Elumichai Sadam: This South Indian Lemon Rice Is The Comfort Food You Need
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Rice is a staple food of not just India but of many other countries. Not only is it a comfort food that is very easy to cook but is also super versatile. Lemon rice is a simple side dish that can be made in under less than half an hour with minimal ingredients. A squeeze of lemon gives your plain rice a simple sour flavor that never disappoints anyone. Lemon rice is generally eaten in south Indian states and our recipe of lemon rice is made with conventional Tamil style. To start with, ‘Elumichai Sadam’ is known as lemon rice. This rice is packed with loads of tangy flavors, spices and curry leaves. The rice that is preferable to use while making is kolam rice which is produced in Telangana, that has a pleasant aroma and is very soft and spongy almost similar in taste with basmati rice. What distinguishes this side dish from other states is the style it's prepared with, using excessive lemon juice and turmeric powder and the kolam rice it's prepared with. Usually it’s said that lemon rice in Tamil or southern states of India is made using leftover food, So let's quickly look over the recipe. 

 

Ingredients-  

  1. 1 cup lemon juice 
  2. Curry leaves 
  3. Green chilli 
  4. Pinch of red chili powder 
  5. 2 cups kolam rice 
  6. Mustard seeds 
  7. Asafoetida  
  8. ½ tablespoon Bengal gram 
  9. Oil 
  10. black gram 
  11. Urad dal 
  12. Salt 
  13. Cashews 
  14. Ginger  
  15. Roasted peanuts

Method- 

  1. The first step is to heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, asafoetida, cashews, black gram, urad dal and bengal gram all together. Saute them well till they turn golden. 
  2. Add a pinch of salt, red chili powder,a tablespoon of turmeric powder, curry leaves, ginger and green chili. Still the mixture well and keep aside. 
  3. Now take a pressure cooker and add water. Boil the water and add washed kolam rice and a half teaspoon of turmeric powder. 
  4. Cook the rice until they boil well. 
  5. Once the rice has cooked, add the above prepared mixture to it.  
  6. At the end, pour lemon juice over the rice and mix well. Do garnish with coriander leaves, roasted peanuts. 
  7. Serve hot with curry.