Cookbook | Ingredients | Recipes Lemon rice is a speciality of the South Indian coastal state of Tamil Nadu.

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked white rice (add a little oil to the raw rice before cooking it. This gives rice a better texture)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 3 tbsp sesame or gingely oil ("Til" oil in Hindi, "NaLEnnai" in Tamil, sesame oil)
• 2 tbsp split-peas
• 2 tbsp groundnuts (peanuts)
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida ("Heengh" in Hindi, "Perungayum" in Tamil)
• 3-4 dry red chillies
• 4-5 curry leaves
• 2 lemons squeezed or 4 tbsp lemon concentrate
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 3/4 tbsp salt

Procedure

1. Heat the oil in a pan.
2. Add groundnuts and split-peas, fry until golden brown.
3. Add mustard seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves and red chillies (broken into pieces). Wait till the mustard seeds sputter.
4. Mix a little salt, turmeric powder and lemon concentrate.
5. Let it boil and reduce.
6. Remove pan from stove, add to the rice and mix well.

Notes, tips, and variations

• Serve with potato chips or pickle
• 1 tsp sesame seeds can be roasted and added for more taste

External links

• How to make Lemon Rice - video demonstration