This 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.
Indian Lemon rice with potato fry is my favorite lunch box menu. I can survive with this recipe for the entire month and feed others. This is the most simple yet delicious spicy lemon rice recipe. All the ingredients can be adjusted to suit everyone's taste buds.
Everyday food does not need many explanations; it becomes part and parcel of life. We make it almost once every week. Whenever I feel tired of cooking and want to get rid of cooking for a long time, I prefer this recipe. It requires a few minutes of seasoning, and it is easy to go with any side dish, from chips to bitter gourd.
Stuffed Bindi Fry, Cauliflower Golden Fry, and Hot and Spicy baby potato Fry are the best combo with Lemon Rice.
What does this taste like?
This South Indian style lemon rice is pure and divine with a bundle of flavors with a citrusy taste. Packing Indian food for travel? This is one of the best travel companions. The fresh lemon taste gives a refreshing feel to the long journey. And stay suitable for a whole day at over room temperature.
Side dish for an Easy Indian lemon rice recipe
Serving with Indian-style potato fry, potato wedges, chips, or spicy curry, it tastes great with lemon rice.
Key ingredients
This lemon rice is an authentic and traditional lunch recipe of South India, so many ingredients are unique and rare to find here in the United States.
Rice. This is the first and foremost ingredient that decides the quality and the taste of 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 excellent and delicious. You only need to remember that the rice has to be done to 90%.
Cooking oil. Though it is acceptable to use regular cooking oil, it tastes more authentic when you use sesame seed oil while making Indian lemon rice. The sesame seed oil gives a whole round flavor. Furthermore, it removes all the sharp, tingling taste of lemon juice.
You may substitute the cooking oil with the sesame seed oil. Otherwise, you may use half of the cooking oil and half of the sesame seeds oil.
Mustard seeds. Mustard seeds are a must for this recipe as they give a mild flavor and play as a garnishing ingredient. The tiny black mustard seeds look fantastic with the yellow rice. This combination of these colors makes it appetitive.
Urad dal/ Skinless black gram. This adds a pleasant aroma and a little protein to the dish. The close substitute for urad dal is the skinless moong bean, Bengal gram(chana dal). This becomes crunchy when fried in oil, making it suitable when we get them between our teeth while eating this Lemon rice Indian-style recipe.
Curry leaves-You can buy curry leaves from local Indian stores. This one has no substitutes; you may skip it if you do not have them.
Turmeric Powder- As you all know, this one is healthy. I started seeing this turmeric powder in huge jars in regular grocery stores, showing its popularity and medicinal value. And here, this recipe adds a beautiful golden color to the rice. A 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.
How to make Indian lemon rice
Cook the rice- Cook the rice regularly in the kitchen. You may use an Instant Pot, rice cooker, or straining method. Cook until it is 95%; separate and grainy rice is perfect when mixed with lemon.
Cooldown- Transfer the cooked rice to the plates and bring it to 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, mustard seeds and urad dal(skinless black gram).
Allow mustard seeds to crackle. Then add broken red chilies, curry leaves, and asafoetida.
Saute for a few seconds until the red chili slightly changes its color.
Now add turmeric powder and switch off the flame.
Combine-Now gently combine the rice, salt, and lemon mixture using a wooden spoon.
And serve immediately.
Other rice recipes,
Printable recipe card
Lemon Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon urad dal /skinless black gram
- 10 curry leaves
- 1 pinch asafoetida
- ¼ cup peanuts roasted/cocktail
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 cup cooked rice
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Over medium heat, place a pan, add vegetable oil, black mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, asafoetida, and roasted peanuts.
- Allow the mustard seeds to splutter.
- Turn to low heat, add lemon juice and turmeric powder and stir for 1 minute without buringin them.
- Now getnly toss cooked rice, and salt, until the rice coated with the yellow color.
- Serve lemon rice with simple potato fry or South Indian pickles.
Nutrition
Do not forget to check out another Pulav recipe here in PepperBowl.
Serving Suggestions:
1. As I said, this recipe sizzles for any side dish, chips, potato, or bean fry.
Tips and Variations for Lemon Rice Recipe:
1. Remove peanuts if you are allergic to it.
2. Substitute or add the Bengal gram to add a texture.
3. The cooked rice needs to be firm and not mushy.
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Ramya Krishnamurthy
hi!are u from tamilnadu.my fav rice during school days.nice space.join our contest running in my blog
Traci
Yumm! So easy and so delicious! Love the authentic ingredients and flavors. Thanks for sharing!