Eat Healthy and Cheap
Lemon Rice
Lemon rice is temple food and lunchbox food across South India, built to use up yesterday's rice. The tempering does all the work: mustard seeds that pop, chana dal and peanuts for crunch, curry leaves for their savory snap. Lemon goes in off the heat so it stays bright, and that acid is what lets the dish get away with barely any salt.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Brown basmati rice, cooked and cooled
- 1 tsp Brown mustard seed
- 1 tbsp Yellow split peas
- 3 tbsp Peanuts, raw, skinned
- 12 Curry leaves
- 1 Indian green chile, slit
- 1 tsp Ginger, grated
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 1/4 tsp Asafoetida
- 3 tbsp Lemon juice
- 2 tbsp Cilantro, chopped
Method
- Cook the rice ahead and spread it out to cool so the grains stay separate. Day-old rice from the fridge works best.
- Set a wide pan over medium heat. Toast the peanuts dry until they smell nutty and pick up a little color, about 3 minutes, then tip them out.
- In the same dry pan, add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add the split peas and toast until they turn golden, about 1 minute. Keep them moving so nothing burns without oil.
- Add the curry leaves, slit green chile, grated ginger, and asafoetida. Stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant, adding a teaspoon of water if the pan runs dry.
- Stir in the turmeric, then add the rice and the toasted peanuts. Fold gently over low heat until every grain is coated yellow and warmed through.
- Turn off the heat. Pour in the lemon juice and fold it through off the flame, so the brightness stays sharp. Add a small pinch of salt if needed.
- Scatter with cilantro and serve warm or at room temperature. It packs well for lunch.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 250 calories, 7 g protein, 5 g fiber. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt.
