LEMON RICE

 

This rice dish is simple, yet delicious and loved by children. Lemon rice is a favourite of my children.When in school their friends used to share this dish with them during their lunch breaks which is why I started making it on a regular basis.

Lemon rice does not spoil quickly due to the presence of  the lemon which acts as a preservative. The sun coloured rice makes it a friendly item in picnics and train journeys in Southern India.

Lemon rice is a good accompaniment to a vegetarian meal. It goes well with meat dishes too and also brightens up the table of a simple meal.

 

Time: 30 minutes                                serves: 4+ persons 

Ingredients:

2 cups basmathi/ponni rice + water to cook

juice of 2 lemons

2 green chilies, slit lengthwise

a few curry leaves (I didn’t have fresh curry leaves, so used the ones from my fridge)

2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

1 tsp turmeric powder

11/2 tbsp sesame oil/oil

salt to taste

Seasoning:

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 tsp bengal gram dhal (Channa dhal)

2 tsp black gram dhal (urad dhal)

2 dried red chilies, crumbled

a pinch of asafoetida

any nuts of your choice (I used peanuts)

Method:

1.Wash the rice well and cook the way as you would cook plain rice.

2.Meanwhile prepare the rest of the  ingredients and keep them close to the cooker.

3.When the rice is cooked; spread it on a plate sprinkle 1/2 tsp oil.Leave it to cool.

4.Heat oil in a small frying pan and when hot add the mustard seeds followed by bengal gram and urad dhal. When they turn light golden in colour, add curry leaves, green chillies, turmeric powder, salt, dried red chilies, asafoetida and the nuts.Let them fry while stirring continuously. Just before taking off from the fire add the coriander leaves.

5.Pour this seasoning over the cold rice along with the lemon juice.Mix well with a spoon gently. Adjust seasoning to suit your pallet.

 

Enjoy!