How to Cook Indian Home-Style Lemon Rice

Cooking Indian home-style lemon rice is a flavorful and simple dish. Here’s a traditional recipe to guide you through the process:

Tangy and flavorful, lemon rice are made by tempering cooked rice with mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chilies, and turmeric, and then mixing in freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup basmati rice
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons oil (preferably sesame or peanut oil)
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon urad dal (split black gram lentils)
• 1 teaspoon chana dal (split Bengal gram lentils)
• 2-3 green chilies, slit lengthwise
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
• 10-12 curry leaves
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts (optional)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (adjust to taste)
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cook the rice: Rinse the basmati rice thoroughly under cold water until the water runs clear. In a saucepan, combine the rinsed rice with 2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan with a lid, and let the rice simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked through. Once done, fluff the rice gently with a fork and set it aside to cool.
2. Tempering: In a large skillet or frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then, add the urad dal and chana dal. Sauté until the dals turn golden brown.
3. Add aromatics: Add the slit green chilies, asafoetida, and curry leaves to the skillet. Sauté for another minute until the aromatics are fragrant.
4. Toast peanuts (optional): If using peanuts, add them to the skillet and toast until they turn golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Keep stirring to prevent burning.
5. Mix rice and tempering: Add the cooked rice to the skillet with the tempering. Gently mix everything together until the rice is evenly coated with the spices and aromatics. Be careful not to break the rice grains.
6. Add lemon juice: Drizzle the lemon juice over the rice mixture. Add salt according to your taste preferences. Gently mix again until well combined. Adjust the amount of lemon juice and salt to suit your taste.
7. Serve: Transfer the lemon rice to a serving dish. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves if desired. Serve hot or at room temperature as a side dish or a light meal.

Enjoy your delicious Indian home-style lemon rice with some yogurt, pickles, or papadums for a complete meal experience!