Lemon Rice (Lime Rice)
The ever-reliable South Indian quick meal — cooked rice tossed with a bright mustard-and-curry-leaf tempering and fresh lime juice. Tangy, easy, and lunchbox-perfect.
Rice & Curries
A Monday delicacy
Lemon rice is the ever-delicious, easy-to-cook delicacy that belongs in everyone's quick-meal arsenal. There are so many variations of this simple recipe — this is the one my children enjoy. In our home it's a Monday delicacy: easy to prepare after a tiring weekend, good enough to pack in a lunch box, and happy to be paired with any vegetable — or even just some Indian mango pickle. Tangy and yummy!
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked white rice
- 3 tbsp cooking oil (vegetable, corn, or sesame)
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp urad dhal
- 4 green chillies
- 6 curry leaves
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- lime juice, to taste
- salt, to taste
Method
- Slit the green chillies down the middle (dice them instead if you'd like it spicier).
- Cook the white rice in a pressure cooker or electric cooker — make sure it's not too mashed or watery. Let it cool slightly so the grains stay separate.
- Heat the oil in a small deep pan over medium flame. Once hot, add the mustard seeds and let them burst.
- Add the urad dhal, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn.
- Add the green chillies, curry leaves, and turmeric powder. Let the mixture simmer for a few minutes, then turn off the heat.
- Pour the tempering over the cooked rice spoon by spoon, stirring as you go — go easy, since too much will make the rice oily.
- Add fresh lime juice to taste, a little at a time, until it reaches the tang you like. Season with salt and serve.
Tips
Slightly cooled, day-old rice works even better than fresh — the grains stay separate and soak up the tempering without turning sticky. Pairs beautifully with a spoon of mango pickle or a simple raita.