Delicious Lemon flavored rice made with cooked with left over cooked rice. Spiced up with green chilies and ginger.
We love rice, since it is the main staple that I had while growing up. I think I am fine if I can get a bowl of rice for my lunch. Dinner without rice was fine. Amma made normal rice everyday and lemon rice occasionally. After I went to Japan to continue my studies in the first few days I don’t know how I survived, eating salad more often. Then one day I discover there is onigiri, which is a rice ball stuffed with veggies or pickle, or fish and covered with crispy roasted sea weed.It was my real savior during my stay there. The taste still lingers in my taste buds.
When started making lunch by myself, making curries was a daunting process for me. During the weekend I would make a few curries and keep it for Monday and Tuesday, and Wednesday onwards, I made mixed vegetable rice, lemon rice, curd rice etc for packing my lunch. If you are staying alone and working from morning to late night, these one pot meals always comes in handy. At that time I had a very few spices in my collection, so I made rice with whatever I had. Now I have an entire cabinet dedicated to spices, I don’t think even my mom had a so much collection of spices.
I pack lunchbox for hubby with spinach rice, mixed vegetable rice, tamarind rice etc. He is not much fan of lemon rice so I rarely make it but I love it a lot. It is really easy to make, if you have cooked rice in your hand. Make a seasoning with mustard seeds, urad dal (spilt black gram), chana dal (spilt chickpeas), cashew nuts, red chili or green chili, salt, lemon juice and gingerly oil. Yes gingerly oil is a must; it brings out the flavor of the rice. Do you know there is a recipe of lemon rice by Mark Bittman in Epicurious, however he used butter? I think butter will not do justice to the recipe that gingerly oil does.
If you want to jazz your left over rice or even try with fresh rice, this is really easy to make dish. Only 5 minutes to spent in the kitchen to get this delicious one pot meal, and it goes well with any soup or chips.
Here comes the recipe.
Lemon Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cup cooked rice use sona masoori, long grain rice
- ½ lemon
- 1 tablespoon gingerly oil
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon urad dal split black gram
- ½ tablespoon chana dal split chickpeas
- 3 tablespoon cashews I used roasted salted one
- 1 green chili chopped finely
- a pinch of asafeotida
- 1 inch ginger piece chopped finely
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
- Once you made cooked rice.
- In a skillet heat oil, add mustard seeds when it starts popping add urad dal, chana dal ( if using), green chili, ginger. turmeric. asafeotida, and curry leaves, After switching off the flame add lemon juice and salt. Also add roasted cashew nuts.
- To this add cooked rice and mix every thing very well. enjoy with chips and curry.
Nutrition
This is Swathi ( Dr. Ambujom Saraswathy Ph.D) from Zesty South Indian Kitchen who loves to explore cuisines from all over the world. Whenever possible I try to to give an Indian touch to several of the world cuisine, and has weakness for freshly baked bread. All the recipes you see here are created by me and approved after taste-test by my family.
Juyali says
This rice was yummy. I'll be making this again and again. Thank you!
Winnie says
I can almost smell the wonderful aroma Swathi 🙂
It looks and sounds sooooooooooo tasty
I have no doubt we're going to LOVE it 🙂
Reeni says
What a delicious and flavorful rice Swathi! Your pictures are so enticing! Love that cute pan.
Sushma Mallya says
My Favourite ...looks absolutely mouthwatering 🙂
Choc Chip Uru says
A favourite with daal, this rice adds so much extra flavour 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
mjskit says
Looking at that skillet with the nuts and spices cooking gets my nose a wiggling. YUM! Great rice dish!
Sony's kitchen says
My daughters all time yellow rice........ Looks so yummm!!
priya satheesh says
My all time fav rice...Love to eat anytime 🙂 Delicious !
ramya says
delicious and my favorite too
Reva says
That rice looks lipsmacking Swathi! I can even smell the fagrance of it!
Sona - quick picks says
always luv this tangy zesty rice...its mild colur...hope oyu keeping well. Swathi.
do drop by when u get the time 🙂
julie says
my comfort meal,looks delicious 🙂
torviewtoronto says
flavourful lemon rice sounds aromatic
Rani Vijoo says
Lemon rice looks delicious!
Gloria says
looks yummy..i love this...will try adding ginger next time
traditionallymodernfood says
My fav variety rice:-) with chips I love it.. Ne er added ginger.. Will try next time