The staple diet of the South Indians being rice, there are endless varieties to the way they prepare rice. Each dish is unique and has its own distinct taste, aroma and even color. One of the most commonly made rice preparations is the lemon rice. It has a nice lemon yellow appearance, a mild taste with the twist of lemon and crunch of fried peanuts. I make my own version of this dish by adding green peas and potatoes.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of rice
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp of oil/ghee
- A pinch of asafetida
- 2 dried red chilies
- 1 tbsp of split black gram (urad dal)
- 1 tbsp of split gram (chana dal)
- ½ cup of peanuts
- ½ tsp of mustard seeds
- 10-12 – curry leaves
- 1 lemon
- ½ tsp of turmeric powder
- Green peas- ½ cup (optional)
- 1 boiled potato (optional)
Method:
- Cook the rice with salt and keep it aside
- In a pan heat some oil/ghee
- Add mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal, a pinch of asafetida, dried red chilies, curry leaves and peanuts
- After the mustard crackles, add salt, turmeric, and peas and chopped boiled potato (If you are using them)
- After the peas is cooked, transfer it to the rice.
- Squeeze the juice of the lemon and mix well
- Serve hot/ warm with curd/papad/ chutney
Preparation time: ½ hr
Serves: 2