Lemon Rice - How to make South Indian Lemon flavoured rice for Kid's tiffin

As you know I have two kids and their lunch preparation during school days are always a tough task. This requires a recipe which is nutritious, easy to digest and it has to be prepared super quickly during the early morning chaos before the school bus arrives with ear piercing horn. I am Bengali and Bengali food is always my favorite but I live in Bangalore and few south Indian recipes are quite handy for a supermom. Lemon rice is one of those which is tasty and easy to digest because of presence of lemon. My son loves it and I hope you will like it too.

Preparation Time: - 15 min

Cooking Time: - 15 min

Servings: - 5 persons

Ingredients:-

1. 2 cup uncooked Raw Rice
2. 3 tbsp Lemon juice or lime juice
3. 1 tsp Mustard seeds
4. 1 ½ tsp Urad Dal (skinned black gram)
5. 2 dried Red Chilli
6. 1~2 Green chili slit – optional
7. 12~15 Curry leaves
8. 2 tbsp Peanuts
9. 2 tbsp Cashew nuts – optional
10. 1 generous pinch of asafetida (Hing)
11. ½ tsp Turmeric powder
12. Salt to taste (I prefer rock salt).
13. 3 tbsp Vegetable oil ( I used sunflower oil)

Preparation:-

1. Wash the rice thoroughly until the water becomes clear and keep it soaking in little water for 30 min.
2. Cook the rice in a pressure cooker with salt and sufficient water for 1 whistle or 8~10 min in medium high flame.
3. When the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid and transfer the rice in a bowl. Keep t aside until the rice is cooled down to normal temperature.
4. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in kadai or non-stick pan in high heat.
5. Turn the burner to medium and shallow fry the peanuts. Keep aside.
6. In the same frying pan shallow fry the Cashew nuts till they turn to golden. Remove and keep aside.
7. Add 1 tbsp oil in the same pan along with mustard seeds.
8. Turn the burner to low flame and let the mustard crackle.
9. Now add urad dal and sauté till the dal turn golden. Now add red chili, green chili (optional – I did not use it as I was cooking for my kids) and curry leaves.
10. Sauté for few seconds till the curry leaves become crispy. 
11. Turn off the flame and add asafetida and turmeric powder. 
12. Stir and mix thoroughly.

12. If you feel that the dal remain half-cooked then you can add 1~2 tbsp of water. The water will vaporize quickly but the dal will be properly cooked.
13. Pour this mixture immediately onto the already cooked and cooled rice.
14. Add fried peanuts, cashew nuts, salt and lemon juice.
15. Mix well and keep the rice covered for 10~15 min so that the flavor gets blended properly.

Now your yummy tangy lemon rice is ready. Serve with plain yogurt or coconut chutney and papad. You can have your favourite pickle with this recipe as well.

As always please feel free to comment, criticize and seek help if required. I am all ears.