LEMON RICE OR NIMBOO CHAAWALIt is easier to say lemon rice or limboo/nimboo chaawal:)!!
This is what he had to say. “I had warned P about this. Marrying a Palakkad Iyer has its own hazards. Your menu will be limited to rice and rasam on Monday, rice and sambar on Tuesday, lemon rice on Wednesday, tamarind rice on Thursday and coconut rice on friday. On weekends, since it is a somewhat special day you will get treated to tomato rice on Saturday and pulao on Sunday. For special occasions you might turn lucky and get to eat fried rice. But whatever the day, the last course will be thair saadam and dessert will be rice payasam!” 
I hardly ever make mixed rice though I do love tamarind rice and coconut rice a lot but when hit by time constraint or sheer laziness I usually resort to these flavourful and tasty, yet easy dishes. So while many end the standard cliche “when life hands you lemons…..,” with exoticas like lemoncurd, lemon cheese tart etc., I simply end it with “mix up a lemon rice”!
For the record, A cannot do without his plateful of rice and dal for dinner!
LEMON RICE OR NIMBOO CHAAWAL
Yield: just enough for 2 rice loversIngredients:
Rice – 1 cup
Lemon – 1 TT ball sized
(bring out the juicy ones and not the ones that have dehydrated in the fridge!)Seasoning:
Turmeric powder – a generous pinch
Asafoetida – a pinch
Salt to taste
Sesame oil – 1tsp.
Mustard (rai) seeds – 1/2 tsp.
Bengal gram (chana dal) – 1tsp.
Split dehusked black gram (Urad dal) – 1tsp.
Broken cashews – 1 tbsp.
Curry leaves (Kadipatta) – 1 sprig (chopped fine)
Ginger – 1″ (chopped fine)
Green chillies – 2 (chopped fine)
Method:
Cook rice (rice to water ratio should be 1:1.5 or 1:2) so that the grains are separate and rice is just done. You could add a little lime juice before cooking or add a teaspoon of oil to ensure that the grains are separate. Spread on a plate and cool completely otherwise the final product will come out sticky.
While the rice is cooling, go ahead with the chopping. Heat a heavy, wide wok with a tsp. of sesame oil. When hot, crackle the mustard seeds, add the bengal gram, black gram and cashews. Add the asafoetida, curryleaves, ginger and green chillies. Fry on low heat till the cashews turn evenly brown. Remove from heat.
Sprinkle the turmeric powder on the cooled rice. Fluff with a fork and put it in the wok with the seasoning. Squeeze lime and add the juice without the pits. Mix gently adding salt. It may require a tsp. of sesame oil if sticky. The rice should taste tarty but you could reduce the juice to suit your taste.
Serve with potato chips, fritters and pappadums.
Lean back and enjoy your book:).
LEMON RICE OR NIMBOO CHAAWAL
Take care and eat healthy.
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More options with rice:
|Avadhi Tahiri Biryani | Baayamma Upma / Left over rice preparation |
| Beet Pulao | Bengali Khichuri | Bisi belebath |
|Chakra Pongal | Corn Rice – I |Corn Rice – II |
|Dal Khichdi |Kidney Bean and Brown Rice Risotto |Mint Rice – I |
|Orange Saffron Rice | Pal Payasam / Kheer | Thair Chaadam / Curd Rice |
|Vegetable Pulav | Venn Pongal |
Would you like to see my mother’s recipe for authentic molagapodi OR Gunpowder? Visit Beyond Curries. The team at Beyond Curries endeavours to bring you the best of Indian Cuisine in one space.
lemon rice looks yummy!…so not true when they say Iyers only cook sambar,rasam and kalanda chaadam…Its high time they peek into our blogs….Nice of you to support the cancer cause… and true that no disease can crush one's spirit…be careful of swine flu!
Perfect classic and is always welcome in my home, lovely pics. I heard about the swine flu fears there, stay safe !
I love the cute vessel that you served the rice in..Beautiful pics as always!
Looks very real and awesome.
LOvely pics of lemon rice. welcoming and tempting.
What pretty pictures! And where did you get that pretty copper dish from? Yea, the swine flu dress code is hilarious–I just made a small post back on my blog as well.
Lovely clicks…Lemon saadam is so easy to whip up for lunch box too..
All the TV channels are telecasting all possible news on swine flue. I doubt if it will create awareness or more panic. Anyways, stay safe.
Hmm i heard abt swine flu yesterday from mom, they too have brought masks, i heard that tulsi leaves and nilgiri are very effective for flu, no harm in having these
Lemon rice is a classic and you have done justice by taking some gorgeouc clicks!
this is the ultimate comfort food. looks so tempting
Lemon rice looks good Harini. Its been long since I visited your blog due to so mnay reasons. The pictures look awesome.
Heard about the swine flu there. Take care!hope it passes soon.
Your pics are gorgeous! I love rice in any form
We used to make lemon rice while goign on journeys. brings back fond memories 
Nice post..hub too has a friend whom I call 'sautan' …lol..
love lemon rice, thanks for shraing the recipe.
Lemon rice is the easiest to say:-) LOL at A…
This is a favorite in my home too, esp. on lazy days. I love the cashew pieces in it.
That is one gorgeous picture of the podi! love the colors used in the picture.
Beautiful presentation. Love the bowl. This is one of my comfort foods!
Looks delicious. One of my favourite ways to eat rice.
Those are great pics, the rice looks awesome!
hey harini
Thanks a lot for the comments. I am here in ur blog after a long time. Lovely pics yaar! awesome. Which cam r u using? How do u manage to get those pics. I really loved the donut pics.
How r things at ur end? I am doing gr8. Blissfully married!
All is well at my end.
I'm not sure what's more appealing… the actual recipe, or the photo! Both make me want to get in the kitchen right this second and whip some up!
Anushruti, welcome to my home:).
Vijitha, Nayi naveli dulhan, kaisi ho? Am using Canon, Rebel XTi. Glad you like the pics! That's how it should be – blissfully married:)
Hannah, thanks! Coming from you, the comment about photos made my day!
YUmmmmmmmmmmmm… the pic is amazing. You really have the photographic sense. keep it going.
Finally got here again! I'm getting old, I think.
Love the copper bowl in which the elmichampazham chaadam is in.
Both us being P.I.s I guess we're ok with those hazards!!!
Looks pretty and yummy. One of my favorite dish to make as prasadam during festivals.
lemon rice looks yummy..frst time to ur blog..ur have wonderful collection"
Lemon Rice sounds fabulous Sunshinemom…and a nice way to remember your father in law.