Lemon Rice And Curd Rice: Try These Healthy And Easy Recipes

Health and fitness are now the buzzwords, and people the world over are increasingly seeking more and more healthy recipes throughout their day. More and more people prefer home cooked food rather than order takeaways. Two of the most popular recipes are lemon rice and curd rice, which do not bring on post heavy lunch lethargy while providing the right amount of energy through the working house. They are also super easy to prepare.

Lemon Rice

Cooking time: 6 mins

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups cooked rice 
• 1 tsp mustard seeds 
• Salt, to taste 
• 1 pinch asafoetida 
• 1½  to 2 tbsps lemon juice 
• 1 tsp urad dal 
• 2-3 whole dry red chillies (each broken into 2)
• 1-2 green chillies (chopped)
• 1 tbsp coriander leaves (Chopped)
• 12-15 curry leaves 
• Refined oil 
• ½ tsp turmeric powder 
• ¼ cup peanuts

Method:

• In a preheated wok/kadai, take some oil.
• Fry the peanuts, till they are crunchy, drain the oil and keep aside.
• In the same kadai add asafetida and mustard seeds and let them sputter.
• Add urad dal and fry until dal has turned golden brown. 
• Fry on low to medium heat so that the dal doesn’t burn.
• Add red and green chillies, and curry leaves. 
• Saute for some seconds till red chillies change colour, add turmeric powder and mix well.
• Add pre-cooked boiled rice, sprinkle peanuts on top and mix everything well. together. 
• Add lemon juice and mix well again.
• Serve hot with chutney on the side.

Lemon rice | Instagram - @fusionfoods_

Preparation time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 6 mins

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups well cooked rice 
• ½ tsp mustard seeds 
• Salt, to taste 
• 1½ cups yoghurt
• 1 tsp urad dal 
• 1 tsp chana dal 
• 2 whole dry red chillies (each broken into 2)
• 1-2 green chillies (chopped)
• 12-15 curry leaves 
• ½-inch grated ginger
• 1 tsp refined oil 

Method:

• Take cooled pre-cooked rice in a bowl, add 1 cup fresh curd to the rice and mix well.
• Add more curd if you feel the consistency is too dry. 
• In a small pan, heat a tsp of any refined oil
• Add mustard seeds and let them splutter, a few cashews (optional), chana dal and urad dal and broken red chillies.
• Fry until dals have turned golden brown. Fry on low to medium heat so that the dals do not burn. 
• Add chillies and curry leaves. 
• Saute for some seconds till chillies change colour, add ginger and mix well.
• Pour this tempering over the pre-cooked boiled rice, and mix everything well together. 
• Serve at room temperature.

Both Lemon Rice and Curd Rice are recipes, which were primarily prepared in Southern India but are now popular across the country. They are super easy to rustle up. They are best served with papads, pickles or chutneys on the side. Traditionally, curd rice was prepared in the summer season to prevent sunstroke and keep the body cool since curd is a natural coolant.