4 cups cooked rice (leftovers work perfect)
3 tbsp raw peanuts
3/4 tsp turmeric powder
2-3 tbsp juice of lemon or lime
Salt to taste
For tempering:
2 tbsp gingelly oil / nallennai / sesame seed oil (Indian version)
2-3 red chillies torn into halves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp chana dal / kadala paruppu
A generous pinch of hing / asafoetida / perungaayam
A few curry leaves
Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing (optional)
How I Made It:
1. Heat oil for tempering in a pan and add the peanuts. Roast until nicely browned. Drain and set aside.
2. To the hot oil, add the ingredients for tempering. Take care not to burn the chillies. When the mustard seeds start to pop and the dal has turned a golden brown, add the turmeric powder and salt. Now add peanuts, mix well and remove from fire.
3. Add cooked rice to the above mixture and mix well. Squeeze lime on the rice and mix again. Depending on the lime / lemon you use, the sourness will vary. Make sure you Make it slightly more sour than you need it because when you let it sit for an hour or two, the rice will absorb the flavours.
4. Garnish and serve.
We can always have lemon rice with chutneys and curd/raita. Here is the very easy recipe for lemon rice.
Ingredients of Lemon Rice
4 cups boiled rice
3 tbsp raw peanuts
2 chopped green chills
3/4 tsp turmeric powder
2-3 tbsp juice of lemon or lime
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
For tempering:
2 tbsp of oil/ghee
2 red chillies
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp chana dal
A generous pinch of hing / asafoetida
A few curry leaves
Method of Lemon Rice
1. Heat oil for tempering in a pan and add the peanuts. Roast until nicely browned. Drain and set aside.
2. To the hot oil, add the ingredients for tempering. Take care not to burn the chillies. When the mustard seeds start to pop and the dal has turned a golden brown, add the turmeric powder and salt. Now add peanuts, mix well and remove from fire.
3. Add cooked rice to the above mixture and mix well. Squeeze lime on the rice and mix again. Depending on the lime / lemon you use, the sourness will vary. Make sure you Make it slightly more sour than you need it because when you let it sit for an hour or two, the rice will absorb the flavours.
4. Garnish with coriander leaves and lemon rice is ready to be served.