Lemon rice, I think, is the best and easiest rice dish you can prepare for the busy travel days. Yes, it is the best travel food that you can prepare and store up in a container for days. They will stay good even without a refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Lemon rice could also be the best lunchbox option for kids or grown-ups.
Lemon rice is a special and versatile dish from South India with a little tangy lemon flavor. Normally, most of the lemon rice recipe uses peanut in it. I am using the cooked chickpeas (garbanzo) to add the crunchy flavor to the dish. Also, the color of the rice is from turmeric powder. Don’t mistake it to be an artificial color or the color of lemon.
In India lime juice is used instead of lemon. But the dish is called lemon rice. We call both lemon and lime as lemon there. Maybe that could be the reason, it is called lemon rice, I guess. But that doesn’t matter here. I am using lemon juice and the recipe calls for the same.
I am using the already cooked basmati rice for the recipe. Check the post to see how I prepare the basmati rice in the microwave.
Perfect Microwave Basmati Rice
Lemon Rice with Chickpeas
Lemon Rice with Chickpea
Ingredients
- 3 cups of cooked basmati rice
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup split chickpeas cooked
- 1 tbsp almond slivered
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1/2 tsp cumin seed
- 1/2 tsp mustard seed
- 3 dry red chilli teared
- 2 green chilli sliced
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 3 mint leaves chopped
- Salt to taste if needed
Instructions
- Mix together basmati rice and lemon juice in a bowl. Keep aside.
- Heat oil in a pan.
- For tempering, crackle the mustard seed. Add cumin seeds.
- Add dry red chilli until a nice aroma. Do not burn the chilli.
- Then add chickpeas. Saute for 2 minutes until crunchy.
- Add the almonds and fry for 30 seconds without browning.
- Now add the green chilli, curry leaves and turmeric powder. Mix well.
- Switch off the heat.
- Add the rice mixed with lemon juice into the pan. Add the mint leaves and mix well.
- Sprinkle with salt (if needed) and mix well.
- Serve hot or at room temperature.
Notes
2. Adjust the lemon juice to your taste.
While traveling , pickles or something like the orange peel curry or raita will be great as a side dish. Otherwise, you can have any side dish paired with lemon rice. Adjust the amount of lemon juice according to your taste.
Happy Cooking
