Lemon / Lime Rice

Does this ever happen to you?  You go to the grocery store.  Buy all the things you think you need.  Come back home and realize that you already bought some stuff the last time?  I did this twice – with limes.  

I used to be big on lists and would write everything down.   Then somehow, I got out of that habit and started relying on my memory.  And end up with half a dozen more limes than I need.  I should go back to my lists :).

Lemon Rice

So anyway, what do you do when life gives you an excess of limes – make lemon rice. This is so easy to make and tastes delicious.  All you need is some left over rice and lemons or limes.

Here is what you need:

• 2 tsp. oil
• ½ tsp. mustard seeds
• ½ tsp. cumin seeds
• ¼ tsp. hing
• 2 red chilies, broken
• 1 tsp. channa dal
• 2 Tbsp. peanuts
• 2 Tbsp. cashew nuts
• 2 green chilies, slit
• few curry leaves
• 1” piece ginger, finely chopped
• ¼ tsp. turmeric powder
• juice of 2 – 3 limes or 1 large lemon (depending on how juicy they are)
• salt to taste
• 2 cups cooked rice (preferably long grain), cooled completely – left over rice works great!

 

Here is how I made it:

1. Heat oil in a pan.  Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing, red chilies, and channa dal.
2. When the mustard seeds sputter, add the peanuts and cashew nuts.  Fry for a couple of minutes till the nuts start changing color.
3. Add the green chilies, curry leaves, ginger and turmeric powder.  Sauté for a couple of more minutes.
4. Turn off the heat and pour in the lime/lemon juice.  Add salt.
5. Take the rice in a bowl.  Pour the lemon rice mixture on top.   Mix well so that every grain of rice is coated.  Taste to adjust salt.  If your lemon rice tastes too tart, mix in some more plain rice.  If it needs more of the lime/lemony taste, add more juice.

Serve hot with papads.