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Lemon Rice Recipe

April 23, 2018 by Helene Dsouza 39 Comments

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Helene Dsouza
This vibrant lemon rice side dish is best served with seafood and meats. Prepare it with leftover cooked rice to save time!
Total Time: 15 minutes
4.96 from 24 votes
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Lemon Rice Recipe - How to make South Indian Lemon Rice [EASY]

This Lemon rice recipe is a delicious side dish to serve with any main dish.

The South Indian yellow rice can be served with Indian as well as Western fish, meat and vegetable meals.

Did you know that it’s rather easy to make lemon rice from scratch?

Lemon Rice Recipe - How to make South Indian Lemon Rice [EASY]

When you visit Goa, the first thing that you do is to take around to the beach and chill in one of the beach shacks.

You check out one of the sticky, salty menu cards and discover in the side dishes something called lemon rice.

It doesn’t sound fancy but if you are a serious lemon or lime lover like me, then you should not miss on this lemon rice recipe!

What is Lemon Rice?

Lemon rice is a flavorful rice side dish which goes well with any kinds of main course meals.

However, lemon rice goes best with seafood meals.

My husband introduced me to this lemon rice recipe by preparing and serving delicious and fresh stir-fried prawns with the lemony rice.

My husband’s aunt is from Kerala in South India, so she was the one to introduce the lemon rice to the family during festivities.

It quickly gained fame as you can see!

Lemon Rice Recipe - How to make South Indian Lemon Rice [EASY]

This Lemon Rice recipe is a South Indian specialty.

Lemon Rice ingredients

The citrus flavors in this lemon rice recipe will add some aroma to your rice.

The dark mustard seeds are an essential addition too, which give a comforting nutty flavor to the dish and some texture as well.

Mustard seeds are healthy too and don’t necessarily turn the rice dish spicy.

Another great super healthy addition is turmeric, which might be known to some as Curcuma yellow spice.

I have written about turmeric before.

This spice is a very powerful antiseptic dried and powdered root, which is essential in Indian cuisine.

Turmeric gives this lemon rice recipe, not just a gorgeous hue but also a well-rounded taste experience, and together with the mustard seeds and lemon juice, it is a brilliant flavor experience, which anybody should experience!

Lemon Rice Recipe - How to make South Indian Lemon Rice [EASY]

Tip: You can also add Cashews or Peanuts to your lemon rice!

That’s how authentic lemon rice is prepared.

The lemon adds a nice tangy addictive touch to the side dish, and it’s going to be your new favorite go-to side dish at home.

Useful tools to make lemon rice: ๐Ÿ”ช

  • Spice Glass Jar Set – To store your spices properly. More hygienic and easy to find and ultimately you will use the healthy spices more frequently. That way you won’t forget your spices at the back of your cupboard!
  • Deep Dish Pan – To prepare the lemon rice easily. That way the spices get cooked evenly and you can mix the rice properly without making a mess.
  • Bamboo Spatula to stir-fry – I love this spatula and use it very frequently in my cooking as you can see. It’s sturdy, it’s light, it gets clean easily. Even annoying turmeric stains come out of the spatula!
Lemon Rice Recipe - How to make Lemon Rice. great side dish and Goan Indian food www.MasalaHerb.com

original post picture 2014

Related to the Lemon rice recipe ๐Ÿš

  • Cilantro Rice
  • Spanish Paella
  • Vegetable Korma
  • Peppered Preserved Lemon Butter by mjskitchen.com

Dear Reader, with what are you planning to serve the lemon rice?

Please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas with us in the comment section further below!

The post Lemon rice recipe was first published on the 27 th December 2014 and has been enhanced and updated ever since.

Lemon Rice Recipe - How to make South Indian Lemon Rice [EASY]
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Lemon Rice Recipe - How to make South Indian Lemon Rice [EASY]

Lemon Rice – Fragrant Rice Recipe

This vibrant lemon rice side dish is best served with seafood and meats. Prepare it with leftover cooked rice to save time!
4.96 from 24 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian, Indian
Keyword: fried rice, lemon
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 415kcal
Recipe by: Helene Dsouza

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Basmati Rice
  • 2 Cups water
  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 Teaspoon Brown Mustard Seeds dark variety
  • 1 Tablespoon Ginger + Garlic *see Notes
  • 1 Teaspoon Turmeric Ground aka Curcuma spice
  • to taste Salt
  • pinch Black Pepper
  • Juice of one Lemon
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Wash the rice and cook until done. Basmati rice usually takes around 12 minutes to cook, follow the package instructions. Strain so that no water is left
  • In a pan heat up the olive oil and add the mustard seeds. Temper the mustard seeds – careful mustard seeds jump up – until you get the nutty mustard seed aroma.
  • Add the ginger garlic paste, the turmeric powder, salt, and pepper and stir fry for another minute or two.
  • Take from the heat and let cool for a few minutes before adding and mixing in the lemon juice.
  • Pour the whole mixture over the cooked rice and mix well. Serve hot.

