Lemon Rice, Tomato Rice and Curd Rice

Lemon Rice

Serves: 2

Ingredients

For Rice:

Silky raw rice - 1 cup ( 200 g ) or 2 cups / 400 ml (Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity) cooked and cooled rice (basmati  or silky raw rice / pachari or any good quality rice)

Lemon juice – extract from 1 lemon ( or 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon )

Turmeric powder- 1/2 teaspoon

Salt – 1 teaspoon / to taste

Method

For Rice:

Cook rice in 3 cups water until done ( approximately 15 to 20 minutes ) and set aside for cooling. While cooking; care should be taken not to overcook the rice- else the grains may stick together and form a big lump. The grains should stay out separate after cooking.

For Seasoning:

Cooking oil – 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds- 1 teaspoon

Jeera / cumin seeds- ½ teaspoon

Urad dal – ½ teaspoon

Channa dal / kadala parippu / Bengal gram- 1 tablespoon

Curry leaves – 1 spring (6 ns)

Red chillies – 2, halved

Method

Mix lemon juice, turmeric powder and salt together. Add to (cooked and cooled ) rice. Mix it well slowly and evenly so that the lemon and turmeric color and flavor is spread around nicely.

Heat oil in a wide kadai / frying pan and add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add jeera, urad dal, curry leaves, red chillies and channa dal. Saute well for 5-8 minutes on a low heat until fragrant and color change in channa dal and curry leaves.

Add cooked rice. Mix well. Cover with a lid. Cook on a low heat for 5 – 8 minutes until the rice well combined with all the ingredients / seasonings.  Serve with pickle / sambar/ tomato fry / potato chips / Pringles ..

Lemon rice is easy to prepare and you can take it for picnics also. Left over cooked rice also used for making lemon rice. It’ll more attractive if you decorate with fried peanuts.

Tomato Rice / Thakkali Saadam

Serves: 2

Ingredients

For Rice:

2 cups / 400 ml cooked rice (Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity)

or

1 cup ( 200 g ) silky raw rice

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 cup water

For seasoning:

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin ( jeera ) seeds

1/4 teaspoon urad dal

1 spring curry leaves

1 green chilli, slit lengthwise

1 onion, finely sliced

1 tomato, finely chopped ( 1 - 3 tomatoes, if you required ) or 2 tablespoon tomato puree

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

2 pinches asafoetida ( hing )

1 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves ( optional )

Method

For rice:

Wash and clean rice and soak in 3 1/2 cups water for half an hour. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook till done ( making sure that the grains are separate. Drain out water and keep aside for cooling ).

Final preparation:

Heat oil in a wide frying pan / kadai. Add mustard seeds. when they begin to pop, add cumin seeds ( jeera ) & urad dal. Fry for 2 minutes.

Add finely sliced onion and fry till golden color.

Add curry leaves and slit green chilli. Fry for 2 minutes.

Add chopped tomatoes and stir well on a medium heat for 5 minutes till the water from the tomatoes evaporates fully ( or till thick tomato mixture / tomato puree well mixed with spices and onions ).

Add red chilli powder, asafoetida and adjust salt to taste. Saute for 2 minutes.

Add cooked and cooled rice, stir well continuously until the tomato mixture well coated on rice evenly.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves ( optional ) and serve with salad / pickle / fresh curd / papad / potato chips / Pringles.

Tomato rice is easy to prepare and you can take it for picnics also. Left over cooked rice also used for making tomato rice.

Curd Rice / Thayir saadam / Yogurt Rice

( A speciality from Tamil Nadu )

Serves: 2

Ingredients

1/2 cup / 100 ml (Indian standard measuring cup of 100 ml / 4 oz capacity) silky raw rice , washed or 2 cups cooked rice

2 green chillies , chopped fine

1 cm ginger , julienned

1 teaspoon (5 g) salt

2 1/2 cup (600 ml) fresh, thick curd (use only thick curd, not with excess water)

2 teaspoon (10 g) ghee

1/2 teaspoon (2 g) mustard seeds

1 teaspoon ( 5 g ) urad dal

1 teaspoon ( 5g ) chana dal

1 spring curry leaves  (6 nos)

Method

Cook rice and set aside for cooling.

To the fresh curd add chopped green chillies, ginger and salt. Mix cooked and cooled rice with fresh thick curd and turn over gently until rice well combined with curd.

Heat ghee in a ladle and season with mustard seeds. When they splutter add urad dal, chana dal and curry leaves. Fry on a low heat for 2 minutes and pour over the curd rice.

Stir till well mixed and serve with mango / lime pickle and pappadam / appalam / Potato chips / Pringles ..