lemon rice recipe with step by step photos – crunchy, flavorful and sour rice recipe from south india. this is one of the most popular and often made rice recipe from south india. a rice dish i have had at a few south indian temples and also in restaurants.
this lemon rice dish is one of the easiest to make. already cooked or steamed rice is mixed with a spiced lemon and peanut mixture.
you can make lemon rice with freshly cooked rice or even with left over rice. the peanuts adds crunch to this sour and aromatic rice recipe. you can cook the rice al dente or cook a bit more. apart from chinese fried rice, pulao or biryani, in all other rice recipes, i prefer to cook rice grains more than al dente.
best is to serve lemon rice with pappadums or even with a side vegetable salad or even coconut chutney.
this lemon rice can also be made as a tiffin box or as a picnic lunch. its a light dish and you can have it as a light breakfast also.
if you are looking for more rice recipes then do check:
lemon rice recipe below:
lemon rice recipe
lemon rice recipe - crunchy, flavorful and sour rice recipe from south india.
ingredients (1 cup = 250 ml)
- 1 cup heaped regular rice or 3 to 4 cups cooked rice (chawal)
- 1.5 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice (nimbu ka ras) or add as required
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai)
- 1 teaspoon urad dal (spilt and skinned black gram)
- 2 dry red chilies (sookhi lal mirch)
- 1 to 2 green chilies, chopped
- 12 to 15 curry leaves (kadi patta)
- 1 generous pinch asafoetida (hing)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
- 1 tablespoon cashews (kaju) - halved or chopped (optional)
- ¼ cup peanuts (moongphalli) - optional
- 2 to 3 tablespoon sesame oil (til ka tel) - optional
- rock salt (sendha namak) or regular salt as required
how to make recipe?
cooking rice:
rinse 1 heaped cup rice a couple of times and soak for 30 minutes.
then drain the water and pressure cook rice with ¼ teaspoon salt and 2 cups water for 2 to 3 whistles or 8 to 10 minutes on medium-high flame.
1 heaped cup rice will yield 3 to 4 cups rice. this depends on the type and quality of rice.
when the pressure settles down on its own in the cooker, remove the lid. remove the cooked rice in a plate or in a bowl.
let the rice become warm or cool at room temperature
making lemon rice recipe:
in a small frying pan, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons sesame oil. first fry peanuts till crunchy and then keep them aside.
in the same oil, then fry cashews till golden. remove and keep aside.
now add 1 tablespoon sesame oil in the same pan.
add the mustard seeds and let them crackle. once the mustard seeds begin to crackle, add the urad dal.
saute till the urad dal turns golden. fry everything on a low flame, so that the spices don't burn.
then add the red chilies, green chilies (chopped) and curry leaves. sauté for a few seconds till the red chilies change color.
switch off the flame and add the asafoetida and turmeric powder. mix very well
stir and immediately pour this tempering mixture on the rice.
add the fried peanuts, cashews, lemon juice and salt. mix very well.
keep the lemon rice covered for the flavors to blend for 4 to 5 minutes.
then serve the lemon rice with papads or vadams and coconut chutney or just have lemon rice plain.
how to make lemon rice recipe:
1. first rinse 1 cup heaped regular rice a couple of times and then soak in enough water for 30 minutes.
2. then drain all the water from the rice. add the rice in a pressure cooker. add ¼ teaspoon salt or add salt as required.
3. also add 2 cups water.
4. pressure cook the rice for 8 to 10 minutes or for 2 to 3 whistles on a medium-high flame. when the pressure settles down on its own in the cooker, then open the lid.
5. remove the rice in a bowl or plate and let it become warm or cool at room temperature. you can also fluff the cooked rice and let it cool in the cooker itself. 1 heaped cup of raw rice will yield 3 to 4 cups of cooked rice. this depends on the type of rice.
6. squeeze juice from 1 lime or 1 small lemon. you will need about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice. if you want more tangy taste, then you can add more lemon juice. keep aside.
7. heat 1 or 2 tablespoons sesame oil in a pan. add peanuts.
8. fry the peanuts on a low to medium flame till they become golden and crunchy.
9. remove and keep aside.
10. in the same pan add cashews.
11. fry cashews till they turn golden. keep aside.
12. now add 1 tablespoon sesame oil in the same pan. when the oil becomes hot, then add mustard seeds.
12. when the mustard seeds begun to crackle, then add urad dal.
13. on a low flame, sauté the urad dal till they turn golden.
14. next add curry leaves, chopped green chilies and dry red chilies.
15. sauté for some seconds till the red chilies change color.
16. switch off the flame and add turmeric powder and asafoetida.
17. mix very well.
18. now pour this tempering mixture in the cooked rice.
19. add the fried peanuts and cashews.
20. add lemon juice.
21. add salt.
22. mix very well.
23. check the taste and add more lemon juice or salt if you want. keep the lemon rice covered for the flavors to blend for 4 to 5 minutes.
24. serve lemon rice with papads or vadams and coconut chutney or just have lemon rice plain. you can even pack lemon rice in tiffin or for a travel journey.
Hello,
I’m new to Indian cuisine. I’ve made lemon rice before but never with urad dal. I am only able to purchase dried gram. Do I need to cook / boil the gram first?
Thank you
no need to cook or boil the gram. the urad dal added is raw and not cooked.
Dassana,
I can only get dry curry leaf where I live. Can I use them in this recipe or is it better to just not use them at all? I’m new to Indian cooking and am really enjoying your site! It’s awsome!
Dassana,
Can I use dry curry leaves? It is most impossible to get fresh leaves where I live. Is it better to just leave them out of recipes?