Notes

  1. Use Ginger Garlic paste as it mixes into the dish. You can also buy the paste. OR chopย 1/3 ginger and 2/3 garlic fine and use that instead.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Lemon Rice – Fragrant Rice Recipe
Amount Per Serving (484 g)
Calories 415 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Sodium 20mg1%
Potassium 131mg4%
Carbohydrates 75g25%
Fiber 1g4%
Protein 7g14%
Calcium 33mg3%
Iron 1.3mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Comments

  1. Lanette says

    October 11, 2020 at 5:55 pm

    5 stars
    Excellent

    Reply
  2. Corey says

    August 31, 2020 at 9:09 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks for the recipe! We love the intense yellow color, along with the flavor

    Reply
    • Helene Dsouza says

      September 2, 2020 at 12:34 am

      You are welcome Corey! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  3. Rebecca says

    June 16, 2019 at 5:59 am

    5 stars
    Thank you thank you thank you!!! My boyfriend and I have become addicted to the lemon rice at a nearby restaurant…. But restaurant food is a quite pricey addiction, so I decided to see if I could find a recipe that matches the one served there. And here it is!!! It’s slightly different, but a very near match. You’ve saved us! I’m definitely bookmarking your website.

    Reply
    • Helene Dsouza says

      June 16, 2019 at 12:57 pm

      Hi Rebecca, thanks for the feedback.
      I’m glad to read that you enjoy the lemon rice as much as we do. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  4. Nelma Jayaneththi says

    August 8, 2018 at 9:22 am

    5 stars
    Delicious lemon rice!

    Reply
    • Helene Dsouza says

      August 9, 2018 at 7:24 am

      Thanks for your feedback ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  5. mjskitchen says

    April 28, 2018 at 2:58 am

    I can think of a lot of entrees with which I’d serve this wonderful rice. Thanks for sharing this post because it’s a rice I’ve always wanted to make.

    Reply
    • mjskitchen says

      June 24, 2018 at 6:11 pm

      Thanks for the link to my lemon butter! Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend!

      Reply
  6. Healthy World Cuisine says

    April 24, 2018 at 4:34 pm

    5 stars
    Helene, absolutely love your video and your relaxing voice. So nice. Lemon rice is fabulous side dish to so many recipe. Can see this on our menu plan this week. Sharing, of course!

    Reply
  7. Michelle @ Vitamin Sunshine says

    December 21, 2017 at 5:39 am

    5 stars
    This sounds incredible – I need to try! I love asian rice dishes but only ever steam mine at home!

    Reply
    • Helene Dsouza says

      December 21, 2017 at 4:14 pm

      You can also steam your rice first instead of boiling it to make this lemon rice. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  8. Colleen says

    December 21, 2017 at 1:36 am

    Next time I cook rice, this is what I am making. Looks and sounds delicious!

    Reply
  9. Elizabeth says

    December 20, 2017 at 9:51 pm

    5 stars
    That sounds utterly heavenly! We eat a lot of rice in our house so I’ll have to try this soon!

    Reply
  10. Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy says

    December 20, 2017 at 7:29 pm

    5 stars
    This rice looks and sounds delicious. It was be so good with seafood and chicken…the perfect side for sure.

    Reply
  11. Anu says

    December 19, 2017 at 5:46 pm

    5 stars
    Don’t you think mustard seeds add to the tanginess of the dish? I think so. We add it to our usual breakfast preparations like Poha and Upma that does not have any other spices and it lends a tangy taste to them.

    South Indians can make rice with anything – Tomato, Eggplant, Okra or even mix of vegetables. Its what they call one pot cooking with everything there. Simple to cook and easy to digest.

    Reply
  12. Veena Azmanov says

    December 19, 2017 at 5:43 pm

    5 stars
    Is lemon rice very Indian. I always loved lemon rice when mom made it but most people are surprised of the mention of lemon rice.
    I love how turmeric makes it nice and yellow. My kids call it yellow rice!! I usually add a few peas to my lemon rice.. just for colors!! Love the flavor of mustard in this.. You making me hungry Helen..

