Mixed Vegetable Lemon Rice

By Harini
Lemon rice is one of the very famous chithranam variety of Tamil nadu.Chithranam means variety rice which are suitable for travel/picnic,stays well for long time.Also there is a tradition of eating such variety rice by the riverside(if possible) on the full moon day of the Tamil month Chithirai (Chithra pournami) and hence the name chithra+annam(rice) chithranam.Now coming to lemon rice,I think this will be ranking first when we have to make something fast using minimum ingredients.In this recipe I have added vegetables and greens to this humble lemon rice to make it even more healthy and tasty.Here you go with the recipe.

Mixed vegetable lemon rice
Star ingredients:mixed vegetables+lemon
Time:20 minutes
Serves:3
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup rice
1 small bunch methi leaves
1 carrot grated
1 /2 green bell pepper chopped fine
2 green chillies
1 small piece of ginger
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon urad dal
1 teaspoon channa dal
10 cashew nuts broken
10 peanuts
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
Salt
Sesame oil
Method:
1.Cook rice with 3 cups of water up to 3 whistles.Once pressure is released transfer to a wide plate and cool it.
2.Heat oil in a kadai,temper urad,mustard and channa dal.Add cashew nuts,peanuts
and saute till golden.Next add green chilli,asafoetida and ginger,Saute till raw smell goes off.
3.Add the washed and chopped methi leaves,carrots and bell pepper.Now add salt,turmeric powder and cook for 5 minutes.
4.Add the cooled rice and spread gently.Remove from flame,add the lemon juice and mix well.
5.Serve with papad/stir fry
Notes:
1.It is best to use sesame oil for any kind of chitranam
2.Add 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil to the rice while cooking to prevent the sticking of grains.
3.After spreading the rice to cooked vegetables,let it rest for 10 minutes,so that the grains ont break due to heat.