LEMON RICE & POTTUKADALAI CHUTNEY– LUNCH RECIPES

Lemon rice is my most favourite among all the variety rice recipes. I can have a plateful of lemon rice without any accompaniment. But my mom makes a thick chutney with fried gram dal & coconut as a side dish. My dad never eats lemon rice without this chutney & a pickle ..I tried this once for my husband and he too liked it. Recently we went to Meenakshi amman temple in Bannergatta..We had lemon rice as prasadam and it tasted out of the world. I would say it is the best lemon rice i have ever tasted. It was mild yellow in color & i found they had raw rice & added some coriander leaves along with dals & chillies..Usually i use steamed rice for making lemon rice. But after tasting that prasadam , i too started using raw rice and add some coriander leaves whenever i have in hand.
As aadi 18 ( august 3rd) is nearing , i thought of posting this rice recipe. This is one among the 5 rice varieties ( lemon rice , puliyodharai , coconut rice , sakkarai pongal and curd rice) we offer to God on aadi perukku along with  pepper vada and payasam.. Do try this chutney & lemon rice combo , u may love it..

INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 200ml

Raw rice – 1/2 cup (Good quality sona masoori) OR (steamed rice , basmati rice) Big Lemon –  1 no  ( adjust based on the size & tanginess of lemon) Salt – as needed Hing – 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp To temper Cooking oil – 1 tbsp Mustard seeds – 1 tsp Urad dal – 1 tbsp Chana dal – 1/2 tbsp Peanuts – 1 tbsp (optional) Red chillies – 2 nos Green chillies – 2 nos Curry leaves – few Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp ( to garnish) Gingely oil – 1 tbsp ( to add while mixing)

METHOD

Pressure cook raw rice adding 1: 2.5 cups of water . Add a drop of oil before cooking.. Cook it separate & fluffy . Spread them in a plate & let it cool down. In a bowl, squeeze the lemon juice removing the seeds. Add salt , turmeric powder & hing. set aside. In a kadai , heat oil and temper the mustard seeds . After it splutters completely , add the dals & peanuts. Fry till they turn golden brown. Then add the pinched red chillies & slitted green chillies, curry leaves and a pinch of hing. Saute well , add the lemon juice , switch off the flame immediately & transfer to a bowl. Add 2 tsp of water in the kadai, give a swirl and add to the lemon juice mixture.. Add this mixture & gingely oil to the rice , mix well. Check for salt. Garnish with coriander leaves..Initially it tastes more tangy..But all the taste blends well when it rest for 30 mins to 1 hour before serving ..

NOTE

The water quantity may differ based on the quality of rice..If u used basmati , use 1:2 cups of water.. u can add also add the lemon juice directly in the rice instead of adding to the tadka.. Addition of peanuts is optional. I dint use here.  i dint add coriander leaves as it was out of stock.But addition of coriander leaves gives a nice taste.. Add gingely oil while mixing the rice.

POTTUKADALAI CHUTNEY / FRIED GRAM DAL CHUTNEY FOR LEMON RICE

INGREDIENTS Dalia/fried gram – 1/4 cup Grated coconut – 1 tbsp Green chillies – 2 nos Salt – As needed Garlic cloves – 2-3 nos METHOD Grind all the above ingredients to a thick paste adding less water..Serve !

Technorati Tags: lemon rice recipe,side dish for lemon rice,pottukadalai chutney recipe,lemon rice,lemon rice tamil,lunch recipes,quick lunch ideas,quick lunch recipes,variety rice recipe,rice varieties