Lemon rice (elumichai sadam in Tamil) is my most favourite among all the variety rice recipes for lunch. Its a very simple and a healthy rice recipe that can be prepared quickly for lunch box. I can have a plateful of lemon rice without any side dish like thogayal or pickle. But my mom makes a thick chutney with coconut and fried gram dal ( pottukadalai) as a side dish for lemon rice. My dad never eats lemon rice without this chutney and a pickle.
Once I tried this combo for my husband and he too liked it. Recently we went to Meenakshi amman temple in Bannergatta. We had lemon rice as prasadam and it tasted out of the world. I would say it is the best lemon rice I have ever tasted. It was mild yellow in color & I found they had used raw rice & added some coriander leaves along with dals & chillies.. Usually I use steamed rice for making lemon rice. But after tasting that prasadam , I too started using raw rice and added some coriander leaves.
As aadi 18 festival is nearing , I thought of posting this lemon rice recipe. This is one among the 5 rice varieties ( lemon rice , puliyodharai , coconut rice , sakkarai pongal and curd rice) we offer to God on aadi perukku along with pepper vada and payasam.. Do try this chutney & lemon rice combo , u will love it..
INGREDIENTS
1 cup – 250ml
- Raw rice – 1/2 cup (Good quality sona masoori) OR (steamed rice , basmati rice)
- Big sized Lemon – 1 ( adjust based on the size & tanginess of lemon)
- Salt – as needed
- Hing / asafetida – 1/4 tsp
- Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
To temper
- Cooking oil – 1 tbsp
- Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
- Urad dal – 1 tbsp
- Chana dal – 1/2 tbsp
- Peanuts – 1 tbsp (optional)
- Red chillies – 2 nos
- Green chillies – 2 nos
- Curry leaves – few
Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp ( to garnish)
Gingely oil – 1 tbsp ( to add while mixing)
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METHOD
- Pressure cook raw rice adding 1: 2.5 cups of rice and water ratio. Add a drop of oil before cooking. Cook it separate & fluffy. Spread them in a plate & let it cool down.
- In a bowl, squeeze the lemon juice by removing the seeds. Add salt , turmeric powder & hing. set aside.
- In a kadai , heat oil and temper the mustard seeds. After it splutters completely , add the dals & peanuts. Fry till they turn golden brown. Then add the pinched red chillies & slitted green chillies, curry leaves and a pinch of hing.
- Saute well , add the lemon juice , switch off the flame immediately & transfer to a bowl. Add 2 tsp of water in the kadai, give a swirl and add to the lemon juice mixture.
- Add this mixture & gingely oil to the rice , mix well. Check for salt. Garnish with coriander leaves. Initially it tastes more tangy..But all the taste blends well when its rested for 30 mins to 1 hour before serving.
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NOTE
- The water quantity may differ based on the quality of rice. If you use basmati rice, use 1:2 cups of water.
- You can add also add the lemon juice directly in the rice instead of adding to the tadka..
- Addition of peanuts is optional. I dint use here. I dint add coriander leaves as it was out of stock. But addition of coriander leaves gives a nice taste.
- Add gingely oil while mixing the rice.
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POTTUKADALAI CHUTNEY / FRIED GRAM DAL CHUTNEY – SIDE DISH FOR LEMON RICE
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INGREDIENTS
1 cup – 250ml
- Dalia/fried gram – 1/4 cup
- Grated coconut – 1 tbsp
- Green chillies – 2 nos
- Salt – As needed
- Garlic cloves – 2-3 nos
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METHOD
- Grind all the above ingredients to a thick paste adding less water. Serve !
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