then add the drained rice, mint and coriander leaves.
  4. Press CANCEL button and saute the rice for 1 minute. Then add salt, ground spice powder and water.
  5. Deglaze by scrubbing the bottom of the pot with a spatula. Taste and add more salt if needed.
  6. Secure the Instant pot with the lid and position the steam release handle to sealing.
  7. Press PRESSURE COOK button (or manual button) and set the timer to 5 mins.
  8. The instant pot will beep when it is done. Wait for the pressure to release naturally for 5 mins. Release the rest of the pressure manually by moving the steam vent from sealing to venting.
  9. Gently give a good stir and fluff up bagara rice with a fork. Serve it with any curry or raita.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.