Lemon Rice

Lemon Rice is a delicious South Indian dish you can easily put together when in a hurry. You can also make it with leftover rice. Serve Lemon Rice with a Raita (yogurt salad) and Poppadums for a simple yet tasty meal.

INGREDIENTS:

Rice-----------------------------1 1/2 cups
Salt------------------------------to taste
Curry leaves---------------------10-12
Red chillies whole----------------2
Oil/Ghee-------------------------2 tbsps
Asafoetida-----------------------a pinch
Black gram split(dhuli urad dal)---1 tbsp
Bengal gram split (chana dal)-----1 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds------------------1/2 tsp
Peanuts--------------------------1/2 cup
Mustard seeds (optional)---------1 tsp
Turmeric powder----------------1/2 tsp
Lemon juice---------------------3 tbsps
Coconut (scraped)(optional)-----1 tbsp

METHOD OF PREPARATION 

1.  Pick,wash and soak rice in four to five cups of water for about 30 minutes. Drain and then cook in 4 cups of boiling salted water until almost done. Drain and keep aside. Wash and pat dry curry leaves. Remove stems and break red chillies into 2 pieces each.

2. Heat oil/ghee in a shallow pan or kadai. Add a pinch of asafoetida. Add red chillies, dhuli urad dal,chana dal and fenugreek seeds.Cook till dal changes its colour to light brown.

3. Add peanuts and mustard seeds. As mustard seeds crackle, add curry leaves and turmeric powder. Stir fry for half a minute. Add cooked rice, salt and lemon juice. Mix well, cover and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes.

4. Garnish with scraped coconut and serve hot.