Lemon rice is a simple recipe and hence a beginner’s choice for a perfect meal. The tangy taste of lime along with the simple tempering of the plain white rice enhances the flavour to a great extent. It tastes awesome with pickle. It is also served with papads, vada, onion pakora or any pakora for that matter.
This South Indian dish is apt for travel or a picnic as the lime increases the shelf life of the dish and makes it last longer. It is the easiest in rice varieties that include tamarind rice, coconut rice, fried rice, tomato rice and ghee rice and any beginner can give it a try.
Children love Lemon rice, so it can also be packed for their school lunch. The colour of the lemon rice makes it appealing for them. But do remember to cut down on chillies.
I have used green chillies in this recipe but even dried red chillies can be used instead. Lemon rice tastes best with grainy rice that is the rice that is not overcooked.
Ingredients
100 g uncooked rice
3 tbsps oil
1/4 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp broken urad dhal
1/2 tsp chana dhal
2 pinches asafoetida powder
a sprig of curry leaves(chopped)
1 big onion (finely chopped)
3 green chilies (finely chopped)
1 tbsp groundnut
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 lime
1 tsp coriander leaves (finely chopped)
1/2 tsp or salt to taste
Method
Cooking of plain white rice
Wash and soak rice for 15 minutes. (optional)Take a pan/vessel, fill it with water and heat it. (The ratio of rice and water here is 1:2). When the water starts boiling add the rice and close it with the lid partially and heat it on a low flame. Usually, the rice takes around 18 minutes to cook. Keep this rice aside.
Roasting of groundnut
Take a kadai or a heavy thick bottomed pan or a cast-iron skillet and heat it. Add 1 tbsp of oil and allow the oil to get heated. Add groundnut and stir it till it is roasted on a low medium flame (the groundnuts are roasted when there is a slight change in colour). Transfer the roasted groundnuts immediately to a bowl. You can use the same kadai for tempering.
Preparation of the Lemon rice
Take the kadai used for frying of groundnut and add heat it. Add 2 tbsps of oil and heat it. Then add mustard and allow it to splutter.
At this stage add the urad dhal and chana dhal and give a quick stir. Let the urad dhal turn slightly brown in colour.
Now add onions, curry leaves, green chilies and asafoetida, and saute.
Saute till the onions become transluscent as shown in this picture. Add turmeric powder and the previously roasted groundnuts to the kadai.
Now add the cooked rice and salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients well. Finally, add lime juice and mix.
Last but not least, garnish the dish with coriander leaves!
The Lemon rice is ready to taste!! Enjoy with pickle: )