South Indian Lemon Rice – An Easy Lunch Box Recipe

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The recipe I give you today is absolutely a keeper in your lunch box menu. Yes, this South Indian Lemon Rice is an all-time favorite among any school-going kids or working people.

Easy South Indian Lemon Rice

South Indian Lemon rice, as the name suggests is rice mixed with lemon. It has a nice tangy flavor which makes the dish tastes better. We also add chopped ginger which not only enhances the flavor but also helps in digestion. When packed in the lunch box along with potato fry, am sure the lunch box comes back empty.

How to make South Indian Lemon rice?

When you have leftover rice, you need just 5 minutes to make this South Indian lemon rice. No unnecessary ingredients or spices needed. Extract the lemon juice. Saute chilies and nuts. Add lemon juice and switch off. Add cooked rice and required salt. Lemon rice is ready. Let it stay for at least an hour before serving as the rice absorbs the flavor over time.

Tips to make perfect lemon rice

1. Do not boil the lemon juice. It makes the dish bitter. So be careful to remove the pan from heat once you added lemon juice.
2. If you are cooking rice freshly, be aware of not overcooking it. Rice should not be mushy.
3. Once you cooked the rice, cool down on a wide plate before making lemon rice. If you add hot rice to the lemon mix, the rice may go mushy. So cool it down before.

How long Lemon rice stays good?

Lemon rice is made to take while traveling. People in South India, still take this for their lunch or dinner while traveling. So this stays good for 2 days at room temperature. Make sure to use a clean spoon to serve.

Food Bloggers Recipe Swap

I made this dish as part of the Recipe swap challenge of FB Group.

I was about to recreate a recipe from a dear fellow blogger Pavani of Pavanis Kitchen. When I saw this recipe, I was like how I missed this posting on my site till now. Check out her site for simple yet delicious recipes.

Other Rice recipes for you

Fried Chicken Biriyani – Dum Biriyani Style

Mushroom biryani

Easy Mint Rice/Pulao

Raw Mango Rice

KonguNaadu ArisiParuppu Saadam / Variety Rice with Lentils

Vegetable Pulao

Vegetable biriyani

Indian Lemon Rice recipe

Ingredients 

Cooked rice – 2 cups

Lemon Juice – from 1/2 lemon

Chana dal – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Peanuts – 2 tbsn

Green chili – 2 slit lengthwise

Dry Red chili – 1 broken

Ginger – 1/4 tsp chopped

Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp

Coconut Oil – 2 Tsp

Curry Leaves – few

Salt – as required

Method

• Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds.
• When mustard seeds crackle, add chana dal, curry leaves, ginger, green chili, and dry red chili.
• Saute it for a minute and add peanuts.
• Saute the peanuts till they turn golden and adds turmeric powder.
• Add lemon juice and switch off.
• Remove the pan from heat and add salt.
• Add cooked rice and give a gentle mix till all the rice is covered.
• Check for salt.
• Let it stay covered for at least 1 hour before serving.
• Serve along with Potato Podimas / Mashed Potato Stir fry, Alu Kangmet – A Manipuri Potato Dish, Baby Potato Roast, or any fryums.

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Notes

1. Once you add lemon juice, take the pan away from heat. Do not overcook the lemon. If so, it will turn bitter.
2. Let the rice cool down completely before adding it to the lemon mix.

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