{"id":9943,"date":"2020-04-13T12:19:11","date_gmt":"2020-04-13T06:49:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tashasartisanfoods.com\/blog\/?p=9943"},"modified":"2024-01-08T16:59:15","modified_gmt":"2024-01-08T11:29:15","slug":"lemon-rice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tashasartisanfoods.com\/blog\/lemon-rice\/","title":{"rendered":"Lemon Rice"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Lemon rice<\/strong> is the quick recipe you\u2019ve been looking for! It takes a boring leftover and turns it into a light, tangy, crunchy, and delicious dinner with zilch effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Traditionally, lemon rice is South Indian cuisine, but it has inched its way to most tables in the country. Why?<\/em> Because it is a pleasure to cook (read: no effort) and because a squeeze or two of lemon makes everything better!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is for these very reasons that lemon rice is the perfect recipe to try right now. A quick and easy preparation, it\u2019ll makes you mouth water with fresh, tangy and distinct flavours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Make Lemon Rice?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you have leftover rice, then lemon rice is a one-step recipe. Seriously, it\u2019s that elementary. If you don\u2019t have pre-cooked rice, then your first step is to cook them and cool them. Once that\u2019s done, temper the rice with spices, and you have a light and hearty meal ready in minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tempering <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We start with heating oil in a big-ish pan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this hot oil, peanuts get roasted till golden and crunchy. Take them out (we add them back later on) and then throw in the mustard seeds along with chana and urad dal till they get that beautiful golden hue. In quick succession, throw in the pan curry leaves, green chilies, and dried red chilies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the seeds start popping and spluttering, turn off the heat and add in the leftover (or freshly cooked and cooled)<\/em> rice. Mix well because it is when each rice grain is flawlessly coated with the tempering that you achieve that lovely spiciness of lemon rice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Adding the tangy relish <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Now comes the best part of lemon rice: squeezing in the lemons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use the juice of two whole lemons. Be generous because you really want that tang and zest to shine through. If you love the bite and sharpness of lemon, go ahead and increase the amount of juice a tad bit. The spices of the tempering will complement the sourness of lemon excellently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The final step is to garnish with the roasted peanuts and get that wonderful balance of crunch and kick!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Quick notes<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Soak the chana dal and urad dal for ten minutes and drain them before adding to the tempering. To save time, let them soak while you boil the rice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you can\u2019t get your hands on fresh curry leaves, dried ones will do in a pinch. For the rice, I prefer a Sona Masoori grain, but Basmati works just as well too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Serving the rice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lemon rice is a straightforward recipe that\u2019s why it is fabulous for a quick lunch or dinner. Just like the making, the serving of lemon rice requires zilch effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Serve it as is. The burst of flavours from the spices and lemon and the crispy elements of peanuts make it a delicious meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want a more substantial serving, plain, thick yogurt or raita makes for an excellent accompaniment. A slice of pickle, some dal and a few papads with lemon rice will give you a filling meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Variations of Lemon Rice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lemon rice has simple and clean flavours, but if you want to take it up a notch add cumin for a smoky touch or coriander for a refreshing taste. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of peanuts, toss in roasted cashews or almonds in the rice to keep that crunch. If you love the nutty note coconut brings, garnish the lemon rice with shreds of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The very fact that lemon rice is not only quick to cook but also customizable to the palate makes it one of my preferred meals these days. I hope the easy-peasy recipe finds its way to your table soon!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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More Easy Flavored Rice Recipes: <\/h3>\n\n\n\n