Lemon Rice

It’s amazing how one basic ingredient is prepared in so many different ways across India. One can actually write a book on just rice dishes in India and I’m sure there are many. From humble steamed rice to the pretentious biryani; rice finds its way onto everyone’s plate here. I first saw Lemon Rice on the menu in a Bangalore cafe. And I wondered “Lemon Rice”? What you put lemon in rice? Somehow it didn’t quite make sense to me but my friend, who was surprised that after living in South India for almost a year I’m yet to try lemon rice, ordered one for me. And if I wasn’t pleasantly surprised! 🙂

The waiter comes and even before he kept the dish on the table I could smell the aroma of rice and lemon. Ever since lemon rice has become somewhat a regular as an evening snack dish.

Lemon Rice

Preparation: 5 mins| Cooking 15 mins| Serves 2

1 cup basmati rice

½ tsp yellow chana daal

½ tsp white urad daal

10-15 peanuts

8-10 curry leaves

½ tsp turmeric powder

Juice of 2 limes

2 dry Kashmiri red chillies

Salt to taste

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp ghee

• Wash the basmati rice in 2-3 changes of water. Soak it in 2 cups of water for 10 mins.
• Put the rice along with water in a deep sauce pan and cook on medium-low heat. Add lime juice, salt, turmeric and ghee in the water. Mix well and let it cook. The rice is ready when all the water evaporates. The rice would have taken a bright yellow colour of turmeric J.
• Remove the rice on a rice platter.
• Heat a non- stick pan and add oil.
• When the oil is hot, add the curry leaves, Kashmiri red chillies, peanuts and chana and urad daals.
• Remove when they turn brown and add to the rice.
• Serve the rice as is or with yoghurt.

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