Lemon Rice

Method

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1. Spread the cooked rice on a plate and break up any lumps with a fork.

   Mark done

2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and add the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add the chana dal, urad dal and peanuts and fry for 2 minutes, until golden.

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3. Add the dried chillies, green chilli, curry leaves and asafoetida and cook for 30 seconds.

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4. Stir in the turmeric, then add the rice and salt and toss gently for 2 minutes, until every grain is yellow and hot.

   Mark done Start 2 min timer

5. Take the pan off the heat, add the lemon juice and coriander and toss again. Taste and add more lemon or salt if you like.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Use cold, day-old rice. Warm rice clumps and turns mushy.
• Add the lemon juice off the heat. Heat dulls its flavour.
• Fry the dals until they are golden. They give the rice its crunch.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the red chillies in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.

Pairing Suggestions

• Cucumber raita
• Papad
• Coconut chutney

Storage & Reheating

Keep in the fridge up to 2 days. It is good cold, in a lunchbox.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.