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Dinner with Rukmini
Browse all of the recipes in Rukmini Iyer’s cookbooks by ingredient.
Tamilian Lemon Rice
Introduction from Rukmini Iyer
This is such an easy dish, which you can make with freshly cooked or yesterday’s cold, cooked rice. The lemon zest and cashew nuts are my and my mum’s non-canonical additions, because more lemon and fried cashew nuts make everything better. You can also make this recipe with very quickly cooked shop-bought vermicelli instead of rice, as the lemon, mustard seed and curry leaf base is a traditional seasoning for a popular South Indian vermicelli dish, known as upma.
Ingredients
Method
Cook the basmati rice in the microwave or in a saucepan, or alternatively thoroughly heat your cold, cooked rice in the microwave until piping hot throughout. Let the rice steam-dry and cool down for 5 minutes (you can spread it out on a plate to speed this up) and then stir through 1 tablespoon of the oil and sea salt flakes to taste, then the turmeric, lemon zest and juice. Gently mix until combined.
Heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan; when hot, add the mustard seeds. As soon as they splutter, reduce the heat to low and add the dried red chillies. Stir-fry for a few seconds, then add the curry leaves and asafoetida. Give them a stir – as soon as the asafoetida darkens a little, add the cashew nuts and cook over a low heat for a few minutes until golden brown.
Add the lemony cooked rice and stir gently over a low heat until everything is combined (I use a metal spoon to avoid squashing the rice). Eat hot, or at room temperature.
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From the book
India Express: Simple and Delicious Recipes for Every Day
75 recipes inspired by the vibrant flavours of South India and Bengal
Speedy and fuss-free recipes for maximum flavour in return for minimum effort
Trademark traybakes, as well as stir-fries, snacks, weeknight curries, and simple desserts
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