    Reply
  13. Sam | Ahead of Thyme says

    December 18, 2017 at 1:14 am

    5 stars
    Yum!! Lemon rice sounds amazing!! I can’t wait to try this

    Reply
  14. Sissi says

    December 7, 2016 at 7:48 pm

    I knew there was turmeric too! I love every single ingredient in this rice, so even though I have no idea how tangy lemon tastes with the rest, I’m sure I’d love it!

    Reply
  15. Victor Aguilar says

    February 22, 2016 at 2:11 am

    5 stars
    Hi Helena, iยดve never tried this recipe and i did it today because i found you. Itยดs delicious. I love the Indian food and this is perfect to do at home. Easy and very testy. Thank you Helen.

    Reply
    • Helene Dsouza says

      March 22, 2016 at 10:18 pm

      Glad to hear you enjoyed it ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  16. PolaM says

    January 4, 2015 at 10:31 pm

    I love lemon rice, my version is just boiled rice with lemon juice and maybe a bit of thyme, but I think I will try experiment with yours: sounds delicious!

    Reply
  17. Kathy says

    January 3, 2015 at 6:54 am

    Wow, This is something I have to try! It looks and sounds fabulous! Happy New Year, Helene

    Reply
  18. Mary Bostow says

    January 3, 2015 at 4:10 am

    THis looks so good and now i’m thinking about how i can make and enjoy it! Thank you!

    Reply
  19. Ash-foodfashionparty says

    January 2, 2015 at 10:28 pm

    5 stars
    Helen, A VERY VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Have a great year!
    I completely get it with the sticky menu..:)
    We love lemon rice, a staple among South Indians. You’ve done a great job, it looks good.
    Hugs.

    Reply
  20. Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says

    January 2, 2015 at 9:10 pm

    This looks SO, SO good!

    Reply
  21. Christie says

    January 2, 2015 at 9:07 pm

    I love the addition of lemon in this rice. It will be so delicious with the warm spices.

    Reply
  22. Ramona says

    December 31, 2014 at 3:32 am

    5 stars
    Looks great!! Wishing all the best to you this New Year! May 2015 be a wonderful year for you. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  23. [email protected] says

    December 31, 2014 at 12:21 am

    Lemon rice is one of the easy fix for me. Pairing it with stir fried prawns sounds tempting. I can see why Goa is famous for it seafood delicacies.

    Reply
  24. Kitchen Belleicious says

    December 30, 2014 at 6:49 pm

    oh I can just smell the fragrance as I type. It looks beautiful with the bright yellow color and sounds so refreshing and flavorful. what a wonderful side dish to so many things! Hope you are having a happy holiday season and here is to a happy new year!

    Reply
  25. padma says

    December 30, 2014 at 2:10 am

    It is such a staple food in south India…will definitely try this version Helena!!…Btw.. it also tastes great with a spicy chicken fry!!…You can check out my recent post on south indian style chicken fry:)

    Reply
  26. Anita Menon says

    December 29, 2014 at 6:33 pm

    I love lemon rice. It is quite a staple in my home. I usually make it with leftover rice.

    It would be great if you could share the spicy goan prawn recipe too.

    Reply
  27. Simone says

    December 29, 2014 at 12:27 pm

    I had never heard of lemon rice before but you now got me intrigued. Sounds delicious (big lemon lover here too) and definitely will give this a go. Sounds more like a summer dish though so might wait a bit for warmer weather….:)

    Reply
  28. [email protected]'s Recipes says

    December 27, 2014 at 11:32 pm

    You cook the perfect rice, Helene. My basmati rice never looks this fluffy and good.

    Reply
    • Helene Dsouza says

      December 28, 2014 at 12:35 am

      To be honest I like sticky rice, it’s comfort food. ๐Ÿ™‚ But fluffy rice is more common here around.

      Reply
  29. cheri says

    December 27, 2014 at 8:52 pm

    Helene, love how simple this rice dish is, love lemons. Pinned!!!

    Reply
  30. Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says

    December 27, 2014 at 5:52 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve never heard of lemon rice, Helene but good lord it looks and sounds delicious. I’m definitely going to make these soon. Yum.

    Reply
  31. PIYALI says

    December 27, 2014 at 4:51 pm

    For me Lemon rice has been like a huge comfort food tucking into it maybe with only a bowl of Coconut chutney. Your story of how you were introduced to Lemon Rice is very fascinating and sweet. Never tried Lemon Rice with recheado prawns. Will surely try this combination soon.

    Reply
  32. [email protected] says

    December 27, 2014 at 2:49 pm

    5 stars
    Oooh!! Lemon rice! Never tried it, never even heard of it (are you horrified??!!) but I am DEFINATELY trying it!! I love love LOVE the flavourings in this!

    Reply

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