Name: Lemon Rice Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 people
Ingredients: 1 Lemon; 1/4 Cup Peanuts (roasted); 1 tsp Turmeric Powder; 1 Pinch Asafoetida; 2 Red Chili; 10 Curry Leaves; 3 tbsp Cooking Oil; 1/2 tsp Salt (or as required)

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This South Indian Lemon Rice Recipe is the most simple yet Delicious recipe for rice. All the ingredients can be adjusted to suit everyone’s taste buds.

Lemon rice with potato fry is my most favorite lunch box menu. I can survive with this recipe for the entire month and also feeding others too. This is the most simple yet delicious Indian lemon rice recipe. All the ingredients can be adjusted to suit everyone’s taste buds.

Everyday food does not need many explanations, it just blends, become part and parcel of the life. We make it almost once in every week. Whenever, I feel tired of cooking and wants to get rid of cooking for a long time, I prefer to go with this recipe. As it required few minutes of seasoning and it is easy to go with any side dish, from chips to bitter gourd.

Stuffed Bindi Fry, Bitter Gourd Fry, Cauliflower Golden Fry, Hot and Spicy baby potatoes Fry are the best combo with Lemon Rice.

How does this taste like?

This South Indian style lemon rice is pure and divine with the bundle of flavors with a citrusy taste. Packing Indian food for travel? This one of the best travel companions. The fresh lemon taste, which gives a refreshing feel in the long travel. And stay good for a whole day in the normal room temperature.

Side dish for Easy Indian lemon rice recipe

The is great to serve with Indian style potato fry, potato wedges, chips or any other spicy curry tastes great with lemon rice.

Key ingredients

This lemon rice is an authentic and tradition lunch recipe of South India, so many of the ingredients are unique and are rare to find here in the United States.

Rice– This is the first and foremost ingredient which decides the quality and the taste of the South Indian lemon rice. You may choose regular long grain rice, basmati rice or brown rice according to your preference.

The rice should not be overcooked and mushy. The separate grain makes this simple lemon rice good and delicious. The only thing you need to keep in mind that the rice has to be done to 90%.

Cooking oil-Though it is acceptable to use the regular cooking oil that you use, but it tastes more authentic when you use sesame seeds oil. The sesame seeds oil give a whole round flavor, furthermore, it takes out all the sharp tingling taste of lemon juice.

You may substitute the cooking oil with the sesame seeds oil. Otherwise, you may use half cooking oil and half of sesame seeds oil.

Mustard seeds– Mustard seeds are the must for this recipe. As it gives a mild flavor and also plays as a garnishing ingredient. The small and tiny black mustard seeds look awesome with the yellow rice. This combination of these colors makes it appetitive.

Urad dal/ Skinless black gram– This adds a nice aroma and little protein to the dish. The close substitute for urad dal is skinless moong bean, Bengal gram(chana dal). This becomes crunchy when fried in oil and makes it good when we get them between our teeth while eating this Lemon rice Indian style recipe.

Curry leaves-You can get curry leaves from the local Indian stores. And this one has no substitutes, hence if you do not have them you may skip it.

Turmeric Powder-As you all know this one is healthy, and now I started seeing this turmeric powder in a huge jar in the regular grocery stores. Which shows its popularity and its medicinal values. And here in this recipe, it adds beautiful golden color to the rice. Quarter to half a teaspoon of turmeric powder is good in here.

Asafoetida– This is another unique ingredient of India, which is harder to get outside the Indian stores. A small pinch goes larger in any recipe. And I would suggest to use it, as it also a home remedy for gastric problems.

How to make lemon rice

Cook the Rice– Cook the rice as you do regularly in the kitchen. You may use Instant Pot, rice cooker or by straining method. Cook till it is 95%, separate and grainy rice is perfect when mixed with the lemon mixture.

Cooldown– Transfer the cooked rice to the plates and bring it to the room temperature.

Make lemon Mixture– this step happens quickly and makes sure you assemble all the required ingredients before making.

In medium flame, keep a pan. Add cooking oil followed by mustard seeds, urad dal(skinless black gram).

Allow mustard seeds to crackle. Then add broken red chilies, curry leaves, and asafoetida.

Saute for few seconds until the red chili slightly changes its color.

Now add turmeric powder and switch off the flame.

Combine-Now gently combine rice, salt and lemon mixture together using a wooden ladle.

And serve immediately.