Lemon Rice with Indian Herbs | Tangy Breakfast

Lemon rice is a delicious south Indian dish. Lemon juice gives a very refreshing and tangy flavor to the rice. Best to carry in the lunch box or for a picnic.

This recipe is fairly balancing for Vata dosha. For Pitta and Kapha dosha, do go easy on the amount of peanuts or replace them with seeds as sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.

Serving: 4-5 persons

Time to cook & Prepare: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons sunflower Oil/coconut oil/sesame oil(Use as per your dosha/prakruti)
• 1 Whole Dried Red Chili
• 1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• 2 teaspoons Urad dal (Optional)
• 4 tablespoons Peanuts
• A Pinch Asafetida (Hing)
• 1~2 Dry Red chili and/or Green Chilies chopped
• 4 springs Curry Leaves
• 2 teaspoons Grated Ginger
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• ½ teaspoon chili powder optional
• 3~4 tablespoons Lemon Juice adjust to your taste
• 3~4 cups cooked ponni rice or basmati rice or Thai rice                              
• 1 teaspoon Salt     
• ~3 tablespoons Coriander leaves green onion/scallion to garnish

Method of Preparation

1. *Cook rice so that the grains of the rice are separate. Once cooked transfer it to a wide pan.
2. Add oil to a hot pan. Add whole dried red chili, mustard seeds, and cumin seeds.
3. When they crackle, add urad dal, peanuts, and sauté well, add hing, slit green chilies and curry leaves and fry.
4. Add finely grated ginger, turmeric powder, and 1-teaspoon salt. （Or add grated goose berries/green mango and cook for a minute). Switch off the fire.
5. Add the cooked fluffy rice and mix well.
6. Add fresh lemon juice when rice is a bit cool.
7. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves or green onion and serve.
8. We eat it at room temperature.

Steps to Make Rice

*To cook plain basmati rice

1. Wash 1 cup basmati rice. In rice cooker pot add washed rice,1/2 -teaspoon salt and 1.5 cups of water and cook.

*To cook Ponni/kolam/Sona Masoori rice (South Indian small grain rice):

1. Take 1 cup rice wash and soak in 2.5 cups of water for 20 minutes.
2. Transfer rice and water together into rice cooker pot. Add 1-teaspoon salt. And cook.

Notes

Variation: You can add 4 grated amla (Gooseberries) or ½ cup grated green mango to get a different flavor.