I’m quite new to Indian cooking and am really enjoying your site!
jacquie, you can use dry curry leaves in any recipe that calls for fresh curry leaves. even i used to add dry curry leaves when i would not get fresh leaves. thanks.
instead of sesame oil can we use mustard oil..
with mustard oil, the taste may not come out well. you can use peanut oil or sunflower oil instead. even olive oil can be used.
thank you sonal for positive views.
Hey,,, nice & easy recipe of lemon rice…. even when ever I wanna try to something new,,, firstly refer your recipe….keep posting… thank u & many more time thanks… with lots of love…
very pleased to know this dhvani 🙂 glad you refer us always for recipes. thankyou for your kind words and you are always welcome.
Thankyou so much as i wanted to eat this lemon rice from many days, from ur receipe it could possible.
pleased to know this kundan thankyou so much 🙂
Super mam
thankyou kokila 🙂
Hi can we use Chana dal instead of urad dal ??
kavi, yes you can add chana dal. just fry them well.
Hi. Thanks a lot for your quick receipies which has helped me a lot in past and specially the lemon rice receipe has solved my problem for tonight’s dinner
pleased to know this rimpal 🙂 you liked the lemon rice recipe. thankyou for your kind words.
Thank u so mch ur recipe helped a lot as my husband is frm bnglore and wanted me to make lemon rice for him and just because of ur recipe I was able to make it.
welcome aastha. nice to know that recipe helped you in making lemon rice.
Hi Dassana
Have tried couple of your recipes all were good… would request a bread dahi vada recipe to be posted as could not find any good on other sites
thanks vaishali. i have noted down the recipe request and will try to post it.
Thank you so much.. I am a student.. And I have prepared lemon rice .but when added lemon juice it smells bad.anyways by your direction I have prepared it.
welcome nivedita. it does not smell bad. was the lemon fresh? lemon must be getting spoilt.
Hi Dassana….thanks once again for a quick, simple and delicious recipe. I have tried so many of ur recipes but not one of them has been disappointing. Keep up the good work!
welcome jyoti. glad to know this. thanks for sharing positive review on recipes.
Hi Dassana
So quick n simple recepie.. Just a simple query if til oil is not available what could b the option for it.
thanks deepti. use peanut oil or sun flower oil.
please can you provide your recipes ,in Tamil language also
v.vairavan, i don’t know tamil language so won’t be able to do it.
I think this is very easy and simple, i like this and i will try this.
And, my personal choice for this as a combo is thick coconut chutney with just fresh coconut, green chillies and curry leaves, and then some fried pappad/chips..:)
anu, i usually serve with pappad. but coconut chutney is a good addition. good to know this.
Perfect recipe…it’s the same way that I make it here…only small addition is that I add 2-3 spoonful of grated coconut and coriander leaves, if it need not be kept for long. My son loves this and to make it wholesome, sometimes I add paneer cubes and fresh veggies also to it.
thanks anu for sharing your variation. you are making the dish more healthy.
i love sabudan khichidi………
Good & it is a brand new recipe for me.
In our village we do this with left over rice for morning breakfast. Lemon rice, mango or Makali beru pickle and curd rice heaven on earth!
madhusudhan, thats good to know. i always make with fresh rice. but the food combo you mentioned must be delicious.
Nice& easy
thanks sujan
very nice recipes i loved it.
thanks pushpa
supper
thank u dassana fr this recipe,i will prepare fr my lovely sis who loves lemon rice hope she likes it
welcome abhijeet
Hi Dassana, before turning off the flame add grated coconut. Fry the coconut for 1-2 mins and add rice, lemon juice and mix well in the pan itself. This tastes much better and stays for a long time.. I’m sure you’ll love this typical karnataka style lemon rice.
thanks padma for sharing your variation. i will give it a try.
This is so, SO good! I never thought to use peanuts and lemon together before.
I didn’t have light sesame oil or cashews so I left them out (used vegetable oil instead) – I can just imagine how good it would be with the toasted cashews as well. Here in the UK cashews can be a little expensive but I know it will be worth it.
Thank you Dassana as always!
welcome liz. peanuts are a cheap but a good substitute to cashews. with both peanuts and cashews, the lemon rice taste equally good.
Hey, I love your receipes .. Wen Eva I wana try anythin new I refer your recipe first…:) thanks a lot..;) keep posting more..:) I love the lemon rice as Al ua others recipe..:)
thanks shahnaz for this positive feedback.
Thanks for the recipe– going to make it tomorrow. Just picked up some Hing. Looks so good.
Question– do I need to soak and or cook the urad dal beforehand? Or can I just add the dried lentils straight to fry pan?
Thanks so much!
Matt
welcome matt. no need to soak or cook urad dal. just add them to the pan and saute on a low flame, till they become a maroonish color.
I love lemon rice so much, that I eat it every meal.
Delicious and simple recipe.
thanks sangeeta
Good
Tried your recipe for today’s breakfast. My husband liked it very much. Thanks a lot.
welcome gopika
wow&thanks
welcome
Can we make this recipe with wild rice instead of the regular white rice?
kailash, you can try but i have never tried. so not sure about the texture.
lamen rise resepi vary nise prabhu ji
This recipe sounds wonderful, but I have a question about it. Do you use plain sesame oil or toasted (like east Asian) sesame oil. Thanks.
susan, it is plain sesame oil and not the east asian ones.
Thank you!
i make lemon rice very often.. once in a while i add dates to it.. gives a sweet touch now and then in ur mouth..
thanks renu for sharing your tip. i will give it a try next time.
love lemon rice and such a greatly made one you shared here.
My all time fav breakfast-lunch-dinner:))
xx
I make maximum recipes from this site. Really very easy and helpful. Thank you very much.
welcome madhu. thanks for sharing positive feedback on recipes.