Lemon Rice - Our Way with lemon grass

The weather is slightly turning cooler over here in Kuala Lumpur with occasional rain and heavy downpour, much needed break from scorching summer days. As school holidays have started here, I have to find ways to keep my daughter engaged .Today as we were going for a walk, it started to rain heavily, luckily we had an umbrella with us. Since we were sharing one umbrella between us, no matter how hard we tried, we were still getting wet. While my daughter was holding the umbrella for us, I was holding our grocery bags. She says she doesn’t like doing grocery- ‘’not at all’’ as her words quoting here, it’s just that she is doing it for me only, to give me company and also to help me carrying things. I really don’t know, how suddenly my eyes became moist, and my vision blurred, as I saw a young girl, who soon will be starting her secondary school education, trying to hold the umbrella properly,so that her mum doesn’t get wet…... Where does the time flies, and why?

Lemon rice is one such fragrant way of making delicious rice. We often make it, sometimes also with fried peanuts. However I have found out that the rice which are pre-cooked turns out more nicer and fluffy. This time my slight variation was addition of lemon grass, and this is a hidden gem, as this gave that extra and nice aroma to the light, fluffy rice grains. Here is great variation of lemon rice with lemon grass. I am sure this can be great as a crowd puller in small-gatherings.

Lemon rice – our way

Serves 3-4 people

4 large cups of cooked rice

½ tsp of turmeric powder

1 tsp of salt

3-4 tbs of cooking oil

For tempering

2 tsp of chana dal

 1tsp of white urid dal

2 twigs of curry leaves or 10-12 leaves

1 tsp of mustard seeds

2-3 dry red pepper

 1 tsp of lemon juice

Lemon grass- 1 twig chopped roughly

green chillies for hotness

Method

Soak rice grains in water for about 10-12 mints. Discard water and sprinkle turmeric powder. Mix in rice and turmeric powder and leave aside for 5-7 mints.

Cook rice and drain the starch.

Now in a big enough fry pan/kadai, which can hold entire rice content, add in cooking oil

Temper the oil with mustard seeds, dry red pepper, urid dal and chana dal.

Add in curry leaves and chopped lemon grass. Add in lemon juice.

Now add in cooked rice grains and slowly mix in the rice mixture.

Cover and leave aside for half an hour.

Serve with yogurt or any gravy type dishes. This is absolutely aromatic and delicious.

Happy Cooking