A tangy and flavorful South Indian rice dish made with fluffy rice, a crunchy tempering of lentils and peanuts, and a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice. A quick and easy meal perfect for lunchboxes or a light dinner.
Prep10 min
Cook15 min
Servings4
Serving size: 1 serving
350cal
8gprotein
52gcarbs
12g
Ingredients
4 cup Cooked Basmati Rice (Preferably cooled or leftover rice)
A comforting South Indian classic made with soft cooked rice, creamy yogurt, and a savory tempering of spices. Perfect for a light lunch or as a cooling side dish, it's simple, delicious, and great for digestion.
Crispy, golden, and irresistibly crunchy fried lentil wafers. A classic South Indian accompaniment that adds the perfect crunch to any meal, ready in just a few minutes.
Tangy Lemon Rice & gut-friendly Curd Rice with crispy appalam. Energy-giving comfort for any day!
This south_indian dish is perfect for lunch. With 858.4 calories and 21.22g of protein per serving, it's a nutritious choice for your meal plan.
fat
0.25 tsp Hing (Asafoetida)
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
3 tbsp Lemon Juice (Freshly squeezed, from 1-2 large lemons)
1 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
0.25 tsp Sugar (Optional, to balance tanginess)
2 tbsp Fresh Coriander (Finely chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
1
Prepare the Rice
If using freshly cooked rice, spread it on a large plate or tray to cool down completely. This prevents the grains from breaking and becoming mushy.
Gently fluff the cooled rice with a fork to separate the grains. Set aside.
2
Create the Tempering (Tadka)
Heat sesame oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter completely, which takes about 30 seconds.
Reduce the heat to low, then add the chana dal and urad dal. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously, until they turn a light golden brown and become aromatic.
Add the raw peanuts and continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes until they are crunchy and lightly browned.
Add the broken dried red chilies, slit green chilies, and curry leaves. Be careful as the curry leaves will splutter. Sauté for 30 seconds until the leaves are crisp.
3
Combine with Rice
Add the hing and turmeric powder to the pan and stir for 10 seconds.
Immediately add the cooled, fluffed rice, salt, and optional sugar to the pan.
Gently mix everything together, ensuring the tempering is evenly distributed throughout the rice. Be careful not to mash the rice grains. Continue to toss on low heat for 2 minutes until the rice is heated through.
4
Finish and Serve
Turn off the heat completely. Pour the fresh lemon juice over the rice.
Add the chopped fresh coriander.
Give it one final gentle mix to combine. The residual heat will incorporate the flavors.
Serve the Lemon Rice warm, either on its own or with accompaniments like papad, raita, or coconut chutney.
318cal
9gprotein
45gcarbs
12gfat
Ingredients
1 cup Sona Masuri Rice (Or any short-grain rice)
3 cup Water (For cooking the rice)
1.5 cup Curd (Thick, plain yogurt, preferably full-fat for creaminess)
0.5 cup Milk (Boiled and cooled to room temperature)
1 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
2 tbsp Gingelly Oil (Sesame oil, or any neutral vegetable oil)
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Urad Dal (Split black gram)
1 tsp Chana Dal (Split chickpeas)
0.25 tsp Hing (Asafoetida)
2 pcs Green Chilli (Slit lengthwise)
1 inch Ginger (Finely grated)
10 pcs Curry Leaves
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves (Freshly chopped, for garnish)
0.25 cup Pomegranate Arils (Optional, for garnish)
Instructions
1
Cook the rice until very soft. This takes about 15-20 minutes.
Wash 1 cup of rice thoroughly under running water until the water runs clear.
In a pressure cooker, combine the rice with 3 cups of water. Cook for 4-5 whistles on medium heat.
Alternatively, cook the rice in a pot on the stovetop with the same amount of water until it is very soft and mushy.
Once cooked, transfer the rice to a large mixing bowl. Allow it to cool down to room temperature for about 10-15 minutes.
Using the back of a ladle or a potato masher, gently mash the cooled rice. This step is crucial for achieving the classic creamy texture.
2
Prepare the curd and rice mixture. This takes about 2 minutes.
To the mashed, cooled rice, add 1.5 cups of curd, 0.5 cup of milk, and 1 tsp of salt.
Mix everything together thoroughly until you have a smooth, creamy, and uniform consistency. The milk helps balance the sourness of the curd and keeps the dish fresh longer.
3
Prepare the tempering (tadka). This takes about 3 minutes.
Heat 2 tbsp of gingelly oil in a small pan (tadka pan) over medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, add 1 tsp of mustard seeds and let them splutter completely.
Add 1 tsp of urad dal and 1 tsp of chana dal. Sauté for about 30-45 seconds, stirring continuously, until they turn a light golden brown.
Reduce the heat to low, then add 1/4 tsp hing, the slit green chilies, grated ginger, and curry leaves. Sauté for another 30 seconds until the curry leaves turn crisp and the mixture is fragrant.
4
Combine, garnish, and serve. This takes about 2 minutes.
Immediately pour the hot tempering over the prepared curd rice mixture.
Mix well to ensure the flavors of the tempering are evenly distributed.
Garnish with 2 tbsp of freshly chopped coriander leaves and 1/4 cup of pomegranate arils (if using).
Serve immediately at room temperature or chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes for a more refreshing experience.
