Elumichai Sadam

                        [ LEMON RICE ]

South India has a vast number of rice recipes and this one is my favorite because it is a complete meal in itself, but is so simple to prepare. Fragrant, festive, and beautiful to look at, it can be served with a bowl of plain yogurt and some hot pickle, with a spicy curry, or simply on its own.

Serves 4 PREPARATION → 10 minutes, plus soaking time COOKING 25 minutes

200g basmati rice, washed and drained

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

6 fresh curry leaves

1 teaspoon split yellow gram lentils (chana dal), washed and soaked in hot water for 15 minutes,

and drained

10 unsalted cashew nuts

2 tablespoons unsalted peanuts

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

3 tablespoons lemon juice

salt

1 Put the rice and double the amount of water by volume in a heavy-based saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, stir, cover, and cook for ”

1 Put the rice and double the amount of water by volume in a heavy-based saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, stir, cover, and cook for 10 minutes until the water has been absorbed and the rice is cooked. Set aside.
2 In a separate pan, heat the oil over high heat, add the mustard seeds and fry until they start to pop. Add the curry leaves (standing back from the pan, as they will splutter), lentils, cashew nuts, and peanuts, reduce the heat and fry for a minute or so.
3 When the cashews are slightly brown, add turmeric. Immediately remove from the heat and add the lemon juice. Season to taste with salt.
4 Gently fold the cooked rice into the mixture and serve hot.