Lemon Rice

This is yet another simple  and also a traditional South Indian Rice.This is a very popular and flavourful rice preparation of Tamil Nadu. It is tempered with lentils, nuts, chillies, leaves etc, leaving behind all its flavours in the rice.The lemon in the rice aids in the absorption of iron in your body due to its high vitamin C content. If you have eaten a heavy breakfast, then this is a perfect dish for a light lunch.

Ingredients:

Cooked rice - 2 cups
Lemon - 2 medium sized
Peanuts - 1/2 cup
Salt - to taste

For tempering:

Oil - 1 to 2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Channa Dal - 1 tbsp
Red chillies - 2
Ginger - a small piece
Hing - A generous pinch
Turmeric powder -1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1/2 tbsp

Preparation :

Squeeze lemon , add turmeric powder and keep it aside.

Pressure cook the rice for 2 whistles, allow the rice to cool, add sesame oil to it and mix well.

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, when they stop spluttering add urad dal and saute it.

Add channa dal,split and add the red chillies, chopped ginger along with asafoetida.Saute it for few seconds.

Finally add the peanuts and curry leaves .

Now add these to the rice , along with the lemon juice and salt. Mix them gently.

Serve hot/ warm with any spicy curry or along with curd and pickle.

Note:

Don't skip ginger, as it gives a nice flavor to the rice.

You can also prepare this with leftover rice

The color of the rice , depends on the turmeric powder you are adding.

Lemon juice can also be added instead of lime. Increase it as per your taste. The amount of lemon juice gives it just a milder lemony taste.

Sending this to Vidya's "Flavors of Tamilnadu " event, Radhika's "Let's Cook #11 ~ Rice " event and Susan's "Black and White Wednesday"