Lemon Rice with toasted peanuts
Lemon Rice is a signature way to season and use up leftover rice. This simple recipe is known as Citaranna or Nimakaya Pulihora. A recipe devised to use up leftover rice, makes a flavorful and easy meal. And here. I do not usually have leftover rice on hand, so I just cook this recipe from the scratch. The same combination of flavors is added into simple rice vermicelli, as a quick snack or lighter breakfast.
I have sometimes thrown in quick cooking beans such as adzuki beans, also added in a cup of shredded cauliflower to offer a balanced one pot meal.
This rice brings back memories of my daughters dance lessons. Something that made for busy weekends. Other mother’s often had lemon rice in lunch boxes as a quick meal for busy weekend schedules. Bright vibrant rice in often equally bright boxes. This phase of life seems to far away.
Lemon Rice or Other Leftover Rice
This tastes just fine at room temperature and is a popular lunch box item. Sticking to these similar flavors you can make tomato rice, and chop up a bell pepper or two and make capsicum rice. This is South India’s answer to fried rice.
The ginger is my addition to the dish. I think it works so well with the lemon or lime juice.
Leftover rice gets a vibrant makeover from ginger, curry leaves and mustard seeds. I tend to make this as an add on to a meal. The instant pot is my go-to way of making it. About 10 minutes of active time and I have a vibrant and flavorful dish on the table. This recipe works as a beautiful solution to quinoa or brown rice, depending on your preference.
A variation of the traditional South Indian Lemon rice, enhanced with the addition of sprouted moong lentils
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 6-8 curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon finely minced ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon asafetida
- 3/4 cup plain white rice
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 lime or lemon
- 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts
- 2 tablespoons finely cilantro
Instructions
- Turn the instant pot onto sauté mode. Add in the oil and set to heat for about 5 minutes. This takes a little time, but the oil needs to be hot for the tempering.
- Add in the mustard seeds and wait until the seeds begin to crackle. Add in the curry leaves, ginger, salt, and asafetida and stir in the rice. Mix well for about a minute, the mixture should be very fragrant.
- Add in 1 cup of water and the turmeric and red cayenne pepper. Turn off the instant pot. Cover and set on rice mode.
- Allow the rice to finish cooking and allow a natural release.
- Squeeze in the lime juice, stir in the peanuts and cilantro and serve warm.