Lemon Rice

                                                                           

This recipe needs no introduction to people from South India where it is a popular and much loved dish. To those not so familiar with it, Lemon Rice is a simple but  delicious rice preparation. This is a dish you can easily put together in a hurry and enjoy as a snack or a meal in itself.

I remember sharing Lemon Rice from my class mates' lunch boxes while at school in Andhra. I would happily trade my puris, parathas or sandwiches for this tangy and aromatic rice!

 Ingredients: 
2 1/2 cups cooked rice
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal
1 tsp chana dal
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Few curry leaves
1 tsp grated ginger
2 whole red chillies ( broken)
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

Method:    Grate ginger. Wash and pat dry curry leaves. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan or non stick pan. Add the mustard seeds and wait till they start crackling and then add urad and chana dal.  Saute for a minute. The dals should just change colour lightly and not blacken.  Add curry leaves, ginger and  red chillies broken in two pieces.  Add the turmeric powder and immediately afterwards add the rice. Mix nicely. Add salt and lemon juice. Lower heat, cover with a lid and cook  for two minutes. Serve hot.

If preferred, you can add roasted peanuts to the rice before serving. You can garnish with grated coconut.