Lemon rice, a tangy, zesty mixed rice recipe. An easy to make lunch box dish, that can quickly tossed together during the morning rush.
Lemon rice is a popular and more frequently made rice dish in South-Indian kitchen. It is also one of most common travel food for travel long distance train and bus journey. They usually pack mixed rice dishes like pulihora or lemon rice, as they stay good for a day or two.
Lemon rice is one of the easiest mixed rice recipe to make. It gets done in less than 10 minutes if you have some leftover rice. It is also a popular rice recipe made for pooja offerings.
How it is made?
You need nicely done rice, that is fluffy and separated. If the cooked rice is mushy, than lemon rice would resemble a mash. So, perfectly done rice is the main ingredient in the dish.
A tadka/tempering with oil, mustard seeds, hing/asafoetida, curry leaves and crunchy elements like chana dal, urad dal and peanuts are added to the tadka. Then the coloring element turmeric powder is added. This sizzling tadka added to the fluffed up rice along with salt and finished with fresh lemon juice and garnishes.
Another method
Some might add the lemon juice to the tadka and let it boil a little and then add everything to the rice and mix. They say it is done so, people don’t catch a sore throat because of the lemon. My Amma follows the above method. But i learnt to make lemon rice this way from my aunt and like the freshness of lemon in the mixed rice.
More Mixed Rice Recipes
Lemon Rice | Variety Rice | Lunch box recipe
Materials
- 2 cups Cooked rice Fresh or leftover
- 2 nos Indian lemon juiced
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
- fresh ginger for garnish optional
Tempering
- 1 tablespoon oil any vegetable oil, i prefer Gingely oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds/kadugu
- 1 teaspoon chana dal
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 3-4 nos red chilies or use 2 nos green chilies
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ⅛ teaspoon hing/asafoetida
- 2 teaspoon peanuts or any nut of your choice, if allergic to nuts, omit this
- a sprig of curry leaf
Instructions
- Spread the rice on a plate and fluff it with a fork. If using leftover rice, then i would suggest steam it a little in the Microwave or on the stove-top.
- If you are planning to cook rice fresh, then rinse 1 cup of rice 3 or 4 times with water. Add 2 cups of fresh water, cook the rice on stove-top, once the rice is 90% done, strain the extra water completely and keep it covered for 10 minutes. If making in pressure cooker, cook for 3 whistles.
- Heat oil in a pan, Splutter mustard seeds, throw in curry leaves, gram dal, urad dal, hing and red chilies
- When dal changes color, add peanuts and turmeric powder. Saute for 30 secs for the nuts to roast.
- Pour this sizzling tempering on the rice. Mix well.
- Add lemon juice, mix well. Adjust Salt. Garnish with coriander and ginger.
- If serving immediately, serve it warm with a side of crisp, preferably appalam. Or pack it in lunch box with your favorite dry subzi.
I prefer to serve this variety rice with a side of appalam/poppadam. You can also pair it with a spicy dry subzi.
Dry subzi to pair
If you have tried this recipe and like it, give it a star rating or let me know in the comments below. You could also share it with me on Instagram using #icampinmmykitchen and tagging me @priyasrinivasan
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Unknown
love mixed rice always!
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subhashini
Lemon rice is all time my fav. Yours look delicious
Suma Gandlur
A perfect one that works for both festivals and quick lunches. Looks so colorful.
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Priya Suresh
Our family favourite, love to finish this whole bowl of my fav rice rite now.
Jayanthi
The rice looks so yummy!
Nupur
Now that I have started cooking rice in different varities.. I am sure I would love to try this one some time soon .. 🙂
Torviewtoronto
deliciously done looks wonderful
Gayathri Kumar
Looks so inviting Priya. Lovely snaps..
divya
looks soo mouthwatering..
The Pumpkin Farm
an ex colleague used to bring this often during festive periods…it is totally yummy recipe
Akila
I am feeling hugey after seeing this
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Sangeetha Nambi
Love this tangy rice ever…
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Anonymous
This is my absolute fav rice dish. I can actually have it everyday 🙂
Unknown
simple and delicious rice recipe, looks perfect
Prabha Mani
My family fav rice.. Make the lemon rice oftenly. Wonderful presentation!
Srivalli
Very apt for the festival season!
Chef Mireille
so colorful and inviting
sushma
One of my fav rice. Good one
Padmajha
This is my fav!Nice one for give aways and for the lunchbox