Lemon Rice (South Indian Recipe)

Servings: 2.
Preparation time: 2 minutes.
Boiling rice time: 10 minutes.
Seasoning time: 6-7 minutes.
Total time: 19 minutes.

“Lemon Rice (South Indian Recipe)” is a vibrant and tangy South Indian rice dish that’s as refreshing as flavourful.

Made by mixing steamed rice with freshly squeezed lemon juice, aromatic tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies and peanuts, it offers a perfect balance of zest and crunch in every bite.

This dish is a staple across South India, often prepared for festivals, travel meals, or quick lunches, as it stays fresh for hours and needs no elaborate side dish. The simplicity of ingredients combined with the bright citrus flavour makes Lemon Rice both comforting and uplifting; a true example of how everyday South Indian cooking turns humble ingredients into something extraordinary.

I often made with fragrant basmati rice, fresh lemon juice, and a blend of Indian spices, To complement the lemon rice, I served this with Beetroot Raita, Papad and Mango Pickle.

Lemon rice is relatively low in calories and can be a part of a balanced diet for weight management; vitamin C in lemon juice Improves Iron absorption.

yummy Tummy yumm yumm…

Ingredients:

For boiling rice:

Basmati rice: 1 cup
Water: 2 cup
Lemon juice: 2-3 tablespoon (as per taste)
Salt: 1/2 teaspoon

For tempering:

Sesame Oil/ Cooking Oil: 2 tablespoon.
Mustard Seed: 1 teaspoon
Chana Dal: 1 teaspoon
Urad Dal (Split Black Gram): 1 teaspoon
Curry Leaves: 2 twig
Cashewnut: 10-15 no.
Dry Red Chilli: 2-3 no.
Green Chilli: 2-3 no.
Turmeric Powder: 1/4 teaspoon.
Peanut: 2-3 tablespoon. (as per taste)
Fresh Coriander Leaves: 2 tablespoon.
Asafoetida: 2 pinch
Ghee: 1 teaspoon.

Preparation:

Clean and wash rice. Soak it into double quantity of water Keep aside for 20-30 minutes.

Method:

Cook the rice in rice cooker or pressure cooker. (You can directly cook on stove on lower flame till rice is done).
Steamed rice is ready, slightly fluff up with fork and let it cool compleatly for tempering.

Tempering:

Before tempering, add lemon juice in cooked rice, keep aside.
Take fry pan, heat oil; add mustard seed, chana dal and split black gram; sputter it for few seconds, add peanut and cashewnut, stir fry for a minute on medium low flame.
Add red chilli, asafoetida and curry leaves; continue to fry for a minute, add salt and turmeric powder, stir well.
Add cooked rice; stir well, lower the flame to minimum, cook for couple of minute with lid on. Add ghee and chopped coriander leaves.
Serve the lemon rice in serving plate or on the banana leaf.
Decorate with curry leaves and coriander leaves.