'Lime n Lemony' Lemon Rice - A Healthy Vegetarian Lunch Box Idea and My Third Culinary Post

My 3rd culinary post is a healthy vegetarian dish. This recipe of lemon rice is inspired by the recipe on 'Manjula's kitchen' website. Back in Delhi when I was working, one of my South Indian colleagues used to often bring lemon rice for lunch - till this day I remember the delicious lemony aroma and flavour of the dish.

What is most appealing to me is that the lemon rice is simple to prepare and easy on the stomach. It is perfect both as a packed lunch as well as a simple dinner dish to go well with sambhar and raita or even some grilled veggies. It can be made in a jiffy with ingredients that are readily available in any kitchen. (in fact I even read that leftover rice can also be used to prepare the dish.) My son really enjoyed the dish because it contained "no visible veggies!'' Of course the fact that it is a very healthy dish containing lemon which is good for the stomach and rich in Vitamin C, energy food -rice, peanuts that provide good fat and a tadka of protein in the form of daal, is the clincher for me.

The Cooked Lemon Rice

Time for preparation: 5 minutes
Time for cooking: 30 minutes

What you need;

• Rice - 1 Cup
• Roasted Peanuts - 1/4 cup
• Oil -2-3 tablespoons
• Salt - to taste
• Cumin Seeds
• Curry Leaves
• Mustard Seeds
• Red dry Chilli -1/2
• Green Chilli -1
• Lemon Juice -1/4 cup
• Pre-soaked Chana Daal - 2 tablespoons
• Turmeric Powder - apinch

How to Cook;

• Boil the rice with just enough water, 2 tablespoons of oil and salt to taste. The cooked rice must have a fluffy feel to it.
• In a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick pan or kadahi, saute the roasted peanuts till they change color. Take the peanuts out and keep aside.
• In the same oil saute the cumin seeds and mustard seeds till they change color, then add in the chilli and curry leaves. Fry for some time.
• Add the pre-soaked chana daal and fry for a few minutes.
• Now add turmeric powder.
• Lastly put in the cooked rice, salt, lemon juice and peanuts and stir-fry for few minutes till the rice is done and all ingredients properly cooked.
• Serve hot with yoghurt.

I hope you enjoy the recipe. As for me I am hoping to convince my son to carry the lemon rice to school ... I think it's a healthy tiffin idea packed with all the natural good ness of lemon, rice, daal and nuts...!!!