Prepare Lemon Rice

Lemon rice is a great recipe that is very versatile and great for lunchboxes! It can be as simple or as elegant as you like and takes minutes to come together. You can make a basic lemon-infused rice or make the traditional southern Indian dish that is a favorite among among the young and old.

Ingredients

Basic Lemon Rice

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1 cup uncooked long grain rice
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning

Southern Indian Lemon Rice

• 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
• 2 and 1/2 cups cooked basmati or other rice (or about 1 and 1/4 cups uncooked)
• 1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon of urad dal (split black lentils)
• 1 teaspoon of chana dal (split bengal gram or yellow lentils)
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
• 2 whole dry kashmiri red chillies, broken into pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon tumeric powder
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• Onion, chopped finely (optional)
• Garlic, minced (optional)
• Roasted peanuts or cashews (optional)
• 1/4 tsp of asafoetida (optional)

Steps

Making Basic Lemon Rice

1. Combine water, broth, lemon juice, and butter in a medium saucepan. Turn on the heat and bring to a boil on your stove top.
2. Stir in rice, basil, and lemon peel. Reduce the heat and then cover with the lid of the saucepan. Simmer for 20 minutes; this will cook the rice.
3. Let stand 5 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Before serving, sprinkle with lemon-pepper.
   • This dish yields approximately four servings and goes nicely with light and delicate main dishes, such as fish.

Making Southern Indian Lemon Rice

1. Cook rice if you don't have any leftovers. Bring a scant 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in basmati rice. If desired, add {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of butter and 1 teaspoon salt for extra flavor and a fluffier texture. Cover with a firm lid. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until all water is absorbed.
   • If you have leftover rice, you can skip this step!
   • Basmati rice is traditional but you can use any type of long-grain rice.
2. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. You'll know the oil is hot when it starts to glisten and slide easily around the pan
3. Add the urad dal, chana dal, and curry leaves when the seeds crackle. Sauté on medium-heat for 1 minute.
   • Add garlic and onion if using.
4. Add the ginger and red chillies. Sauté on a medium-heat for 30 seconds.
5. Add the turmeric power and rice to the pan. Mix well. Cook on medium-heat for 1-2 minutes while stirring constantly.
   • Add asafoetida if using. Do not use more than directed as it has a strong scent and can make the rice bitter. It can, however, really enhance the dish's flavor when used properly.
   • Add roasted peanuts or cashews (or both) if using. Roast the nuts beforehand in a small frying pan or even in your oven on low heat so that they are crisp and browned. You'll known that they're done when they give off a strong, nutty smell. Be careful not to burn them as nuts roast quickly!
6. Add the lemon juice and salt (to taste). Mix well and cook on medium-heat for 1-2 minutes while stirring occasionally.
   • Adding the lemon juice at the end of the cooking process means that the flavor won't cook off and that your dish will have a nice acidity and tanginess to it. Keep in mind that you'll notice the tanginess if you eat the dish immediately. Later on, the zing of the lemon will get absorbed and the dish will have a vibrant, though more balanced, lemon flavour.
   • You can also directly squeeze the lemon over the cooked rice, as some Indian chefs prefer.
7. Let the dish stand for a few minutes. This will help the various flavors integrate together. Then serve hot. Your lemon rice is ready to eat! This dish serves about 4 people.

Related Articles

• Cook Rice
• Cook Rice in a Rice Cooker
• Cook Rice in a Microwave
• Make Boiled Rice

Sources and Citations

See also

• Make a Coconut Bombay Stir Fry
• Make Boston Baked Beans
• Cook Black Beans (Frijoles Negros)
• Make Nigerian Style Jollof Rice
• Make Garlic Hummus
• Make Rice Papad
• Cook White Rice
• Make Sushi Rice
• Cook Puy Lentils
• Cook Rice

Read more ...