Lemon Rice is one of the many variations of Rice preparations in South India. It can be prepared with freshly cooked rice as well as left over rice. Lemon rice is also served as an offering to the God during Pooja.
Ingredients
Cooked Fluffy Rice – 1 bowl
Gingili Oil (preferable) or any other cooking Oil – 2 to 3 tbsp
Mustard Seed (Rai) – 1 tsp
Split and skinned Black Gram – 2 tsp
Bengal Gram – 2 tsp
Red Chillies (Broken) – 2
Peanuts – ¼ cup
Curry Leaves – from 2 twigs
Grated Ginger – from 1 inch long piece
Slit Green Chilli – 2 to 3
Asafoetida – ¼ tsp
Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp
Lemon Juice – 2 tbsp
Finely Chopped Cilantro (Dhania Leaves) – 3 tbsp
Method
To make Fluffy Rice:
Wash and drain the rice and pressure cook with ¼ tsp of Salt and 1 ¾ to 2 cups of water for 4 whistles in low flame for 5 to 6 minutes. When the pressure releases on its own, spread cooked Rice in a wide plate. Spread the rice with a fork when it is warm without breaking the grains.
Heat the Oil in a pan. Add Mustard. When it crackles, add Black Gram, Bengal Gram, Peanuts and Red Chilli.
Fry them till crunchy. Add Curry leaves, Green Chilli and the grated Ginger. Fry in low to medium flame without burning the ingredients.
Switch off the flame, add Turmeric Powder and Asafoetida. Mix well for 15 to 2o seconds.
Add Lemon Juice and Salt as required.
Mix again.
Add the cooked fluffy Rice.
Add Cilantro. Mix well so that all the rice is coated with the masala. It will become yellow.
Keep the Lemon Rice covered for 5 to 10 minutes so that the flavor blends well with the Rice.
Done!
Serve the Lemon Rice with Papad, Wafers and Pickle.
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