Lemon rice
Lemon rice is primarily made with cooked rice and tempered with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and spices. The generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice infuses each grain with a refreshing acidity.
Ingredients
1 cup = 250ml
- ¾ cup rice preferably medium-grain like Sona Masuri or Ponni rice
- Water as needed for cooking the rice
- 2 tbsp oil preferably sesame oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 ½ tbsp split or whole urad dal
- 2 tbsp chana dal split chickpeas
- 1 tsp finely chopped ginger
- Dried red chillies
- A few curry leaves
- 2-3 green chillies slit lengthwise
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida hing
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsps of roasted peanuts or cashew nuts optional
- Juice of 1 lemon adjust to taste
- Fresh coriander leaves chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Cook the Rice:
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
- In a saucepan, bring water to a boil.
- Add the rinsed rice to the boiling water and cook until the rice is cooked and fluffy.
- Once the rice is cooked, drain out the excess water and spread it out on a plate to cool slightly. This prevents it from becoming mushy when mixed with the other ingredients.Or cook the rice as per the package instructions.
- Don´t overcook the rice. Once cooled down you can also place it in the fridge for an hour. This will keep the grains separate.
Tempering
- Heat oil in a large pan or skillet over medium heat.
- Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
- Add urad dal, chana dal and ginger. Sauté until they turn golden brown.
- Add curry leaves, slit green chillies, dried red chillies and asafoetida. Sauté for another minute.
Mixing the Rice:
- Add turmeric powder and salt to the pan, stirring well to combine with the tempered spices.
- Turn off the heat and add freshly squeezed lemon juice. Add the rice and toss it gently to ensure the rice is evenly coated with the lemon juice and spices.
- Gently fluff the rice with a fork to break up any clumps.
- If using, add roasted peanuts or cashew nuts and mix well.
Serve:
- Transfer the lemon rice to a serving dish.
- Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves for a burst of freshness and colour.
- Lemon rice can be served hot or at room temperature, making it ideal for picnics, lunchboxes, or as a side dish to accompany your favourite South Indian curries.
Notes
Don´t forget to adjust the amount of lemon juice according to your preference for sourness. Start with 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, taste the rice, and then add more lemon juice gradually until you reach your desired level of sourness. It's always easier to add more lemon juice than to try to balance it out if you've added too much, so take it slow and taste as you go.
