Bagara Rice (Instant pot & stovetop)

Bagara rice is a traditional rice dish made with rice, whole spices, mint and coriander leaves. It is one of the well known dishes from the Telangana region of Southern India. Bagara rice is mostly made for special meals and occasions like festivals or weddings. It is not only very flavorful & delicious but is also much simpler to make than a biryani.

Hyderabadi cuisine is immensely popular for its rich cultural foods like hyderabadi biryani, Haleem, Double ka meetha, Kababs, Salan, Dalcha & many more.

Hyderabadi bagara rice is known as Bagara khana or bagara annam in the local languages. It is mostly eaten with a good vegetarian or meat based curry.

Vegetarians can serve this with bagara baingan, mirchi ka salan or even with a good dal. If you do not have time to make an elaborate meal just serve it with a raita.

Non-vegetarian dishes like Mutton korma, mutton curry, chicken curry or keema curry go well with this.

This recipe will give you bagara rice that is so much flavorful & unique in its own that you can just eat it without any side. Here are my tips.

Step-by-step photos

Preparation

1. Rinse rice thrice in lots of water and soak them. While the rice soaks, slice a small onion, 1 green chilli and make a paste of ginger and garlic.

2. Pluck a handful of mint leaves and an handful of coriander leaves. You may use the stalks of coriander but not mint. Add them to a bowl of water. Rinse them well a few times. Drain the water and later chop them.

3. Deseed 3 green cardamoms and make a fine powder of them along with 1 clove and half inch cinnamon.

How to make bagara rice

4. Pour ghee to a hot pot or cooker or instant pot. When the ghee turns hot, add all the whole spices – bay leaf, cinnamon, shahi jeera, cloves, green cardamom and black cardamom.

5. When they begin to sizzle, add the onions and green chilli. Fry them in ghee until golden.

6. Then add ginger garlic and saute for 30 to 60 seconds.

7. Add the rice, mint leaves and coriander. If using Instant pot, press the cancel button and proceed.

8. Saute the rice for 1 to 2 mins. Add salt and the ground spice powder.

9. Pour water and mix. Taste the water and add more if needed. If using instant pot, deglaze by scrubbing the bottom of the pot with a wooden spatula.

10. Cover the pot/cooker or the IP. If cooking in a normal pot, cover the pot and cook on a low heat until the rice is cooked fully. Towards the end if the rice is still under cooked, sprinkle few tbsps of hot water and give a good stir. Cover and cook until done.

If cooking in a pressure cooker, cook on a medium high heat for 1 whistle. When the pressure releases, open the lid and fluff up the bagara rice with a fork.

If using Instant pot, press the pressure cook button and set the timer to 5 mins. Position the steam release handle to sealing. When the IP is done cooking, it will beep. Wait for the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes. Then release the rest manually by moving the vent from sealing to venting.

Give a gentle stir and fluff with a fork. If you find the rice not soft enough for your liking. Cover it immediately and rest for 10 mins.

Serve bagara rice with any curry or raita.

Tips

Spices: Traditionally made dish uses only whole spices like shahi jeera, cardamoms, cloves, bay leaf and cinnamon. Generally no ground masala is used. However I do use a tiny amount of the ground spices which totally makes a difference here.

Ginger and garlic in equal quantities is ground and used. Homemade paste makes a difference again. Avoid store bought paste as the flavors do not really come out well.

Mint leaves and coriander leaves are very essential for the flavor. In my home, no bagara rice without them as the rice doesn’t taste good.

Green chilli is used for heat and flavor. Without this the rice may taste bland. If you do not prefer hot foods, then use chilies that are low on heat. I also partially deseeded the chilies and used. If you have kids home, skip them completely.

Basmati rice: I use aged basmati. You can use any other kind you have. But adjust the amount of water depending on the rice. Use the same amount of water as you would use to cook your rice regularly.

Traditionally bagara rice is made in a pot but can easily be made in a pressure cooker or Instant pot. I have the instructions for all of these methods below.

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Recipe

Bagara rice recipe