Lemon rice is a  simple version of Indian fried rice, with curry seasonings, chickpeas, peanuts, curry leaves and spicy peppers.

Lemon Rice

By Sue Lau | Palatable Pastime

Today I am revisiting a dish I first published a few years ago, which is one of my favorites. It’s quite simple to make and in essence, is an Indian version of fried rice. Once the rice is done and cold, it really just takes a few minutes to cook up. I like making this with leftover rice or rice which I have put in the freezer for later.

This is a South India recipe dish and is really delicious. The nuts give it a bit of crunch but I do like the chickpeas in there as well.

I have loved lemon rice since first trying it at Anand India restaurant in Blue Ash Ohio. It was on their buffet, and not on the regular menu, which is unfortunate. When I craved it when it wasn’t being offered, I then had to make it myself. While this recipe is not their recipe, I have tried to make it as close to theirs as possible. I am not even sure Anand serves theirs anymore as I haven’t seen it on their buffet in ages, but they have had it at New Krishna Indian restaurant off Reading Road by I-275 in Sharonville, Ohio. It might even be the same chef….who knows? But anyhoo…this is so easy to make you don’t need to worry about who is serving this, when and where. Make it at home and for far less.

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Kheema Mattar

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Lemon Rice

Lemon Rice

Sue Lau

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Asian, Indian

Ingredients

  

• 3 cups cold cooked basmati rice crumbled
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or mustard oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1 teaspoon mustard seed
• 2 whole Thai red chillies or green
• 12 fresh curry leaves
• 1 4-inch cinnamon stick
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas
• 1/4 cup peanuts roasted
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Heat cinnamon stick, cumin seed, mustard seed, thai chillies and curry leaves in a skillet with oil until it sputters, about a minute.
• Stir in the chickpeas, turmeric, rice, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir until the turmeric coats the rice, adding a little water if you need to mix it well. If you add water, cook to evaporate it.
• Cook until hot.

Notes

From the kitchen of palatablepastime.com

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!